220 - All In: Driving Growth Through Multi-Specialty Perioperative Seminars

Description: Between November 2024 and April 2025, Allegheny Health Network (AHN) hosted two of its most successful interdisciplinary perioperative seminars to date—one for nursing staff and one for surgical technologists. While these events were not the first of their kind, they represented a new level of intentional planning, engagement, and cross-specialty inclusion.

The Nursing Seminar in November 2024 was shaped by AHN's Perioperative Education Team and featured dynamic content tailored to frontline experiences. Following a detailed evaluation process, a Tech Seminar Workgroup was formed to design the April 2025 Surgical Technologist Seminar. This collaborative council ensured the event reflected the unique needs of technologists across settings—from the OR to Cath Lab, OB/Gyn, and GI.

Each seminar required extensive coordination, including vendor outreach, CEU applications, speaker recruitment, and planning for staff recognition. Interactive activities included a physician panel, nurse-led rapid-fire presentations, a PPE Fashion Show, and a pig heart dissection lab.

These seminars celebrated clinical ladder progression, academic achievements, and certifications, with raffles and recognition ceremonies increasing morale and participation. Growth and development tables provided actionable career resources.

Celebrating clinical ladder progression, academic achievements, and specialty certifications has long served as a catalyst for professional growth within our organization. Indicators from post-event feedback suggest sustained enthusiasm for certifications, increased clinical ladder participation, and higher engagement in staff recognition initiatives. The success of the technologist-focused seminar—still rare in the region—further highlights the power of inclusive, role-specific programming to elevate perioperative practice.