masterclasses at the
acorn 2026 conference
Experience hands-on learning and practical skill development at the ACORN 2026 Conference through our dynamic program of interactive masterclasses. Designed to complement the main scientific program, these focused sessions provide an opportunity to deepen knowledge, explore emerging innovations, and strengthen clinical and professional practice in a collaborative, small-group environment.
Masterclasses will be led by expert facilitators and supported by our valued industry partners, including Platinum Sponsor Mölnlycke and our Silver Sponsors Multigate, Solventum, Stryker and Medline. Their support helps bring the latest advancements, evidence-based practice and real-world solutions directly to your learning experience.
All masterclasses are included in your conference registration, however places are limited and pre-enroolment is required. Pre-enrolment is completed during the conference registration process, or alternatively you can select the following link to enrol or change your selection after completing the conference registration.
Below you’ll find an outline of the masterclasses available, with full details to be added as they are finalised.
Masterclasses - Thursday 14 May, 2026
Masterclass 1 – Pre warming (with Molnlycke)
Stop the drop – A hot topic
Inadvertent Perioperative hypothermia is a significant risk to all patients, having potentially catastrophic effects both intraoperatively and postoperatively on both clinical outcomes and associated costs. Learn why prewarming is the key to prevention of hypothermia and redistribution hypothermia in the Pre op, Intra op and Post op settings.
Join Mölnlycke for an interactive hands on workshop session on patient prewarming and the role of critical devices such as EasyWarm. Touch and feel the EasyWarm and have some fun with us.
Masterclass 2 – Sharps management (with Multigate)
Masterclass 3 – Surgical site infection reduction (with Solventum)
The last layer of protection: proven strategies for SSI reduction in the operating room.
Speakers: TBC
Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) remain a significant challenge in perioperative care, impacting patient safety and outcomes. This interactive workshop is designed specifically for perioperative nurses and provides practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce SSIs in the operating room.
Participants will explore the critical role of skin antisepsis and antimicrobial incise drapes in creating a safer surgical environment. Through hands-on demonstrations and real-world case discussions, nurses will gain confidence in applying best practices that strengthen infection prevention protocols and improve surgical outcomes.
Masterclass 4 – Surgical plume management (with Stryker)
Masterclass 5 – topic to be confirmed (with Medline)
Breakfast symposium - Friday 15 May, 2026
Preventing Perioperative Hypothermia
A special expert Q+A session on pre-warming and perioperative hypothermia prevention with content expert, Pofessor Jed Duff.
Light breakfast, tea & coffee included.
Masterclasses - Friday 15 May, 2026
Masterclass 1 – The ACORN Standards 2026
Unravelling the new standards
Speakers: Edwina Eaton, ACORN Clinical Excellence Coordinator
This masterclass will outline how best to read and understand the new edition, focus on the major changes within the Standards from the last edition, and provide practical resources and tools for their implementation.
Note: this is a duplicate session of the Saturday masterclass and attendees need only enrol in one of these sessions.
Masterclass 2 – The Invisible Threat (with Molnlycke)
Detecting glove breaches before they cause harm
Speakers: Leanne Lewis, ANZ Clinical Specialist, & Dee Smith, Territory Manager
Surgical gloves are a critical barrier in infection prevention – but breaches occur far more often than clinicians realise. In
this interactive, hands on workshop, participants will explore the evidence behind double gloving, experience the power of indicator systems, and practice real time breach detection using practical glove challenges and demonstrations.
We’ll unpack how glove integrity directly impacts surgical site infection (SSI) prevention and theatre safety, and provide practical take-home strategies that can be implemented immediately in clinical practice. Ideal for perioperative nurses, educators and anyone committed to safer surgery.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the clinical evidence supporting double gloving and its role in reducing the risk of SSI’s and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
- Demonstrate correct application for double gloving using a coloured indicator system.
- Identify and assess glove breaches through hands on breach detection activities.
