During the 2026 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo, a significant highlight was the perspective shared by Colleen Becker, PhD, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, who currently serves as the senior director of perioperative education for the Association of periOperative Registered Nurse (AORN). Becker offered insights into an urgent issue in the nursing field: revisiting how education is imparted to an increasingly diverse and changing nursing workforce.
Becker’s primary focus was on nursing education. It needs to go beyond merely being a source of information; it should also be viewed and used as a science. The nursing profession has evolved significantly over the years. It started with hospital-based diploma programs, transitioned into academic educational systems, and now relies heavily on hybrid models that combine traditional methodologies with technology-infused formats. The process of this evolution is being propelled by digitization, emerging workforce needs, and the evolving preferences of learning candidates.
At the root of this evolution is a shift in how education is perceived and implemented. It needs to pivot towards being evidence-based, anchored in research, and should be custom designed considering how nurses learn and apply their knowledge in practical scenarios. One of the significant hurdles faced in this context is the diversity within the workforce. Becker emphasized that the nursing profession currently accommodates at least five distinct generations, each with its learning styles, demands, and expectations. Consequently, curriculum designers face the challenge of creating courses that respond effectively to each generation’s unique needs.
Becker pointed out that adapting to various learning preferences is critical as these often indicate significant shifts in how information is assimilated, processed, and retained. She emphasized that successful education strategies should be flexible, accessible, and focussed on application-oriented learning. The emphasis should shift from traditional testing methods towards case studies and real-world scenarios that mirror actual clinical experiences. Knowledge acquisition should be geared towards immediate applicability in real-world scenarios.
Additionally, Becker highlights the pivotal role hospitals and healthcare facilities can play in bridging the gap between the educational needs of nurses and the requirements of the healthcare providers. Becker also spotlighted the critical issue of the increasing demand for nurses, with projections indicating that approximately 100,000 new nurses would be needed each year until 2035. The health care system faces the daunting task of replacing retiring nurses and expanding capacity to cater to the needs of an aging population.
The evolving role of nurses, including emerging areas like telehealth, virtual care, and informatics, was mentioned by Becker as being among the fastest-growing specialties. Despite advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence, Becker asserted that these are tools that support education and practice and will not replace human nurses.
The paramount take-away from Becker’s viewpoint was that education must align with the needs of learners, healthcare organizations, and the overall healthcare system. It needs to address challenges such as the shortage of experienced educators and develop innovative mechanisms to train the educators. The future of nursing education will be determined by its adaptability, the reliance on evidence-based practices, and its understanding of how learning occurs across different generations.