AORN Position Statement on Care of the Older Adult in Perioperative Settings

POSITION STATEMENT Perioperative registered nurses (RNs) provide patient-centered care and develop interventions for older adults by taking into consideration the changes associated with aging and by understanding that age alone puts older adults at risk for perioperative complications. Perioperative RNs should • meet the physiological, cognitive, special communication, cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of older adults; • allow older adults to use assistive devices (eg, hearing aids, glasses) in the perioperative setting; • understand chronic disease, comorbidities, and pharmacological interactions; • advocate for older adult patients who are unable to fully engage in their own care (the older adult patient and designated support person’s ability or choice to engage may vary based on each unique care situation); • respect the boundaries that protect patients as well as care providers during all interactions with older adult patients and their designated support person(s); • use resources (eg, positioning aids, padding, transfer and transport assistive devices) that address the unique needs of the older adult patient; and • receive education and undergo competency verification that address the specialized knowledge and skills related to the care of older adults.