AORN

We’re proud to share that AORN CEO and Executive Director David Wyatt has been named one of the “145 Patient Safety Experts to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review.

Here’s what Becker’s said about Dr. Wyatt:

“Dr. Wyatt assumed the role of CEO and executive director of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses in February 2025, bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience in surgical services and healthcare management to the position. He joined the organization from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he served as CNO, overseeing the operational and clinical leadership of inpatient, procedural and hospital-based ambulatory departments and a staff of 3,000. Previously, he served as vice president of perioperative enterprise at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., responsible for the operational and strategic leadership of perioperative services across multiple locations and surgical care settings.

Dr. Wyatt has been an AORN member for more than 25 years, served two terms on its board of directors from 2008 to 2012, and was elected president for the 2020-2021 term, overseeing the organization’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has contributed to AORN task forces and committees addressing the nursing shortage, nursing leadership, strategic governance and the formation of AORN Syntegrity.

A fellow of both the American Academy of Nursing and AORN, Dr. Wyatt’s career spans clinical nursing, executive management and academia.”

Becker’s Healthcare developed the list based on nominations and editorial research.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Wyatt on this well-deserved recognition!

Perioperative nurses on the other side of the world heard from AORN Board of Directors Vice-President, J.D. Buchert, MSN, M.Ed., MS, RN, CNOR, CPHQ, who a gave a presentation on Bullying and Incivility last weekend at the ACORN 2026 International Conference. The 20th biennial event was hosted by the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses, in Brisbane, Australia. He was joined by other AORN members from both Australia and the U.S.