Time flies … completing the circle - President's Message - AORN, Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses

AORN Journal,  April, 2002  by Sheila L. Allen

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For the first time, AORN was invited by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) to discuss the nursing shortage at a meeting of the ACS Surgical Specialty Society on Nov 9, 2001, in Chicago. This invitation was a direct result of conversations AORN Vice President Betty Shultz, RN, CNOR, had with physicians at ACS's annual meeting in October 2001. Tom Cooper, Betty Shultz, and I represented AORN at this meeting. Approximately 40 physicians and staff members from 15 surgical specialty groups were present. As a result of this meeting, AORN was invited to submit an article on the nursing shortage for publication by the ACS. This opens doors to future collaboration opportunities between the two groups.

AWARDS

AORN is one of four recipients of the 2001 Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing/NOLF Award for Exceptional Effort in Bringing Geriatric Nursing Best Practices to Specialty Nurses. The award is a part of the Hartford Institute Specialty Nursing Activities Partnership Program (SNAPP) initiative. According to the notification letter, the award includes

* a monetary award of $500;

* a plaque presented at the NOLF/NFSNO annual meeting Nov 17, 2001, in Salt Lake City, which was accepted by President Donna Watson, RN, MSN, CNOR, ARNP, FNP-C;

* recognition at the SNAPP annual conference; and

* substantial publicity.

We all enjoy AORN's monthly publication, the AORN Journal. Recently, EBSCO Subscription Services listed the 100 most frequently ordered biomedical titles, and the Journal was listed as number 61 out of an estimated 20,000 titles. There are many other awards for our publications and organization, but to list them all would take too much space.

POLICY AND POLITICS

I cannot possibly include all the work done by our members and our Government Affairs department staff members (ie, Candace Romig, Fred Franko, Burke Beu, Jim Irwin), so I have chosen a couple of excerpts from information sent to me. I commend all the members of the Legislative Committee, the Legislative Grassroots Network, and all those who have assisted in our accomplishments in this area.

More than 300 members of AORN participated in a highly successful Lobby Day 2001, in Washington, DC, June 2001. Our certified RN first assistant reimbursement bill, HR 822, gained its 89th sponsor in February. We saw passage of RN first assistant reimbursement legislation in three states through the efforts of the following members:

* in Georgia--Melody Mena, RN, CNOR; Angela Bernard, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA; and David Martin, RN, CNOR, CRNFA;

* in Texas--Denise Jackson, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; Kate Lindsay, RN, CNOR; Elaine Thomson Keith, RN, CNOR; Devon Morgan, RN, CNOR, CRFNA; Tina Linsalata, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; Cheryl Rubner, RN, CNOR; the Texas RNFA Network; and the Texas Council of Operating Room Nurses; and

* in West Virginia--Kathy Mannion, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; Zenda Camell, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; Sandra Lee, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; and Fe Herald, RN, CNOR, CRNFA.

In addition, a task force on the education and occupational status of surgical technologists and surgical assistants was formed to investigate use and regulation of surgical technologists and assistants. Members of the group include Angela Bernard; Terri Aldama, RN, CNOR, CRNFA; Terresia Baxter, RN, CNOR; Janelle Coates, RN; Denise Jackson; Sharon McNamara, RN, MS, CNOR; Susan Millard, RN, BSN, MAEd, CNOR; Donna Pritchard, RN, BSN, MA, CNOR; Jean Reeder, RN, PhD, FAAN; Karen Walsh, RN, CNOR; and C.J. Welter, RN, BSN, CNOR, CRNFA.