- Describe how indicator undergloves enhance visual detection or intraoperative glove breach.
- Discuss practical strategies for implementing double gloving and breach detection protocols in their own theatre environment.
- Learn about the new Mölnlycke Hand Scan App and how to evaluate glove selection considerations to support best practice in infection prevention.
Masterclass 3 – Can’t intubate, can’t oxygenate (CICO) (with Periop Concepts)
The Vortex Approach
Speakers: Dr Jack Madden
Can’t Intubate, Can’t Oxygenate (CICO) is a rare but life-threatening scenario where all conventional methods for oxygen delivery fail. Despite its low incidence, the consequences of delayed recognition and intervention can be catastrophic. The Vortex Approach has simplified the management of difficult airways, emphasising structured decision-making and rapid progression through three key "lifelines": mask ventilation, supraglottic airway, and tracheal intubation. When all 3 fail, the team must act decisively to rescue the airway.
This hands-on masterclass will provide participants with practical frameworks, interactive demonstrations, and opportunities for team-based rehearsal of these high-stakes skills, ensuring readiness when confronted with the “bottom of the vortex.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the principles of the Vortex Approach and its application to CICO scenarios.
2. Recognise the importance of early CICO priming to reduce unnecessary hypoxia and time delays.
3. Identify the roles of anaesthetists, nurses, and assistants in equipment preparation, optimisation of lifelines, and safe front-of-neck rescue.
4. Perform interactive, team-based responses to simulated airway crises, reinforcing decision-making under pressure.
5. Apply strategies for improving multidisciplinary communication and psychological safety during CICO emergencies.
Masterclass 4 – Fluid management and sustainability (with Stryker)
Masterclass 5 – topic to be confirmed (with Medline)
Masterclasses - Saturday 16 May, 2026
Masterclass 1 – The ACORN Standards 2026
Unravelling the new standards
Speakers: Edwina Eaton, ACORN Clinical Excellence Coordinator
The most evidence-based, practical and clinician-focused iteration in the nearly 50-year legacy of ACORN's standards, this updated edition strengthens usability for frontline clinicians, with transparent traceability of evidence and a strong focus on implementation across perioperative and procedural care settings.
This masterclass will outline how best to read and understand the new edition of the Standards, will focus on major changes within the Standards from the last edition, and provide practical resources and tools for their implementation.
Note: this is a duplicate session of the Friday masterclass and attendees need only enrol in one of these sessions.
Masterclass 2 – topic to be confirmed (with Multigate)
Masterclass 3 – Normothermia (with Solventum)
Emerging Evidence on Normothermia Solutions: Understanding the Differences in Device Performance.
Presenters: Professor Nicholas Ralph & Professor David Sturgess
Maintaining normothermia during surgery is essential for patient safety, yet warming technologies can vary significantly in performance. This evidence-based session brings together two leading experts in perioperative care to examine the latest research on device design and its impact on clinical outcomes.
Attendees will gain insights into comparative studies, understand how performance differences affect patient safety, and learn practical strategies to optimise normothermia protocols in the operating theatre. Through expert discussion and real-world data, this session will empower perioperative professionals to make informed decisions that improve surgical outcomes and reduce complications associated with perioperative hypothermia.
Masterclass 4 – Ready, set, resus (with Medcast)
Rethinking resus training for perioperative emergencies
Presenter: Susan Helmrich
Being resuscitation-ready is a non-negotiable expectation for clinicians working in perioperative environments. Yet resuscitation events are often unpredictable, and reliance on infrequent certification in advanced life support (ALS) or paediatric advanced life support (PALS) does not adequately prepare teams for the complexities of perioperative emergencies.
This session will challenge traditional assumptions about resuscitation training and explore a team-based, communication-centred approach to the management of perioperative emergencies including cardiac arrest.
Masterclass 5 – topic to be confirmed
contact@acorn.org.au
Phone
0466 555 407