THE SURGICAL NURSING KNOWLEDGE UPDATE SYMPOSIUM WAS HELD

The “Surgical Nursing Knowledge Update Symposium” was held at the Balkan Congress Center of Trakya University as part of the European Surgical and Operating Room Nurses Day.

The symposium was organized in cooperation with Trakya University Health Research and Application Center (Hospital), Edirne Sultan 1st Murat State Hospital, the Surgical Diseases Nursing Department of our Faculty's Nursing Department, Keşan Hakkı Yörük School of Health Nursing Department, and the Turkish Association of Surgical and Operating Room Nurses. The event was attended by our University Vice-Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Sedat Üstündağ, our Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Özgül Erol, our Hospital Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Alkin Çolak, Head of Public Hospitals Services at the Provincial Health Directorate Op. Dr. Mustafa Talha Sütçü, President of the Turkish Association of Surgical and Operating Room Nursing Prof. Dr. Filiz Öğce Aktaş, Director of Nursing Services at the Trakya University Health Research and Application Center Dr. Refiye Zafer Dinçkol, Director of Health Care Services at Edirne Sultan I. Murat State Hospital Mübin Kılıç, academics, nurses, and nursing students.

In her opening speech, Dr. Refiye Zafer Dinçkol emphasized the importance of updating the knowledge of surgical nurses to maintain the highest standards in healthcare quality and patient safety.

Chief Physician Prof. Dr. Alkin Çolak shared that the university hospital serves 650,000 outpatient visits annually, provides inpatient care to 40,000 patients, and performs approximately 20,000 surgeries, highlighting the hospital's service to Thrace, Turkey, and the Balkans through technological infrastructure and qualified personnel.

Prof. Dr. Filiz Öğce Aktaş, President of the Turkish Association of Surgical and Operating Room Nurses, noted that surgical nursing is a field that must be continuously updated due to rapid technological advancements. She emphasized everyone's responsibility in staying informed and stated that surgical nursing is a crucial profession that directly touches human lives, requiring constant adaptation to evolving patient needs and technical knowledge.

Vice-Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Sedat Üstündağ stressed the critical role of surgical and operating room nurses in both emergency and routine healthcare. He pointed out that approximately 6 million surgeries are performed annually in Turkey and emphasized that the success of these operations and the quality of care depend on surgical nurses who continually update and renew themselves in line with technological developments.

Prof. Dr. Üstündağ also reminded attendees of the 2025 slogan of the European Operating Room Nurses Association: "Innovate, Educate, Elevate," and stated that achieving this goal requires maintaining the highest level of professional knowledge and skills.

Following the presentation by Dr. Dilek Çakır Umar, Vice President of the Turkish Association of Surgical and Operating Room Nursing, introducing the association, the opening session concluded.
The symposium continued with further sessions featuring participant presentations.