The AORN guidelines are based on several key principles, including:

Jamie stared, wide-eyed. This was the moment textbooks couldn’t teach—the collision of protocol and pressure. The guidelines weren't rules to follow when life was easy. They were lifeboats when the ship was already sinking.

One of the biggest misunderstandings among new perioperative leaders is thinking the AORN Guidelines are voluntary. While AORN itself is a professional association, its guidelines have been into law and accreditation.