The beginning of a visionary transitional period

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

It is an exciting time for our Association. As we begin a new era under the leadership of Executive Director Linda Groah, RN, MSN, CNOR, CNAA, FAAN, we are at a strategic transition point; but transition is a place in which real change can occur. As AORN members, we stand proudly on the accomplishments of the leaders who came before us while forging a path that will build a compelling and productive future. I have found courage and inspiration both from those who have walked ahead of me and those who are walking this path with me now.

This year, we will focus on open communication and transparency in all aspects of perioperative nursing and the business of AORN. Strategic planning for this year will involve representatives from industry, education, and the membership, as well as the Board. Paula Graling, RN, MSN, CNS, CNOR, will serve in a mentorship role to our newer Board members to further facilitate a smooth transition. Four priorities that we will continue to work on throughout this year include

* revising the system of creating and maintaining our standards and recommended practices,

* further incorporating the Perioperative Nursing Data Set at the practitioner's level and obtaining benchmarking data for perioperative practices,

* evaluating products and services for our colleagues practicing in ambulatory settings and providing care for ambulatory patients, and

* evaluating the necessity and extent of our "global" practice in the international arena.

GROWING LEADERS

Leadership development and mentoring has been and continues to be an important initiative for AORN, and the coming year will give us more opportunities to develop leaders within our Association. Working with Owens and Minor, a supply-chain solutions company, AORN will inaugurate the Applied Leadership Institute to provide perioperative nurses with an opportunity to develop leadership skills from novice to experienced levels during a three-year fellowship process.

A task force addressing our legacy of leadership will convene during the next year to identify how we can use the incredibly rich resources that our past leaders in the Golden Gavel and past-Presidents group have to offer and better utilize the expertise of our Baby Boomer members approaching retirement, who compose a large percentage of our membership. Additionally, AORN will be working with nursing schools on a pilot program for summer internships in perioperative nursing practice and will provide a model for schools of nursing to incorporate perioperative nursing into the basic nursing curriculum.

CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS

We need to recognize and embrace the power of the perioperative nurse. After all, the president of the American Nurses Association is a perioperative nurse and a member of AORN! The strong relationships we have developed with our perioperative partners must be protected to ensure that our standards of care for patients are endorsed by the entire surgical team. Continued collaboration with physician groups, nursing colleagues, technologists, physician assistants, and regulatory agencies (eg, the Joint Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) will further enhance safety for our patients by ensuring quality outcomes and for ourselves by addressing workplace safety for health care providers. These activities will communicate to the public the positives of health care and entice young people to join our professions.

Perioperative nurses must continue to exercise broad political influence. Our goal is to have adequate legislation or regulatory language in every state mandating that a perioperative RN will provide care for any and all patients undergoing an invasive procedure.

CONGRESS 2008

Attracting more people to AORN events sometimes requires us to take a fresh look at how we do things; thus, Congress 2008 will have a slightly different look. Nurses' comments from past Congress evaluations have continuously expressed the desire for more opportunities to obtain educational credits, especially for those who serve as delegates. Congress statistics have shown that, typically, 80% of Congress delegates register by Saturday morning at 10 AM, so in 2008, at Congress in Anaheim, Calif, the Meet the Candidates forum will be held on Saturday afternoon. This will leave participants free on Sunday so they can attend more educational offerings.

In addition, voting for candidates will occur at the second Forum on Wednesday morning, thereby freeing up Thursday for exhibit floor visits and more educational offerings. The announcement of election results will be made at the second House of Delegates, although candidates will be notified of the results before the second House.

The theme of Congress 2008 will be "Share Your Passion; Illuminate Our Profession." Bringing a vision into reality necessitates engaging our members and potential members. We need to envision possibilities that can increase and illuminate the strength of our organization. We must learn without limits, grow without limits, and dream without limits.