This is my last message as president of AORN of Alameda County. My term ends after the June meeting and you will have a new president and Board of Directors. Sophie Taylor will be your president for the new term.
I want to thank everyone in the chapter for their support and contributions that has made this a memorable year. Please be just as thoughtful to Sophie who will be an excellent president. She has some wonderful ideas that I think will enhance our chapter.
There are no chapter meetings during the summer but the working of the chapter does not stop. Committees get together during the summer to plan for the following year. This is when we get together and make plans for our workshops and speakers for the following year. Please come and join us - we could use your input and suggestions. We also have a good time. Should you be interested in coming to the meeting where we make our plans for the following year or just want to give us some of your suggestions or ideas, please get in touch with Sophie or Evelyn and we would be very happy to get back with information to you. You can e-mail Sophie at [email protected] or [email protected].
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
Congress was, as usual, a great experience. You have an opportunity to network, visit with old friends and come back rejuvenated, with a whole new outlook on life. The delegates worked very hard at Congress and tried to carry out the wishes of our chapter members. They networked with other AORN members across the nation and talked with prospective candidates for future National officers. What is very interesting is we all seem to share the same problems within our chapters and our work places.
I hope to see everyone at our next chapter meeting with a bright new outlook. Spring is here and winter is gone.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
No President's Message for February 2001
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. This is the one holiday where family and friends can be together, visit, catch up on old times, and of course, watch football.
Now that Thanksgiving is over everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays. Trimming the house, shopping for that special present, and baking all those wonderful goodies that make the house smell so good during this time of the year. During all the hustle and bustle that makes this time of the year so special, let us not forget those less fortunate than us. While we are out shopping for that special gift, pick up an extra gift for someone who might not have one under his or her tree this year. When we go grocery shopping to purchase all the special items we need to make our holiday goodies, buy some extra canned goods and drop them in the bins that most stores have at the exit doors to help feed the hungry.
Congress is just around the corner and if you are planning on going you need to register before January 19 or your registration goes from $395 to $500. While you are at Congress you might consider signing up for the Habitat for Humanity. Some of our members did this last year and said it was a lot of fun plus very rewarding.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or something else, I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
November 12 to 18 is Perioperative Nurse Week, formerly known as OR Nurse Week. This years theme is �Perioperative Nurses; Healthcare with a Human Touch.� We have been challenged by our National President, Brenda Ulmer, to forgo the in-house celebrations and focus on educating care givers outside the OR and the public about the value of the care provided by perioperative nurses. I know that our chapter is very innovative and can come up with some terrific ideas. Please let us know what you are planning in your institutions for this special week.
The September AORN Journal had a very good article written by Brenda S. Gregory Dawes on Teamwork. We are all aware of how important it is for the OR team to work together cohesively for the best outcome for the patient. Well it is just as important for us as a chapter to work together as a team. Working together as a team we can accomplish so much more than when we are fragmented.
I personally think we have a terrific chapter and encourage you to continue letting your co-workers know about what we are doing. Bring someone new or someone who hasn�t been to an AORN meeting for a long time with you to our next meeting.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
I hope everyone had a great summer and is ready to start another new year of AORN activities. I am looking forward to another fulfilling year as your president.
The program and education committee met in July and have some very interesting programs lined up for the following year. I am encouraging you to come and get your free contact hour and have a chance to meet and network with nurses from all over the Bay Area.
We are continuing to meet at Eden Hospital on the first Wednesday of every month. We will continue to offer light meals before the meeting for those who are interested. It is not necessary for you to purchase dinner to come to the meeting. I sometimes get the feeling that some feel that if they don�t get their dinner reservations in that they cannot come to the meeting - that is far from the truth. We offer dinner as a service for those who want it. We are looking into the possibility of child care as a service during our meetings for those who have small children. We are continually looking for ways to make our meetings available and interesting for all our members. Should you have any suggestions that would encourage members to come to the meetings please contact me. My home phone is 510-797-2602 and my e-mail is [email protected]. Or contact Mary Ritchie, the newsletter editor, at 925-736-6316 or [email protected]. See you in September.
