AORN

When the unexpected happens, preparation matters.

AORN members have access to the new Emergency Preparedness Tool Kit, an evidence-informed member benefit created to help perioperative nurses strengthen preparedness for natural disasters.

Inside the tool kit, members will find educational webinars, disaster risk maps, an emergency preparedness checklist, a debriefing guide, planning resources, related AORN Journal content, and more.

Use these resources to support risk awareness, proactive planning, and preparedness activities before an emergency occurs.

Members: Log in to access the tool kit. https://www.aorn.org/guidelines-resources/tool-kits/emergency-preparedness-tool-kit

Not a member? Join AORN www.aorn.org/join

Emergency Preparedness The Emergency Preparedness Tool Kit will raise perioperative team awareness of emergency/disaster situations and help prepare for an emergency.

More than 50 percent of nurses enter the workforce with a BSN or entry level master’s degree, and with a growing interest in this career path, AORN is pleased to see that the U.S. Department of Education added three graduate nursing degrees to its interim list of professional degree programs earlier this week. That includes the MSN, DNP, and DNAP. The revised definition is set to take effect today, July 1.

This comes on the heels of a federal court temporarily halting the Department’s new regulations that restricted which graduate degrees qualify as “professional,” reverting to the previous definition of professional degrees, which includes nursing programs.

However, AORN’s advocacy for all nursing degrees is not done. The professional degrees identified did not include the PhD in nursing.

While the court’s reinstatement remains in effect, students enrolled in MSN, DNP, and DNAP programs are temporarily eligible for federal borrowing limits of up to $50,000 per year and $200,000 in total.

According to recent data, 17.4% of the nation’s registered nurses hold a master’s degree. And the current demand for master’s and doctoral prepared nurses for advanced practice, clinical specialties, teaching and research roles outstrips the supply. Projections for 2028 show the supply for registered nurses is 3,034,360, but the demand is 3,301,690.

At a time of ongoing nursing shortages, protecting access to graduate nursing education funding is essential to supporting career progression, expanding patient access, strengthening safe care, and meeting growing workforce needs.

AORN will continue to monitor this issue closely and advocate for the inclusion of all post-baccalaureate nursing degrees in the Department’s final definition of professional degree programs.

This past weekend, volunteers from AORN took part in the Denver Pride 5K Run, which raises money for The Center on Colfax, an organization that serves the Colorado LGBTQ+ community.

As Pride Month winds down, we’re mindful that our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion continues year-round. It shows up in how we listen and how we work to help every person feel seen, respected, and valued.

At AORN, that commitment extends to our members, partners, communities, and the patients they serve.