Using Congress to energize and renew - President's Message - Association of periOperative Registered Nurses

Betty J. Shultz

The 2003 AORN Congress now is behind us, but it was a wonderful Congress. Chicago is a great venue with much to do and see. Attendance at Congress was among the highest in our history. The convention center is very large--walking between the different activities forced us all to get our fair share of exercise--and it is beautiful.

Given that parts of Denver had 7 ft of snow the week before Congress, Headquarters staff members did an outstanding job. Many of them had to scramble to find other flights due to cancellations because Denver International Airport was closed for a day and a half. One group actually rented a van and drove all night to get to Chicago by Friday before pre-Congress started on Saturday. They arrived at 7 AM Friday morning and started working by 7:30 AM. Eight staff members already were in Chicago when the snow hit Denver, and they worked many long hours to complete the necessary tasks before everyone else arrived. That is true dedication to AORN's members, and I thank all of our staff members for their hard work in making the 2003 Congress a success.

CONGRESS ACTIVITIES

AORN is a diverse Association, and that diversity is one of our strengths. The richness of our diversity was evident at Congress in the many programs designed to meet the needs of one or more of our constituent groups. We also had an opportunity to recognize and celebrate our collaboration with other associations for the mutual benefit of all our members. As AORN members, you can make a difference in your workplaces by practicing and caring for your patients with high standards and ethics. Nurses and our other professional colleagues from around the world also are concerned about safe patient care, which was very evident during Congress.

I would like to share with you part of what I was involved in during Congress. First, I had the opportunity to attend a portion of the Certification Board Perioperative Nursing (CBPN) board of trustees meeting. AORN and CBPN always have had a close working relationship, and we share similar goals and priorities. Although there are many opportunities for AORN and CBPN to work together, the organizations are and always have been separate and distinct entities. The CBPN has its own board of directors, bylaws, and articles of incorporation. It operates totally independent of AORN, and it does not receive any financial support from AORN. (Editor's note: See the April 2003 issue of AORN Connections, page 7, for more information on the relationship between AORN and CBPN.)

I also had the privilege of attending the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN) meeting. The mission statement of the IFPN is as follows.

   The International
   Federation
   of Perioperative
   Nurses will
   work towards
   improving patient care by
   promoting, preserving, and
   advancing the role of the
   perioperative nurse in
   member organizations. It
   will be actively engaged in
   providing educational
   opportunities and support
   to perioperative nurses in
   all nations. It will encourage,
   support and assist
   humanitarian perioperative
   nurses' projects. The organization
   will seek to become
   collaborative partners with
   recognized international
   nurses and health organizations
   in order to achieve its
   mission. (1)

AORN has been involved actively in the IFPN since it was created in 1997. The organization was launched officially in July 1999, and it achieved affiliate status with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in November 1999. Although the American Nurses Association also is a member of the ICN, the IFPN represents perioperative nurses in the ICN.

On Saturday, the Board of Directors held a luncheon for AORN's past Presidents; then-President Donna Watson, RN, MSN, CNOR, ARNE FNP-C, gave an update about the Board's work for AORN during the past year. The past Presidents are an involved and valuable commodity in our Association. They continue to serve the members of AORN and keep AORN members their first priority.

In an effort to make our future leaders feel more comfortable, AORN holds a breakfast for members attending Congress for the first time. Approximately 400 Congress attendees were at the breakfast on Sunday, March 23. The Membership Committee and AORN mentors for first-time Congress attendees were there to provide valuable information regarding Congress and AORN.

Of course, I attended the Meet the Candidates and Candidate's Caucus events. I want to congratulate all of those who were on the ballot. Again this year, the Nominating Committee gave us excellent and very difficult choices to make.

After Ross Perot's presentation, which was sponsored by the AORN Foundation, I and many others had the opportunity to attend a reception where Perot was the guest of honor. He is very concerned about the future of health care and gave AORN valuable information on making contact with our US senators.

The AORN Foundation continues to do an outstanding job for AORN. The Foundation's past President of the Board of Trustees, Ruth Vaiden, RN, CNOR, CRNFA (E), has worked long and hard to make it a success. The current President, Sheri Voss, RN, MS, CNOR, will continue the work of the Foundation to support many AORN endeavors. I have enjoyed working with Vaiden, and I look forward to continuing to work with Voss and the Foundation Board of Trustees.

An executive management corporate breakfast was held on Tuesday, March 25, and again, then-President Watson provided a review of the year. Executive Director Tom Cooper, CAE, gave an update on AORN, and Leslie Durgin, director of the AORN Foundation, discussed AORN Foundation initiatives. In addition, I told these industry leaders what we would be focusing on for the coming year.

I also had the opportunity to meet with the Exhibitors' Advisory Committee (EAC). This committee represents the companies exhibiting at Congress. The members provide input and assist AORN in matters pertaining to AORN exhibitions. They also provide assistance to AORN with the Congress Incentive Program and the Exhibitor Sponsorship Program. The EAC manages the nurse/exhibitor activities that are held during the AORN Congresses. Past chair Jeffrey McGill did an outstanding job in Chicago, and the current chair, Nancy Stauder, already is working hard to make Congress 2004 another great success.

Of course, I voted on Thursday, and I attended the Awards Dinner, the Forums, the House of Delegates, the exhibits, education sessions, specialty assembly meetings, the Black Tie Gala, the party at Navy Pier, and the Closing Dinner. Needless to say, I was just as energized by Congress as all of you and just as tired as you when I returned home.

NEVER GIVE UP

I know that many of you took a lot of valuable information back to your workplaces to share with your colleagues. I hope it was well received, and you were able to pass along the energy and knowledge that you received while attending Congress.

It is important that you continue to promote your professional association and encourage others to realize the value and benefits that AORN has to offer not only at Congress but also throughout the year. If each of you would invite just one person to attend your local chapter meeting and join AORN, you would promote professionalism and our Association. Serve as a mentor to someone and show him or her what true professionals we are. It is through the unity of our diverse interests that we will make a difference for our perioperative patients, and working together will move us into the future. You can and do make a difference. As Perot said in his Congress presentation, "Never give up! Never give up! Never!" (2)

NOTES

(1.) "IFPN mission statement," International Federation of Perioperative Nurses, http://www.ifpn.org.uk/home .htm (accessed 28 April 2003).

(2.) R Perot, "Nursing leadership: The crucial ingredient for health care," presentation at AORN Congress, Chicago, 25 March 2003.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group