Educational opportunities from the Center for Perioperative Education - Educational Opportunities

AORN Journal, April, 2002

AORN is the premier provider of perioperative continuing education. To ensure that you are registering for an AORN event, look for the AORN name and logo. If you are unclear whether the event is sponsored by AORN, call AORN customer service at (800) 755-2676 x 1.

NURSING COURSE 101

The AORN Center for Perioperative Education's Perioperative Nursing Course 101 is presented in a scripted, modular format and contains posttests, bibliographies, handouts, glossaries, required reading assignments, recommended videotapes, guidelines for preceptors, a final examination, and contact hours. Visual aids are provided on CD-ROM. Topics include scrubbing, gowning, and gloving; skin preparation; positioning; sterilization and disinfection; and surgical draping. The course also includes a module for preceptors. For a brochure, call AORN customer service. Not sure about purchasing the course? Register to preview it in the facilitator seminar. Registrations must be received two weeks before the seminar date. Visit http://www.aorn.org/ education/periop101.htm for seminar dates and an order form.

AORN CONFERENCES

AORN pre-Congress.

April 20, 2002, Anaheim Marriott, Calif.

Pre-Congress education sessions are planned to provide participants with in-depth information on critical perioperative topics. There will be two all-day sessions and six half-day sessions. The all-day sessions will address minimally invasive surgery and how to implement the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Content for the six half-day sessions includes

* conscious sedation,

* root-cause analysis,

* consulting and entrepreneurial roles,

* mentoring, and

* two hands-on sessions related to midshaft fractures and lower extremity intermedullary nails (enrollment is limited).

49th annual AORN Congress.

April 21-25, 2002, Anaheim Convention Center, Calif.

AORN's Congress offers an opportunity to network with colleagues, attend education sessions, learn about the latest surgical equipment and instruments, and view research and clinical improvement/innovation posters. There will be more than 100 sessions to choose from. Topics include

* leadership,

* management,

* clinical,

* professional development,

* professional issues,

* government affairs/health policy, and

* recruitment and retention strategies.

Many sessions relate to patient safety and evidence-based practice.

RNFA Forum.

June 8-9, 2002, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC.

This event is designed to provide state-of-the-art education sessions and an opportunity for RN first assistants (RNFAs) and perioperative RNs in the RNFA practice arena to learn, network with colleagues, and discuss issues germane to the practice of the RNFA. In addition, the RN First Assistant Specialty Assembly will celebrate its 10-year anniversary.

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics (WINI).

June 8-9, 2002, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC.

The WINI program was developed by three informatics nurses who have been certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in nursing informatics. It follows the content outline for the ANCC Nursing Informatics Certification Examination.

This program will allow attendees to examine key concepts of nursing informatics. There will be ample opportunity to network with faculty members and peers about nursing informatics issues. Learn about the challenges others face and the strategies they use to meet these challenges. Registration is limited to 52 participants.

AORN Federal Affairs Conference and Lobby Day 2002.

June 10-11, 2002, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC.

AORN hopes to have members from as many of the 435 US Congressional districts in attendance as possible. The year 2002 may see serious Medicare reform and an opportunity to achieve enactment of HR 822 (ie, the Medicare Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant Direct Reimbursement Act of 2001). In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has not released the final rule regarding prescriptive staffing in the OR, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines on smoke plume evacuation have not been released. Congress likely will grapple with the nursing shortage and other issues important to perioperative nursing. Registration is limited to 400 people, so register early.

Mastering the Skiffs III: The Language of Leadership.

June 26-29, 2002, Westin Tabor Center, Denver.

This conference is a "must" for new managers. It will address tools and skills leaders need to be successful, whether they have been in their role for 10 years or 10 minutes. Topics include

* thriving in chaos;

* budget planning;

* business plan writing;

* giving feedback, recognition, and reward; and

* marketing and image.

AORN Multispecialty Conference.

Sept 26-29, 2002, Hyatt Regency, St Louis.

The education content included at this conference will relate to leadership/management; ambulatory care; informatics; nurse educators; clinical nurse specialists; business, industry, and consulting; and rural/small hospitals.

AORN Multispecialty Conference.