AORN 2026 New Orleans: Evidence-Based Colorectal SSI Bundle Reduces Surgical Infections Through Standardized Intraoperative Nursing Care

At the 2026 Association of periOperative Registered Nurse (AORN) Global Surgical Conference & Expo (AORN26) in New Orleans, Louisiana, a poster presentation is highlighting how standardized, evidence-based intraoperative care can reduce surgical site infections in colorectal procedures. The poster, “49 - Reducing Surgical Infections: Evidence-Based Care in Colorectal Surgery,” was presented by Julia Martin, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CCRN, clinical nurse specialist at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, with coauthor Amanda F. Freedman, MSN, RNC-OB, APRN, ACNS-BC, perinatal clinical nurse specialist at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Graham, North Carolina.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a significant concern in colorectal surgery, contributing to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and rising health care costs. In response to an increase in deep-tissue SSIs, Martin and her colleagues led an interdisciplinary effort to develop a comprehensive intraoperative care bundle to standardize practices and reduce variability.

“Surgical site infections are a critical concern in colorectal surgeries,” the authors note, emphasizing the need for consistent application of evidence-based practices across the surgical continuum.

The initiative brought together a multidisciplinary team that included perioperative nurses, an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery coordinator, an operating room supervisor, an infectious disease nurse, a quality and patient safety specialist, a pharmacist, and colorectal surgeons. Through a systematic literature review and evaluation of current clinical practices, the team identified gaps in infection prevention spanning preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases.

A key focus was placed on intraoperative care, where targeted interventions were seen as having the greatest potential impact. “The primary objective was to standardize intraoperative nursing care to minimize variability and strengthen SSI prevention strategies,” the authors explain on the poster.

The resulting care bundle integrates multiple evidence-based interventions into routine practice. These include updated physician order sets to guide antibiotic selection, standardized skin preparation protocols, and the use of fascial wound protectors and abdominal irrigation techniques. The bundle also incorporates enhanced closure practices such as gown and glove changes, dedicated closure trays, and antibiotic-coated sutures.

Perioperative nurses played a central role in implementing these changes. They supported updates to antibiotic protocols, facilitated education sessions for surgical teams, and helped integrate the bundle into the electronic medical record for streamlined documentation and adherence tracking.

“The SSI care bundle emphasized evidence-based interventions tailored for intraoperative nursing staff,” the authors state, highlighting the importance of aligning best practices with workflow realities in the operating room.

To sustain improvements and ensure accountability, the team developed an adherence dashboard to monitor bundle adherence. This tool enables comparisons across campuses, operating rooms, and individual physicians, providing actionable data to guide ongoing quality improvement efforts.

The poster underscores the leadership role of perioperative nurses in advancing infection prevention. By driving standardization, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration, and leveraging data for continuous improvement, nurses are positioned to make measurable impacts on surgical outcomes.

“Perioperative nurses play a vital role in infection prevention,” the authors emphasize, reinforcing their influence in both bedside care and system-level change.

This work reflects a growing focus on data-driven, team-based approaches to reducing infections in high-risk surgical populations. The integration of evidence-based practices into intraoperative workflows demonstrates how targeted interventions can lead to meaningful improvements in patient safety and quality of care.