By Evelyn Steen
As my year of serving as your president comes to a close, I reflect on these past several months. I know I have gained a lot of valuable experience and enjoyed working with you all. I have been proud to serve "my people" as I called you when talking to my family.
We have had some tremendous programs at our monthly meetings. I hope you have enjoyed them too. I was so delighted the January 22nd meeting with Contra Costa County chapter was so successful. Several people worked very hard to make it a success. I want to thank them all.
I have been very fortunate to have had the help of five former presidents who worked closely with me to guide me along this year. They helped smooth out the invariable "bumps in the road."
My goal of increasing our membership to 225 was not achieved, but it is very difficult for any chapter these days to recruit new members. We must continue to try hard to recruit members from our work places.
I've tried to keep the meetings as short as I could with all the business we had to conduct. I did suggest we start earlier; however, our new president, Evelyn, will not be able to get to the meetings any earlier than we now meet.
I thank each of our delegates to New Orleans for their fine work; Donna Be- notti, Donna Rodgers, Mary Ritchie, Kathie Shea and Clenia Yadao. We had a great time. What a wonderful experience to walk in the procession of presidents at the opening ceremony. I also had the wonderful experience of attending the Leadership Conference in Denver and the tour of the headquarters building. My roommate was Cathy Nisen, president of Contra Costa chapter. We discussed having a combined chapter meeting. I visited their chapter at their November meeting. We each have an article in the March AORN Journal supplement.
It's been a rewarding year. I would encourage YOU to become more active in your chapter. Please volunteer on a committee and be willing to serve as an officer. You don't know how much growth you can experience through your efforts. Let�s keep our chapter strong.
Submitted by Martha See
I am really looking forward to representing our chapter as your President at Congress in New Orleans. This year our delegates are Donna Benotti, Donna Rodgers, Clenia Yadao, Kathie Shea, Mary Ritchie, and myself. We each have assigned sessions to report on so you all will get to know what we saw and heard by reading future newsletters.
I have heard AORN has a new logo. I can't wait to see it. I can assure you that as well as doing our jobs there we are going to have a lot of fun too. I always enjoy getting to know my friends from our chapter better by our week together and also I always see nurses I have known and worked with in the past.
Soon you will receive your ballot in the mail. Please vote and remember to print and sign your name on the envelope as instructed to make your ballot legal. I am so pleased we have a full ballot and I thank those who volunteered to run for office. I'll see you at the May meeting. Take care.
By Martha See
As I write this message, I am looking forward to our January 22 meeting with our national president Patricia Seifert. She will be discussing trends that impact the role of the perioperative nurse as a professional leader and she will help us to identify the relationship of AORN'S strategic plan to the perioperative nurses contribution to patient care. Isn't it great that we have a professional organization that has a strategic plan? I have been an operating room nurse since November 1964. Something is always changing.
I hope you are planning on joining me in New Orleans too! Do you have a strategic plan? Think about it.
I want to share this poem with you. I first heard it at the Operating Room Nursing Council of California meeting last fall. Sheila Allen, our national vice president was there to hear it also. Now she is asking all of us presidents to share it with our chapters. Take care.
"The Perioperative Registered Nurse"
OR nurses may perform many tasks.
They are more than just a face behind the mask.
They are knowledgeable, capable, compassionate, and caring.
They are risk takers, patient advocates, technical experts, and daring.
They assess, evaluate, implement, and strive.
To make effective changes, in their patient's lives.
In their jobs, they frequently have to do more with less.
However, when it comes to patient care, they always give their best.
Of the varied patient population, they try to meet every need.
They listen to what their patients say, and take heed.
They are of differing ages, sexes, they are culturally diverse.
Every single patient deserves a "Perioperative Registered Nurse."
