2003 slate of candidates - Candidates

AORN Journal,  Jan, 2003  

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Why am I so committed to these things? Because to grow as a viable organization, AORN must continually demonstrate our worth by providing high quality standards and education and supporting safe patient care. We are a thoughtful and committed group who cares deeply about our patients' futures, as well as our own,

We have the opportunity to make a difference. I can and want to work with you to shape our future. Together, we will change our world. Indeed, we are the only ones who can.

TREASURER (One to be elected)

PAULA R. GRALING, RN, MSN, CNOR, is the clinical nurse specialist in perioperative services at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing degree and her master of science in nursing degree from George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.

Graling has been a perioperative nurse for 20 years and a member of AORN for 18 years. She is a member of the Board of Directors (2001-present; 1998-2000). She also is a member of the Finance and Audit (2002-present) and Nursing Practices (2002-present) Committees and the Perioperative Nursing Data Set Users Group (2001-present). She chaired the OSHA Smoke Task Force (2000-2002) and the Policy Committee (2001-2002; 1999-2000). Graling was a member of the Policy (1998-1999) and the Nursing Research (1997-1998) Committees. She also served on the Board Chapter Visit (2001-2002), Reuse Document (1999-2000), and State Council (1998-1999) Task Forces and was the AORN liaison to the Trauma Nursing Coalition (1996-1999) and the American Coalition for Trauma Care (1995-1997). She also is a state council liaison (2001-present; 1998-2000).

Graling is a specialty assembly liaison (2001-present; 1998-2000), and she is a member of the RN First Assistant (1997-present) Nurse Educator/ Clinical Nurse Specialist (1998-present),and Advanced Technology: Lasers & Minimally Invasive Surgery (2001-present) Specialty Assemblies. She was a member of the Perioperative Nursing Informatics (1998-2000) and Cardiothoracic (1999-2000) Specialty Assemblies.

Graling is a member of AORN of Northern Virginia, where she served as president (1997-1998) and president-elect (1996-1997). She chaired the bylaws (1996-1997), seminar/education/program (1996-1997), research (1994-1996), and awards (1996-1997) committees. She was a member of the seminar/education/program (2000-2002; 1998-2000; 1997-1998; 1994-1996), research (1999-2000), membership (1998-2000), and nominating (1998-1999) committees.

Graling is a member of her state nurses association (1996-present), the Virginia Council of periOperative Registered Nurses (1993-present), and Sigma Theta Tau (1993-present). She was a member of the Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical Nurses (1997-2000). She has attended eight Congresses in the past 10 years, each time as a delegate.

Election statement. It is a challenging time to be a perioperative nurse. Together, we have the opportunity to use our knowledge and skill to promote patient safety and affect patient outcomes. To be successful, we must be visionary, yet focused, passionate, yet practical, regarding concerns affecting our profession. Our leaders must recognize today's issues and evaluate them based on tomorrow's realities.