Greetings to members of the Association of Surgical Technologists

AORN Journal, July, 2004

The following is excerpted from a speech mode by AORN President William J. Duffy, RN, BSN, MJ, CNOR, during the annual conference for the Association of Surgical Technologists.

At AORN we believe that both our associations are committed to safe patient care. This is especially critical in light of the challenges we face in the perioperative arena. On a daily basis, out respective members face the challenge of maintaining quality standards in a health care environment that is in crisis. Surgical technologists and perioperative nurses both know that we are at a time in our society when the largest numbers of people ever are reaching an age when they will need more health care. Questions about how we will meet that demand, how we will stay abreast of technology, and who will pay for the care without a decrease in safety or quality need to be answered. To achieve mutual goals, it is critical that teammates work well together.

To that end, AORN is especially proud of its role in establishing a partnership with the Association of Surgical Technologists, the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, and the American Academy of Surgical Physician Assistants. Last February, these associations came together for a Perioperative Summit that resulted in the development of the Council on Surgical Patient Safety. Through this council, our two organizations, along with other team members in the OR, have established the building blocks to collaborate on key patient and workplace safety initiatives.

The members of our respective associations know the road ahead looks challenging. They know the pride we all take in out impact on patients, and they know we can have a stronger impact if we can find ways to address issues collaboratively. They know these things because they stand side by side accomplishing them in ORs everyday. It is AORN's sincere hope that the Council on Surgical Patient Safety initiative will lead to further opportunities where the respective talents of our two organizations can continue to discuss and collaborate on issues, whether they are ones we readily agree on or ones that require deeper reflection and more work. I truly believe this is the hope of our individual members, our physician colleagues, and the patients they serve, and I look forward to strengthening our collaborative ties.