Authored by Sally Sickerman RN, CNOR
President-Elect of San Fernando Valley Chapter #0517
By Martha See
The Holiday season is fast approaching. We are very busy AORN members, busy selling greens (previously), now getting those raffle tickets sold. By the time you read this you will know the lucky winners. Let the energy continue on into the new year. Let's have a terrific turn out for the January 22 program at Mt. Diablo Medical Center. You will be treated to a great program by our National President, Patricia Seifert. Let her see what great members we are by our outstanding turnout. We will also have a clinical topic by a local surgeon. Read more about it in this newsletter. Your money will be well spent. Start forming car pools. The room holds a hundred people so come on along. We are helping Contra Costa Chapter with the expenses of flying President Seifert out from the East Coast and her hotel here. If you can't make it to Congress, you must see her here. What a great opportunity!
By Martha See
Greetings,
"OR Nurses Make A World of Difference" is the theme of this years OR Nurse Week, November 14-20, 1999. Our national headquarters has sent me information, a news release, and several color leaflets full of items with the AORN logo which can be ordered to celebrate the week. Included are tote bags, cups, pins, T-shirts, pens, etc. Let me know if you would like one.
Did you know the 1979 AORN House of Delegates established November 14 as OR Nurse Day in an effort to educate the public about the activities and contributions of perioperative nurses who provide patient care before, during, and after surgery? Plant a seed - you never know how many people you will encourage to seek nursing and the OR as their specialty. We need replacements.
Thanks to you all for all your efforts.
By Martha See
I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead as president of the Alameda County chapter. I know we have a well known and very organized chapter. Talking with chapter leaders from across the country at the leadership conference I felt proud to be from our chapter. Some chapter members weren't sure their chapters had provider numbers and needed a lot of assistance which national provides.
This year we will continue to provide very excellent programs. Those that don't come don't know what they are missing, do they?
Lets try to increase our membership at the programs. Talk it up at your hospital and bring your colleagues.
My goals are as follows:
Looking forward to seeing you at the first meeting, September 8. Please note , since the first Wednesday falls on the first, we thought because of summer vacations and Labor Day, we would have better attendance on the second Wednesday in September.
Come on out, network with friends from all over the county, meet new friends and get caught up on the latest. Let�s make it a great year.
By Martha See
My term as president of our chapter is coming to an end and I will be handing over the gavel to our new president, Martha See. I want to thank all of you for your support during this last year. I especially want to thank the officers and the Board of Directors for all their hard work. Without them my job would have been very difficult. I also want to thank all the committee chairmen and members who are the worker bees of the chapter, keeping us well informed. One more group of people I wish to thank are the chapter members who come every month and help us carry on the business of the chapter.
Don't think this is the last you will see of me. I intend to be one of those committee members and one of those members who come every month to help carry on the business of the chapter. See you around.
By Evelyn Steen
It�s here! The 46th annual AORN Congress is in San Francisco. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to go for at least a day. There is going to be some important legislation coming out of the House of Delegates this year. We have been talking about these issues off and on at the chapter level. There will be the name change and the formation of an AORN Political Action Committee (PAC).
The delegates from your chapter take their job very seriously, they listen to the issues and what the candidates have to say. They then get together and discuss all the pros and cons about each candidate, before they go to vote the next day.
One of the things I am anxious to see is the research poster Kansas City chapter put together on our collaborative research project. How about you?
You can tell spring is trying to show its face, the trees are starting to bloom and it's light when I go to work in the mornings. This is not true in some parts of the country, as I can well attest to since I just came back from Minnesota where there was snow half way up my legs. California never looked so good.
See you at Congress and then at our chapter meeting in May. Because of Congress, we will not have a chapter meeting in April.
By Evelyn Steen
I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is looking forward to the new year. We have some great programs to look forward to this year. We still meet at Eden Hospital on the first Wednesday of every month. We offer a light dinner at 6:20 p.m. with a program beginning at 7:00 p.m. followed by a short business meeting. All of you who are reading this and have not been to a chapter meeting, please come and find out how great your chapter is.
