Specialty assembly and group meetings provide networking opportunities: Saturday, March 22, to Thursday, March 27, 2003 - Specialty Assembly Meetings

AORN Journal,  Jan, 2003  

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Orthopedic. The more than 600 members who belong to this assembly promote a dynamic network to address current trends and issues related to orthopedic nursing. Potential discussions include hands-on education activities, collaborative efforts to focus on trauma and pain assessment, and adherence to the correct site surgery position statement.

Pediatric. The goal of this specialty assembly is to enhance pediatric research, education, and networking and to develop a proactive pediatric nursing group to identify and address issues affecting pediatric health care. More than 200 people belong to this assembly. Potential discussions include creating a support system for nurses who work primarily with adult patients but occasionally with pediatric patients, identifying count policies, and planning for future education conferences.

Perioperative Nursing Informatics. Approximately 425 members belong to this assembly, which aims to promote unique nursing contributions to patient outcomes by using nursing informatics to communicate and codify nursing activities. Potential discussions include enhancing features on web page communities, preparing for certification in nursing informatics, and planning education sessions for future conferences.

RN First Assistant. More than 2,700 members belong to this assembly. Members study, discuss, and exchange information pertinent to the field of first assisting. They act as a resource body for RN first assistants (RNFAs) (eg, clinicians, managers, educators, employers) to promote and facilitate the practice of RN first assisting. They also facilitate application of clinical research in the RNFA practice setting. Potential discussions include updates on competencies and consumer awareness projects, revisions planned for publications, and updates on activities planned for the RNFA Forum and Lobby Day Conference.

Rural/Small Hospital. Almost 400 members belong to this assembly to serve as resources for nurses in rural/small hospital settings and to facilitate the application of perioperative research in these settings. Potential discussions include education networks designed to enhance rural and small hospitals, the status of the project to develop funding for an assembly member to attend an AORN education event, and education sessions for future conferences.

NETWORKING GROUPS

Specialty groups will meet simultaneously early in the week to encourage members who attend Congress alone to develop contacts through the remainder of the week. Sixteen networking groups will meet in different rooms reserved for them on Monday, March 24, from 7 to 7:45 AM (Table 3). If you are interested in scheduling another group to meet, please contact Bonnie Denholm, RN, MS, CNOR, specialty assembly coordinator, via e-mail at bdenholm@aorn.org or via telephone at (800) 755-2676 x 261 before Feb 28.

Five of these groups are interested in forming new specialty assemblies, but each is seeking 200 people to validate interest in formation. If you would like to see an ongoing group formed to address issues in these specialties, please call customer service at (800) 755-2676 x 1. If 200 people appear on an interest list, a core group of volunteers could present a proposal to the AORN Board of Directors to develop a new assembly. The following descriptors provide an indication of the focus of these potential specialty assemblies.