Cooper University Health Care Earns National Recognition for Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation

Cooper University Hospital has been recognized by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation. Cooper earned the prestigious Go Clear™ Award for its efforts in eliminating surgical smoke, a hazardous byproduct of laser and electrosurgical procedures that poses significant health risks to those exposed.

This national recognition underscores Cooper's unwavering commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for both patients and surgical staff by effectively eliminating the hazards of surgical smoke.

The AORN Go Clear™ Award signifies that Cooper's surgical teams have successfully completed AORN's comprehensive, evidence-based program and implemented advanced technologies to ensure a smoke-free environment wherever surgical smoke is generated. This achievement demonstrates Cooper's proactive approach to eliminating the risks and protecting the health and well-being of everyone in the operating room.

"Cooper University Health Care and our entire perioperative team members are truly honored to receive the AORN Go Clear™ Award," said Autumn Shingler-Nace, DNP, MBA, RN, FACHE, vice president, perioperative and procedural operations at Cooper.

"This recognition highlights our unwavering commitment to patient and staff safety. Eliminating surgical smoke is a vital part of our comprehensive safety program, and this award affirms our dedication to providing the highest quality care in a safe and healthy environment."

"Surgical smoke occurs every day in operating rooms and poses health risks to those exposed to it. AORN created this program so that every facility can understand the urgency and take steps to protect the health and safety of patients, nurses, physicians, and support staff," said David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, AORN CEO and executive director. "This Center of Excellence for Surgical Safety designation shows the community that the surgical teams at Cooper are committed to providing high-quality care."

About Cooper University Health Care

Cooper University Health Care, with its MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and affiliation with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, is a leading academic health system. Cooper has more than 11,000 team members, including nearly 1,600 nurses, more than 1,000 employed physicians representing 95 specialties and subspecialties, and more than 600 advanced practice professionals.

Cooper University Hospital has been recognized as a top-performing regional hospital by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals annual survey for six years.

Cooper has revenues of more than $2.3 billion and an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings.

More than 2.2 million patients visit Cooper's facilities annually. Cooper's 663-bed flagship Cooper University Hospital is located in Camden. Cooper also operates Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional, a 229-bed facility in Cape May Court House. Cooper University Hospital is also the only Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey and the busiest in the region. Cooper's ambulatory network encompasses three outpatient surgery centers, several urgent care centers, a wound care center, and more than 130 physician, physical therapy, and radiology offices extending from the Delaware River to the New Jersey shore.

Cooper has been named by Forbes as one of America's Best Employers in State in New Jersey for four consecutive years and was named one of America's Best Large Employers for 2025, ranking among the top 200 in the nation.

The Cooper Health Sciences campus in Camden, New Jersey, is home to Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

Visit CooperHealth.org to learn more.

About AORN

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 about AORN and its initiatives, visit www.aorn.org.

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