Looking forward to seeing you at the February chapter meeting.
By Evelyn Steen
Home - 510-797-2602
Work - 510 -791-3474
e-mail - [email protected]
I received a letter from National, with updates on some of the actions that the AORN Board of Directors took at their meeting in November. Some significant decisions were made relating to the future direction of the Association.
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Sounds like it is going to be an exciting Congress, and it is going to be right here in San Francisco.
For those of you who cannot make the chapter meetings, here is my address: Evelyn Steen, 4917 Bath Place, Newark, CA 94560. I would really like to hear from you on these issues.
By Evelyn Steen
The holidays are just around the corner and everyone is busy planning parties and Christmas shopping. The last thing any-one wants to think about right now is if we are going to have an AORN chapter next year. We are very close to having a chapter with no officers. We need to find people who are willing to run for the offices of president-elect, board of directors, nominating committee, and treasurer.
Speaking for myself, I have gained so much more than I have given by being a part of the leadership of this chapter. I have never been without help; someone has always been there to mentor me along the way. The knowledge and connections that I have obtained from the positions that I have held have been worth any time I have given to them.
I have heard comments that the reason some people do not come to chapter meetings is that it is the same people running the chapter. This is only true when you allow it to be that way. We need and want others to share their knowledge and leadership abilities with us. I know you�re out there; please give great consideration to filling these positions; we will not let you fall on your face; we will be right there to help you all the way.
Why belong to AORN? It is our professional organization, and it provides us with education, research, legislative information, and lobbying.
We have a chapter of 183 members and only about 25 to 30 come to our meetings. Why? If you are one of the non-participating members, we would love to hear from you. Please tell us what we can do to encourage you to become an active participant.
By Evelyn Steen
Fall - that time of the year when the leaves begin to turn shades of red and gold and the air is crisp - is the start of the holiday season. October brings pumpkins and Halloween, while November brings turkeys and Thanksgiving.
November also brings OR Nurse Week. This year we will be celebrating it November 8 - 14. The theme for this years' OR Nurse Week is "The Spirit of Caring." Now is the time to start planning with your institution and your colleagues to celebrate this week.
This is our time to let the public know how important it is for them to have a registered nurse in the operating room. It is important for the public to know that perioperative nurses have the knowledge and expertise to keep them safe during their surgical experience. Be creative and have fun.
By Evelyn Steen
September is just around the corner and we will be starting our monthly chapter meetings again. I am very excited about this. Your program committee has been working very hard this summer and has lined up some very interesting topics and speakers. We will continue to meet at Eden Hospital for this year. They have bee very gracious in providing us a meeting room at no cost to us. December and June will still be our big dinner meetings and we will have them someplace else.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone again. Bring a friend to the September meeting, especially someone who has never been to a meeting before. Let us show them how much we have to offer as a chapter.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
Summer, that wonderful time of the year, when the days are warm and sunny, vacations are being planned and the children are home for three glorious months. This is the time you reflect on what has transpired and prepare for the fall.
Our chapter traditionally takes the summer off. June is the last meeting of the year. We meet again in the fall full of fresh ideas. Our first meeting of the year will be September 2. Your officers and committee chairs will be working all summer to make sure that your meetings next fall will have interesting speakers and topics. Should you know of any topics or speakers that you would like to have next year, please contact me. I am always interested in hearing from you. (Please e-mail the web manager {[email protected]} and I will give you Evelyn's phone number.)
Your new officers for the coming year are:
We have two vacancies on the Board and one vacancy on the Nominating Committee to be filled. Should anyone be interested in any one of these vacancies or know of anyone who may be, please contact Evelyn Steen or any one of the Board members.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
Spring is here - that time of year following the dormant winter when the earth begins to awaken, trees and flowers begin to bloom, and color is everywhere. A sense of energy seems to be in the air. People everywhere seem to be energized at the first sign of Spring. This must be the reason that National chose Spring to have the AORN Congress every year. Everyone comes back all energized and full of ideas to start another year of chapter activities.
