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Operating Room Nurse Day

Honor the Operating Room Nurses this special day - thank them for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to keeping us safe!

Saturday

November 2026

Last updated February 7, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATENovember 14

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYCareers

SUBCATEGORYHealthcare

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

There's no better time to recognize the hard work of Operating Room Nurses than on Operating Room Nurse Day on Nov. 14! This special day celebrates the dedication and commitment of operating room nurses in providing quality patient care, along with their expertise in surgical procedures. It's a great opportunity to thank these important healthcare professionals for all that they do every single day!

TIMELINE

Operating Room Nurse Day Timeline

Nursing Profession Established

Florence Nightingale established nursing as a respectable profession for women.

AORN Formation

The foundation of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) – an organization promoting safe and effective operative care.

Operating Room Standards

AORN develops standards for perioperative nursing practice to improve patient safety and quality of care.

Specialty Certification

AORN develops the CNOR (Certified periOperative Nurse) certification, recognizing qualified operating room nurses.

Recognition Day Established

Operating Room Nurse Day is officially recognized and celebrated on November 14.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate Operating Room Nurse Day

Gather your colleagues

Organize a lunch or dinner gathering with your colleagues from the operating room and celebrate the day by reminiscing about the accomplishments and successes that you have achieved together.

MAKE

Make a toast

At the end of your celebration, make a toast to all of the hard work that operating room nurses do every day. This is a great way to recognize their dedication and share your appreciation for them.

WRITE

Write thank you notes

Take some time to write thank you notes to each of your fellow operating room nurses expressing your gratitude for their hard work and dedication. This will show them how much you appreciate all that they do.

ORGANIZE

Organize a fun activity

Organize a fun activity such as painting pottery, going bowling, or playing mini golf to celebrate Operating Room Nurse Day. This is an opportunity to relax and bond with one another in an enjoyable setting.

GIVE

Give out awards

Consider giving out awards to recognize and honor the achievements of your fellow operating room nurses on this special day. Awards could be given for anything from best scrub nurse to most compassionate nurse.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why Operating Room Nurse Day is Important

Show Appreciation for Their Hard Work

Operating Room Nurse Day is a great way to show our appreciation for all of the hard work these dedicated professionals put in day after day. It's also a reminder of how important it is to have highly skilled nursing staff working alongside surgeons to ensure patient safety and successful outcomes.

Operating Room Nurses Play a Crucial Role

Operating room nurses play an integral role in ensuring the success of surgical procedures. They act as scrub technicians, organize instruments and supplies in the operating room, monitor patients’ vital signs during surgery, and manage anesthesia. Without their support and expertise, the surgical team would be unable to provide top quality care to their patients.

They Assure Patient Safety

The operating room nurse plays a key role in maintaining patient safety by monitoring patients’ vital signs, administering medications, checking for potential risks or complications before and after a procedure, and providing compassionate care throughout the entire operation.