By Jaana Perttunen, EORNA President The gender pay gap in healthcare is real. And yes, it exists even in nursing – one of the most female-dominated professions in the world. Despite being the backbone of surgical care, perioperative nurses across Europe are still undervalued and underpaid. In 2025, that should no longer be acceptable. Why…

By Jaana Perttunen, EORNA President In the dynamic and high-stakes world of the operating room, staying current isn’t optional – it’s essential. For perioperative nurses, continuous learning is not just about professional development; it’s about ensuring the highest standards of patient safety and care. At EORNA, we believe that empowered, well-educated nurses are at the…

By Ólafur Guðbjörn Skúlason, EORNA Vice-President Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) doesn’t make headlines every day, but it should. While the world has moved on from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, another global health threat continues to grow quietly — one that risks undoing decades of medical progress. According to the OECD’s Health at a…

By Michael Elin, EORNA Treasurer The operating room of the future is increasingly intertwined with technology. Robot-assisted surgery, once a niche innovation, is now rapidly expanding across surgical disciplines. While some may ask, “Will robots take over the OR?”, the reality is far more nuanced — and full of opportunity for perioperative nurses. Robotic systems…

By Jaana Perttunen, EORNA President Europe is experiencing a profound demographic shift. By 2050, nearly one in three Europeans will be over 65, up from 21% today. People who reach 65 can now expect to live more than 20 additional years, yet more than half of these years are affected by chronic illnesses or disabilities,…

Ólafur Guðbjörn Skúlason, EORNA Vice-President Surgical safety is not the result of individual vigilance alone. It is built through education, standards, and systems — and perioperative nurses are central to that design. Every year, EPND reminds us that surgical safety begins with the professionals closest to the patient. Yet safety is too often framed as…

By Jaana Perttunen, EORNA President Across healthcare settings, the evidence is clear: higher levels of nursing education are associated with better patient outcomes. In perioperative care, where risk is concentrated and margins for error are small, education is not a luxury — it is a safety intervention. Patient safety is often discussed in terms of…

By Cathrine Heen, NAORN, Chair of the EORNA Scientific Committee As Chair of the Scientific Committee for EORNA, I have had the privilege of reviewing emerging evidence and shaping the scientific direction of our Congress. One theme has consistently stood out — sustainability in perioperative practice is no longer a future ambition, but a present…

By Jaana Perttunen, President, EORNA Sustainability in the operating room is often framed as a simple choice: reusable or single-use. In reality, safe and sustainable perioperative care depends on something far more powerful — how the whole system works. Sustainability is rising fast on the healthcare agenda, and rightly so. Operating rooms are among the…