As this year comes to an end I would like to thank all of my officers, committee members, and chapter members for all their support and involvement during the year. I could not have done it without you. I learned a lot about the organization this year and I can tell you AORN is a premier organization - one of the best.
As the new year approaches I look forward to working with this chapter again and all the members who have so graciously volunteered their time and expertise to make this chapter run.
The AORN Congress is being held in Orlando this year and we are sending six delegates. Your delegates are: Evelyn Steen, Donna Benotti, Mary Ritchie, Ann Kintz, Beth Mar, and Kathie Shea. Look for their reports in the next newsletter. We will be bringing back all the latest information from National.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
AORN Chapter 0501 has been a progressive and active chapter for 37 years. We have won many awards and have had several members on National committees; it has been said that we are one of the most active and �with it� chapters in the organization.
Notice I said �has been.� We are very close to being a has-been chapter. We will have vacancies in these positions: President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, three Board of Directors positions, and two Nominating Committee positions. As you can see, we couldn't even be a Board-run chapter as we will have no Board members left. We need these positions filled by May when the ballot goes out.
I am asking you, the members, who come to the meetings to network, and become educated through our excellent speakers and educational seminars, to come forward and volunteer. You will not be left out there to flounder by yourselves. Those of us who have held these positions are there to back you and help you any way possible. We can no longer afford the luxury of sitting back and letting someone else do the job.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
The holidays are just around the corner and everyone is busy planning parties and Christmas shopping. The last thing anyone wants to think about right now is if we are going to have an AORN chapter next year. We are very close to having a chapter with no officers. We need to find people who are willing to run for the offices of president, president-elect, vice-president, board of directors, nominating committee, and secretary.
Speaking for myself, I have gained so much more than I have given by being a part of the leadership of this chapter. I have never been without help; someone has always been there to mentor me along the way. The knowledge and connections that I have obtained from the positions that I have held have been worth any time I have given to them.
I have heard comments that the reason some people do not come to chapter meetings is that it is the same people running the chapter. This is only true when you allow it to be that way. We need and want others to share their knowledge and leadership abilities with us. I know you�re out there; please give great consideration to filling these positions; we will not let you fall on your face; we will be right there to help you all the way.
Why belong to AORN? It is our professional organization, and it provides us with education, research, legislative information, and lobbying.
We have a chapter of 182 members and only about 25 to 30 come to our meetings. Why? If you are one of the non-participating members, we would love to hear from you. Please tell us what we can do to encourage you to become an active participant.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
November 9-15 has been set aside as OR Nurse Week. The theme this year is �A Tradition of Excellence Lights the Path to the Future.�
What does this mean to you? What this says to me is that through the years that I have been a perioperative nurse, my patients have relied on my skills, knowledge, and expertise as a perioperative nurse to bring them through their surgical experience with positive outcomes. As technologies have advanced and the tools and procedures have changed, we are still nurses and the patient is the center of our focus. I believe that perioperative registered nurses, through their insight in assessing and caring for patients, anticipating their needs, and managing their surgical experience, make a difference in the patients� outcomes.
O.R. Nurse Week was established to educate the public about the activities and contributions of perioperative nurses. This is your opportunity to come out from behind the closed doors and the mask, meet the public, and help health care consumers understand how you, as perioperative nurses, contribute to their well-being before, during, and after surgery.
Let us know what you are planning to do at your facility to make the public aware of their valuable commodity - the perioperative nurse.
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
Welcome back to AORN after a summer of rest and relaxation. I hope you are as enthused as I am about starting a new year.
Your officers, Board, and committee chairmen have been busy planning programs and activities to help you grow professionally and keep you informed about the newest procedures and techniques in the perioperative arena. We have some really good speakers and some fun activities planned.
Coming to a chapter meeting should be more than just coming to hear a speaker and getting CEUs. This is an opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and network with people from all over the county. I look forward to our monthly meetings and I leave feeling that I have learned something and have enjoyed myself in the process.
