UNC Health Nash Receives Surgical Safety Center of Excellence Designation
UNC Health Nash has been recognized by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of Retained Surgical Items (RSI)—a prestigious national designation that highlights top-tier surgical safety standards. UNC Nash is the first hospital in the UNC Health system to achieve this recognition, and one of only three hospitals statewide to currently hold the title.
To qualify for the Center of Excellence distinction, UNC Nash had to meet rigorous criteria set by AORN, including a facility-wide education program and implementation of advanced surgical safety technologies. All surgical team members—including operating room (OR) staff, labor/delivery staff, anesthesia providers, surgeons, and advanced practice providers—completed AORN’s RSI education module, with UNC Nash achieving a 99% participation rate, surpassing the required 90%. UNC Nash also trialed three adjunct technologies for tracking surgical soft goods before selecting ORLocate by Steris, which was fully implemented across all operating rooms in January 2025 and went live in March.
Additionally, compliance with AORN-standard surgical counting procedures was rigorously audited over a 12-week period, with UNC Nash reaching 100% compliance during the final five weeks of data collection.
The Center of Excellence designation is valid for three years and represents a significant achievement in reducing the risk of RSIs, which are classified as “never events” by national safety standards (“never events” are serious and often preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur in a healthcare setting).
“This recognition reflects more than just the strength of our surgical teams,” said Dr. L. Lee Isley, President and CEO of UNC Health Nash. “It affirms our culture of accountability and safety—and our shared commitment to advancing surgical care in the communities we serve.”
“Being named an AORN Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety is a clear reflection of the high standards our teams uphold every day,” said Ivy Ruiz, Director of Perioperative Services, on behalf of the Perioperative Services Leadership Team at UNC Nash. “This recognition highlights the strength of our processes, the depth of our training, and most importantly, the unwavering dedication of our surgical and obstetric teams. They approach every patient with precision, vigilance, and compassion—and their commitment to doing things the right way, every time, is what makes this level of excellence possible. We’re proud to see their efforts recognized on a national scale.”
Founded in 1949, AORN is the leading professional organization for perioperative nurses, supporting the practice of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based research, nursing education, standards and practice resources to enable optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. AORN unites and empowers perioperative nurses, healthcare organizations, and industry partners to support safe surgery for every patient, every time.
For more information on surgery services at UNC Nash, visit www.UNCHealthNash.org/Surgery
