AORN Launches Competency-Based Education to Help Hospitals and ASCs Improve Patient Safety and Maintain Compliance
DENVER, CO, UNITED STATES, July 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As regulatory scrutiny intensifies across healthcare settings, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) is spotlighting the urgent need for competency-based education to prevent avoidable surgical complications and protect accreditation status.
A single lapse in infection control, patient positioning, or sterile technique in the operating room can lead to serious adverse events—jeopardizing not only patient safety, but also an organization’s quality scores, Medicare reimbursements, and regulatory compliance. One example is a pressure injury acquired during the perioperative period due to inadequate competency. Education and competencies around patient positioning and skin care can significantly reduce or even eliminate these injuries.
Rising Compliance Pressures for Hospitals and ASCs
Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) must meet rigorous standards from agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), The Joint Commission, and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
These facilities are required to have a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program, which mandates clear objectives, evidence-based interventions, and continuous monitoring of outcomes. Failure to meet competency benchmarks can result in adverse patient outcomes, lower quality scores, financial penalties, or even the loss of accreditation.
Linking Competency to Quality Scores and Reimbursement
With programs like Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, financial incentives are increasingly tied to quality performance. For hospitals, low quality scores can result in reimbursement penalties. For ASCs, failure to report required measures can reduce payments by up to 2%. Hospital ratings reflect adherence to evidence-based practices.
AORN Education Solutions: Closing the Gap
To address these high-stakes challenges, AORN offers comprehensive education solutions designed to help healthcare organizations build staff competency, meet regulatory expectations, and improve patient outcomes. Solutions include:
Periop 101: A standardized, evidence-based curriculum that ensures nurses meet perioperative competency standards.
eGuidelines Plus: Real-time access to AORN Guidelines and step-by-step visuals to support clinical decision-making.
Accreditation Assistant: Aligns The Joint Commission and AAAHC standards with AORN recommendations, policies, and tools.
CineMed Video Library and Perioperative Clips: High-quality videos for ongoing skills reinforcement.
ASC Academy and Infection Prevention Course: Leadership training and CMS-compliant infection control education for ASC teams.
Certain interventions, including infection prevention protocols for surgical procedures, urinary catheters, and central line insertions, have been proven to reduce the risk of complications. Hospitals and ASCs that fail to follow these best practices are more likely to experience preventable patient harm and lower overall quality scores.
About AORN
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) represents the interests of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based resources, continuing education, and guidance on best practices to support safe patient care in the operating room and beyond.
A single lapse in infection control, patient positioning, or sterile technique in the operating room can lead to serious adverse events—jeopardizing not only patient safety, but also an organization’s quality scores, Medicare reimbursements, and regulatory compliance. One example is a pressure injury acquired during the perioperative period due to inadequate competency. Education and competencies around patient positioning and skin care can significantly reduce or even eliminate these injuries.
Rising Compliance Pressures for Hospitals and ASCs
Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) must meet rigorous standards from agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), The Joint Commission, and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
These facilities are required to have a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program, which mandates clear objectives, evidence-based interventions, and continuous monitoring of outcomes. Failure to meet competency benchmarks can result in adverse patient outcomes, lower quality scores, financial penalties, or even the loss of accreditation.
Linking Competency to Quality Scores and Reimbursement
With programs like Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program, financial incentives are increasingly tied to quality performance. For hospitals, low quality scores can result in reimbursement penalties. For ASCs, failure to report required measures can reduce payments by up to 2%. Hospital ratings reflect adherence to evidence-based practices.
AORN Education Solutions: Closing the Gap
To address these high-stakes challenges, AORN offers comprehensive education solutions designed to help healthcare organizations build staff competency, meet regulatory expectations, and improve patient outcomes. Solutions include:
Periop 101: A standardized, evidence-based curriculum that ensures nurses meet perioperative competency standards.
eGuidelines Plus: Real-time access to AORN Guidelines and step-by-step visuals to support clinical decision-making.
Accreditation Assistant: Aligns The Joint Commission and AAAHC standards with AORN recommendations, policies, and tools.
CineMed Video Library and Perioperative Clips: High-quality videos for ongoing skills reinforcement.
ASC Academy and Infection Prevention Course: Leadership training and CMS-compliant infection control education for ASC teams.
Certain interventions, including infection prevention protocols for surgical procedures, urinary catheters, and central line insertions, have been proven to reduce the risk of complications. Hospitals and ASCs that fail to follow these best practices are more likely to experience preventable patient harm and lower overall quality scores.
About AORN
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) represents the interests of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based resources, continuing education, and guidance on best practices to support safe patient care in the operating room and beyond.
Christian Czerwinski
AORN
+1 573-303-8780
cczerwinski@aorn.org
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