Leading with a passion

AORN Journal, July, 2007 by Mary Jo W. Steiert

In the United States, the 4th of July is a celebration of Independence Day--a day when we recognize and remember the passion and leadership of our founding fathers. They shared a dream of freedom for their country and pursued that dream by writing the Declaration of Independence and fighting the Revolutionary War to secure the future of our nation.

For the last several years, AORN has had a tradition of recognizing our leaders, sharing our passion for perioperative nursing, and designing plans for our Association's future by coming together in July for the Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado. As perioperative nurses, we are constantly challenged to improve our abilities and thrive in an ever-changing health care environment in both formal and informal leadership roles. This conference provides an opportunity for leaders of our member work groups, chapters, state councils, specialty assemblies, committees, and task forces to develop and improve their leadership skills. Attendees also will have the opportunity to network with members of the Board of Directors, the AORN Foundation Board of Trustees, the Nominating Committee, and other national committees. The goal of the conference is to provide perioperative nurses with strategies, knowledge, and skills to successfully lead in the workplace and in the Association and to ignite the passion and creativity of those they come into contact with on a daily basis.

This year's conference will be held from July 20 to 22. Well-known national speakers will share information and strategies that can be passed on in our workplaces and within AORN. The conference will feature the following speakers:

* Curt Coffman, author of First Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently and coauthor of Follow This Path: How the World's Greatest Organizations Drive Growth by Unleashing Human Potential;

* Hugh Gouldthorpe, Jr, author of I've Always Looked Up to Giraffes;

* John G. Miller, author of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life and Flipping the Switch ...: Unleash the Power of Personal Accountability Using the QBQ!; and

* Diane Sieg, RN, CLC, author of Stop Living Life Like an Emergency: Rescue Strategies for the Overworked and Overwhelmed.

I am also excited that Becky Patton, RN, MSN, CNOR, president of American Nurses Association and one of our own AORN members, will speak about collaborating with other nursing groups to ensure that a nursing agenda can move forward. There will be opportunities to learn from our colleagues Libby Dvorsak, RN, BSN, CNOR, and Molly McBrayer, RN, MSN, CNOR, who will share their tips for putting together a thriving meeting. Financial strategies; AORN's new web site design and navigation; and a town hall meeting with AORN's Executive Director, Linda Groah, RN, MSN, CNOR, CNAA, FAAN, will round out this dynamic program.

EVERY ONE A LEADER

As perioperative nurses, we are all leaders. It has long been my personal belief that every perioperative nurse manages the care that is provided in the OR. The OR often has been compared to a stage, and the circulating nurse is the director of all of the activities that occur on that stage with a goal of safe, quality outcomes for the patient at the conclusion of the procedure. The scrub person assists in the direction of the production by overseeing the procedure at the field. The RN first assistant assists the scrub person in that role in addition to assisting the operating surgeon. Charge nurses, clinical coordinators in charge of a specialty area, clinical nurse specialists, clinical managers, directors, and administrators all assume roles along the spectrum of perioperative leadership.

As I write this message, I am on my way to a meeting of the International Council of Nurses (ICN). This organization consists of presidents, executive directors, official representatives, and technical advisors of ICN's member nurses' associations who will identify priorities for the future direction of the nursing profession. Discussion will encompass the impact of globalization on professional regulation, and perspectives, experiences, solutions, and concerns will be shared. Our joys, passions, and challenges are very much the same, no matter what our specialty area, no matter where we practice.

DIFFERENT FORMS OF LEADERSHIP

In recognizing leadership in all its forms, I have to mention that another of our colleagues, Pat Hickey, RN, MSN, DrPH, CNOR, reached the summit of Mt Everest on May 23rd, completing his goal to be the first nurse to climb the highest peak on all seven continents. Pat promoted his pride in the nursing profession, and in AORN particularly, during his quest.

We all have our mountains to climb--some seeming insurmountable, some only a bump In the road. Remember that your colleagues and your professional association have experiences and tools to share. We are all together as we renew our passion for leadership and seek to be catalysts for change.