2007 slate of candidates

AORN Journal, Jan, 2007

The names of the candidates for the 2007 national election appear on the ballot to the right. All AORN members may use this sample ballot to communicate their preferences to their delegates. Only authorized delegates may vote in the election at Congress. Additional nominations can be made from the floor during the first session of the House of Delegates. Before nomination, however, the eligibility of additional nominees must be verified, and consent-to-serve forms must be completed.

The Nominating Committee used the Leadership Development Form to obtain additional information about candidates' leadership experiences and qualifications. The information was used in candidate selection and is reflected in the candidates' biographical information published in this article.

The Candidates' Forum will be a continuous session beginning at 12:45 PM on Sunday, March 11, 2007, in Orlando, Fla. Immediately after the Candidates' Forum, members will have an opportunity to meet with candidates individually until 4:30 PM.

To promote fairness and equity among the candidates, AORN prohibits written campaigning in any form. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting the candidacy of any individual via letters, cards, e-mail, online discussion forums, and advertisements. Infractions of this policy will be addressed by the Nominating Committee with recommendations to the AORN Board of Directors and could result in a candidate's immediate removal from the AORN slate of candidates. For questions or clarification on this policy, contact Darin Prescott, RN, CNOR, C, CASC, chair of the Nominating Committee, at 2170 S Parker Road, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80231-5711 or (800) 755-2676.

PRESIDENT-ELECT (ONE TO BE ELECTED)

SUSAN K. BANSCHBACH, RN, MSN, CNOR, is the director of surgery services, St Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Okla. She earned her diploma in nursing from Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa; her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Bartlesville, Okla.; and her master of science degree in nursing from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.

Banschbach has been a perioperative nurse for 38 years and a member of AORN for 26 years. She is a member of AORN of Northeastern Oklahoma (1997-present) and a member of the Ambulatory Surgery (1997-present), Leadership (1997-present), Neurosurgery (2005-present), Orthopedics (2005-present), and Trauma (2005-present) Specialty Assemblies. She was a member of the Nurses in Business, Industry & Consulting Specialty Assembly (2004-2006). Banschbach has attended Congress 10 times in the past 10 years, three times as a delegate and twice as an alternate.

Banschbach received an award for support of surgical technologists and education from the National Board of Directors of the Association of Surgical Technologists (2000).

Highlights of Banschbach's service to AORN include that she is a member of the Board of Directors (2003-present), the Executive Committee (2004-present), the Finance and Audit Committee (2004-present), and the Recommended Practices Committee (2004-present). She is chair of the board of AORN Management Solutions (2005-present) and is the Board liaison to the AORN Journal editorial board (2006-present). She was a member of the Environmental Task Force (2005-2006), the Executive Leadership Task Force (2006), and the Member Access Task Force (2004) and chair of the National Policy Committee (2004-2005).

Banschbach is a member of the American Nurses Association (2006-present), the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (2000-present), the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (2001-present), and the editorial board for Point of View (2001-present). She was a member of the steering committee for a high school Medical Explorers program (2003-2004) and a member of the Premier Biomedical Committee (1998-2003). She also was an organizational promoter for the United Way (2001-2005).

ELECTION STATEMENT. Service to AORN on the local, state, and national level has been the building blocks shaping my professional life and leadership skills. As President of our local chapter 20 years ago, a spark was ignited that inspired me to appreciate the perioperative world and marvel at its strength. Colleagues, that spark has grown into a raging tire.

In my four years of continuous service as a Board member, I worked with many creative and courageous leaders who have prepared me and mentored me to assume the role of President-elect. Two years of service on the Executive Committee has enabled me to demonstrate the skills needed to lead AORN, to make the hard decisions, and to achieve our goals. As chair of the board for AORN Management Solutions, I led the successful rebuilding of this subsidiary. Essential experience on the Finance and Audit Committee and my work as a perioperative director give me the knowledge needed to practice fiscal responsibility and stewardship. I have the balance required to walk that critical line between mission and margin. This is a fundamental skill required for leaders of an association whose mission is its members and their patients.