AORN 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is AORN?
OR nurses and managers decide what enters the OR. If you sell surgical disposables, PPE, lead aprons, drapes, or OR workflow tools, AORN has better ROI than many physician shows.
What are the key facts about AORN?
- Host organization: Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
- Primary specialty: nursing
- Scale: mid
- Geography: US National
- International attendance: ~8%
- See all Nursing conferences
Which device categories fit AORN?
Which buyer stages does AORN fit?
What does AORN charge for booth space?
Cost not published
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses does not publish booth pricing for AORN that we can link to, so we do not list a figure here. We would rather show nothing than an estimate you cannot check. Ask them directly on the AORN exhibitor page ↗.
Planning the AORN booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends AORN?
Perioperative nurses and OR managers. Enormous influence on purchasing for surgical disposables, PPE, instruments.
- Purchasing authority: ~75% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~4,500
- International attendance: ~8%
Where is AORN held?
- Venue: New Orleans, LA (2026) / Philadelphia, PA (2027)
- Management company: MCI USA
- Product theater: Available
Who else exhibits at AORN?
Approximately 400+ exhibitors typically attend AORN. Your competitors are here.
Is AORN worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
OR nurses and managers decide what enters the OR. If you sell surgical disposables, PPE, lead aprons, drapes, or OR workflow tools, AORN has better ROI than many physician shows.
Why Skip
Physician-sold devices (implants, imaging) are wasted here.
What should exhibitors know before AORN?
Nurses favor hands-on demos and samples over glossy graphics. Education-first booths outperform sales-first.
What is the Buzzbox Score for AORN?
8.2 / 10 (Excellent)
8.2 out of 10. A top-tier show worth a serious line item. Carried by audience quality (9.3: 75% purchasing authority). The lightest dimension is editorial value (7.3, product-theater opportunity for thought leadership, 400+ exhibitors (deep competitive intel), and fits multiple buyer-journey stages). OR nurses and managers decide what enters the OR.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead. A factor we cannot source is left unscored rather than estimated, and the overall score above was set before any figure behind it was withdrawn.
Standout (9.3): 75% purchasing authority.
Not scored on cost: this organizer publishes no booth price we can link to.
Strong (8.2): exhibitor count disclosed, and attendee purchasing-authority data published.
Standout (9.0): MCI-managed, non-union venue (simpler, cheaper move-in), and exhibitor-friendly host city.
Solid (7.3): product-theater opportunity for thought leadership, 400+ exhibitors (deep competitive intel), and fits multiple buyer-journey stages.
Strong (8.2): mid-size with room to grow and ~400 exhibitors.
When are the AORN exhibitor deadlines?
Detailed deadlines not yet published for AORN. Check the official site for the application window.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at AORN?
AORN does not publish booth pricing we can link to, so we do not list a cost for this show. Rather than estimate one, we point you at the organizer's exhibitor page to request current rates directly.
How many people attend AORN?
AORN draws approximately 6,000 attendees. Perioperative nurses and OR managers. Enormous influence on purchasing for surgical disposables, PPE, instruments.
When and where is AORN 2026?
AORN 2026 takes place April 11-14, 2026 (New Orleans) / April 10-13, 2027 (Philadelphia). The venue is New Orleans, LA (2026) / Philadelphia, PA (2027). Association of periOperative Registered Nurses hosts the meeting.
How many AORN attendees have purchasing authority?
About 75% of AORN attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 4,500 effective buyers out of approximately 6,000 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
Who exhibits at AORN?
Approximately 400+ exhibitors typically attend AORN. The device categories that fit this floor are surgical instruments, disposables, radiation protection, and capital equipment.
How does Buzzbox Media score AORN?
AORN carries a Buzzbox Score of 8.2 out of 10 (Excellent), with one caveat on this record: cost efficiency is not scored, because Association of periOperative Registered Nurses publishes no booth price we can link to, and the overall score was set before that figure was withdrawn. The factors still scored are audience quality, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is audience quality at 9.3 and the lowest is editorial value at 7.3.