Delegates debate Bylaws changes during Congress business sessions: Sunday, March 30, to Thursday, April 3, 2008

AORN Journal, June, 2008 by Liz Cowperthwaite

Delegates at the 55th Congress approved two new position statements and a number of Bylaws changes. A proposed Bylaws change related to the structure of the Nominating Committee was the subject of extensive debate and, ultimately, was defeated. The sections of the Bylaws and the position statements that appear in this article are the final versions of those that were approved by the House of Delegates; the original versions with the proposed changes can be found in the January issue of the Journal (page 92).

FIRST FORUM

AORN President Mary Jo Steiert, RN, BSN, CNOR, convened the first Forum on March 30 at 2 PM. Topics for the session were the

* proposed "Position statement on criminalization of human errors in the perioperative setting,"

* proposed Bylaws amendment related to the purpose of this Association,

* proposed Bylaws amendment related to student and associate membership requirements,

* proposed Bylaws amendment related to the Nominating Committee,

* proposed Bylaws amendment related to meetings and the business of this organization,

* proposed order of articles V through VII in the AORN Bylaws,

* Legislative Principles, and

* American Nurses Association (ANA) affiliate membership.

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POSITION STATEMENT. Donna Pritchard, RN, BSN, MA, CNOR, CNA, BC, lead of the Criminalization Subgroup of the Perioperative Environment of Care Committee, served as the resource for the discussion on the proposed "Position statement on criminalization of human errors in the perioperative setting" (Table 1). She explained that criminal charges brought against those who commit unintentional errors in a health care setting affect the entire surgical team by creating obstacles to communication, interfering with the ability to fulfill professional responsibilities, and eroding patients' sense of safety. AORN believes that unintentional errors should initially be addressed within the facility. Criminalization of human errors could result in the health care teams' reluctance to disclose vital error-related information in a timely manner.

BYLAWS AMENDMENTS. Rosie Schroeder, RN, BSN, CNOR, chair of the Bylaws Committee, served as the resource for all of the proposed Bylaws changes. She explained that the proposed wording changes related to the purpose of the Association were intended to highlight the overall definitions of perioperative care (Table 2). The amendment to the student and associate membership requirements were proposed because students and associates do not meet the definition of members (ie, they are not RNs); therefore, they may choose to affiliate with a chapter but may not be members (Table 3).

The proposed Bylaws amendment to the Nominating Committee structure engendered the most discussion at the Forum. With this change, the committee would be increased from five members to seven with three of the members being elected and three being appointed by the Board of Directors. The immediate past President of AORN would chair the committee for one year and would vote only in the case of a tie. This would enable experienced past leaders to assist in the selection of future leaders and mentor the elected members of the Nominating Committee who aspire to be members of the Board.

Toni Hughes, RN, BSN, MA, CNOR, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, spoke for many when she said that she felt the Nominating Committee had consistently met its charge of selecting excellent candidates. Bill Duffy, RN, BSN, MJ, CNOR, Chicago, Illinois, concurred and asked, "Why would we want to limit opportunities for young leaders to come into the Association?" Becky Churchman, RN, CNOR, CRNFA, Houston, Texas, found the proposed structure bothersome because a tie vote would "be skewed toward the Board and away from the membership."

Responding to the comment that membership on the Nominating Committee should not be considered a stepping stone to being on the Board, Michelle Hughes, RN, CNOR, Norfolk, Virginia, asked, "And what if it is? It's an opportunity to serve our organization." Eileen Saint-Aubin, RN, MSN, CNOR, Savannah, Georgia, agreed, saying, "The Nominating Committee needs to continue to be elected to be representative of our entire membership.... A stepping stone for leadership is a good thing."

Vickie Pierce, RN, BSN, CNOR, San Diego, California, presented a different perspective as a past Board member and Nominating Committee member. She pointed out that Nominating Committee members should be familiar with the skill sets needed for work on the Board. "Serving on the Board gives us a chance to go out and see future leaders.... the intention is to guide and mentor, not to sway and bully."

The proposed Bylaws amendment related to the business of the Association would allow organization business to be conducted electronically by the Board and Committees and by the House of Delegates when appropriate technology becomes available (Table 4). Parliamentarian Lola Fehr, RN, MS, CAE, FAAN, explained that it has become essential for the organization to be able to conduct business electronically, and per Robert's Rules of Order, if business is conducted electronically, this must be stated in the Bylaws.