Perioperative Management

PerioperativeManagementDependability in a dynamic environment.

Educational resources for perioperative professionals

Build your expertise in perioperative supply and process management with training designed for surgical teams, support staff, and clinical leaders. Whether you're focused on improving efficiency, reducing risk, or enhancing patient outcomes, our no-cost, online courses offer practical, on-demand learning to help you succeed. 

  • Curated content focused on real-world perioperative challenges, from supply flow to sterile field management

  • Self-paced format lets you learn when and where it works best for your schedule

  • Continuing education credits available for select courses

  • Expanding course library to support ongoing professional development across surgical environments

Start learning today

Explore our robust course library to find the training that fits your role and goals. Whether you're new to perioperative management or looking to sharpen your skills, Medline University is here to support your growth with industry-leading content, at your pace, on your schedule, and at no cost. 

30% of a hospital’s budget goes to perioperative services, mostly for purchasing, handling, and using sterile surgical inventory 2  
$15M wasted annually by U.S. hopsitals on single sterile shelf items that go unused 3
$12.1M average U.S. hospitals overspend on supply chain costs 4  
20% of perioperative nurses expected to retire within the next 5 years, costing hospitals $120,000 to train new graduate nurses 5  
28 minutes median OR turnover time6

education and training

Build sustainable knowledge with 24/7 access to online courses

electrosurgery, cautery, fire, operating room, OR, safety, surgical, patient safety
A Comprehensive Review of Electrosurgery and Fire Safety Considerations (1.5 CE for Nurses)

Review electrosurgical safety precautions and safe practices to implement a successful fire safety program in your facility. 

Learn more

Take course

medication, OR, operating room, anesthesia, meds, surgery, patient safety, OR safety
Safe Medication Practices in the Operating Room (1.0 CE for Nurses)

Address and minimize risk factors for medication errors that are specific to the operating room. 

Learn more

Take course

pressure injury, PI, patient safety, OR, operating room, stages, DTPI, patient safety, preoperative
Skin and Pressure Injury Prevention in the Perioperative Department (1.0 CE for Nurses)

Explore evidence-based interventions to prevent skin injury from occurring in surgical patients. 

Learn more

Take course

patient safety, OR, SSI, wrong site surgery, medication errors, pressure injuries, clabsi, safety, surgery
9 on the Line: Patient Safety in the Operating Room (2.0 CE for Nurses)

Become a patient safety champion in the operating room by addressing various patient safety issues.

Learn more

Take course

patient safety, operating room, OR, infection prevention, improve patient outcomes, turnover, save time, save costs
9 on the Line Patient Safety: Retained Surgical Item (Microlearning)

Focus on preventing retained surgical items (RSIs) in the operating room by understanding their prevalence, risk factors, and best practices for avoidance.

Learn more

Take course

patient safety, OR, operating room, patient safety, preoperative
9 on the Line Patient Safety: Surgical Site Infections (Microlearning)

Prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) in the operating room by understanding their types, risk factors, and recommended preventive measures.

Learn more

Take course

patient safety, OR, SSI, wrong site surgery, medication errors, pressure injuries, clabsi, safety, surgery
Preference Cards (Microlearning)

Understand the importance of electronic preference cards in the operating room, including their purpose, components, benefits, and how they enhance efficiency and cost-consciousness.

Learn more

Take course

patient safety, OR, SSI, wrong site surgery, medication errors, pressure injuries, clabsi, safety, surgery
Sterile Indicators for Perioperative Staff (Microlearning)

Sterilizing instruments is crucial to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) and ensure patient safety.

Learn more

Take course

Best Practice Guidance

Improve clinical outcomes with educational posters

OR, turnover, faster, efficiency, delegation, best practice
Best Practices for Efficient OR Turnover Times

Read more

OR, inventory, cost, case picking, supplies, supply management
Best Practices for Supply Management

Read more

hand hygiene, OR, SSI, contamination, antiseptic, soap and water, alcohol-based hand rub
Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in the OR

Read more

audit, digital record, supply chain, central sterile, preference cards, surgeon, equipment, surgery, OR, patient, procedure,
Guidelines for Preference Card Management

Read more

smoke, OR, evacuation, fire, electrosurgery
Smoke Evacuation 101

Read more

best practice tutorials

Support best practices with step-by-step instructional videos

Upper Extremity Drape
Gynecology Drape
Beach Chair Shoulder Drape
Urology TUR Drape

case studies and clinical evidence

Drive evidence-based practices and support a culture of safety

AORN, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Newsroom

Read more

AST, surgical, technologist
AST Guidelines for Best Practices for Sharps Safety and Use of the Neutral Zone

Read more

AAMI, gown, fluid, safety, patient safety, FDA, medical gown, guidelines
AAMI Gown Level Standards

Read more

TJC, the joint commission, NPSG, national, patient, safety, goals, 2023, 23, healthcare, ambulatory
National Patient Safety Goals® Effective January 2025 for the Ambulatory Health Care Program

Read more

References
  1. Healey T, El-Othmani MM, Healey J, et. al. Improving Operating Room Efficiency, Part 1: General Managerial and Preoperative Strategies. JBJS Rev 2015;3(10):e3. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.N.00109.
  2. Ahmadi E, et al. Inventory management of surgical supplies and sterile instruments in hospitals: a literature review. Health Syst (Basingstoke). 2018 Jul 18;8:134–151
  3. Wan, E.L., Xie, L., Barrett, M. et al. Global Public Health Impact of Recovered Supplies from Operating Rooms: A Critical Analysis with National Implications. World J Surg 39, 29–35 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2834-2
  4. Definitive Healthcare. How to Control Costs by Balancing the Supply Chain. Definitive Healthcare. 20, March 2018. https://www.definitivehc.com/blog/reduce-supply-chain-spending
  5. Taylor, Adam. “Aorn Addresses Critical Shortage of or Nurses .” Outpatient Surgery Magazine, Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses, 4 Nov. 2022, https://www.aorn.org/outpatient-surgery/article/2021-August-chamberlain
  6. OR Manager. “Data for benchmarking your OR’s performance.” OR Manager, Vol. 28 No. 1, January 2012. https://www.ormanager.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/0112_ORM_5.Benchmark_r.pdf