I am looking forward to seeing old friends and new faces when we meet in September. Meetings will start on time and end on time - that is one of my goals. We all have to get up and go to work the next day.
Come out and see what AORN of Alameda County is all about!
Submitted by Evelyn Steen
As I prepare to hand over the gavel at the end of the June meeting, I reflect upon where the chapter is today. It is with pride that I can say AORN of Alameda County is financially sound, fiscally sophisticated, in compliance with the chapter standards of National, that the methods we use to meet those requirements are documented so that future officers and committee chairmen do not have to reinvent the wheel, and that we have a talented core of dedicated members. And for this I say thank you.
Thank you to the officers and committees for fulfilling your charges with enthusiasm and creativity; for making time to contribute to the future of our chapter while dealing with today�s crises; for dialoguing about a vision for our chapter; for assistance with creating structure and systems to achieve that vision; and for not killing me when I asked you for proposed budgets and work plans.
Thank you to the membership for the opportunity to represent you as president. Everywhere I went, our chapter�s reputation preceded me. I was always reminded of the efforts and accomplishments of previous leaders and the responsibility that I inherited when I assumed office.
I take many special memories with me as I leave office: the Leadership Conference in Denver, a visit to Headquarters, installation dinners, and Opening Session processionals at Congress. And I have benefited greatly from supportive chapter members.
Conducting board and chapter meetings, attending ORNCC (Operating Room Nursing Council of California) meetings, and even BRN (Board of Registered Nursing) meetings was indeed a stretch for me. But because I reached outside my comfort zone to try something new, I gained different perspectives on the nursing profession and on our organization. I gained new insights into my abilities and limitations. I was even surprised by an unexpected benefit: I demonstrated to my children the importance of being involved in one�s community; that words without actions are not enough; that excellence is a life-long pursuit; it is a journey, not a destination. I know that after 25+ years as a perioperative nurse, I am still learning, growing, and hopefully making a difference.
So, before I ride off into the sunset, I will take this last opportunity to encourage each of you to make time to participate in your organization. Make a goal to attend one more meeting this coming year; to organize a car pool for a meeting; to speak to someone you don�t know at that meeting; to be an ambassador for your facility; or to join a committee. Take a risk - you will be making a difference and you will benefit in so many ways!
See you September 3rd.
Happy trails!
Submitted by Donna Benotti
Almost there!
On March 14th Board of Director member Pam Reuling and I took advantage of the invitation to attend the Pre-Congress meeting of the San Francisco-Marin Chapter. Speakers were Linda Groah, RN, MS, CNOR, CNAA and Jeannie Botsford, RN, MS, CNOR, President and President-Elect of National AORN. I had looked forward to attending. I knew that we would be privileged to the latest information. What I hadn't counted on was that I would really get excited about what I would hear!
We first heard about Linda's ambitious plans for AORN at last year's Congress. We knew that the Board would not concentrate on a single issue. It would not be business as usual. I remember how impressed I was with the plans for the formation of three Project Teams: one for Professional Practice, one to look at our organization (the Corporate Project Team), and one to develop guidelines for how we (AORN) would collaborate on international issues (the International Project Team).
As I listened to the presentation I was amazed at all that had been accomplished in one year. The Professional Practice Project Team (PPPT) has developed a Clinical Path template and age-specific competencies. (A complete report of the activities of all three project teams will be given to the Delegates at the second House of Delegates. There will be an eight page summary of all accomplishments available in the Congress Resources.)
The Nursing Practices Committee worked diligently to update the 1975 Position Statement on Mandate for the RN as Circulator in the OR. This will go before the 1997 House of Delegates for ratification.
Another monumental accomplishment was the development of a Comprehensive Model for Perioperative Nursing Practice. The idea came out of the 1996 Think Tank. The Board reviewed the first draft by the Nursing Practices Committee in November. Linda worked closely with the committee in making more comprehensive revisions so that the new document would outline the endless possibilities for perioperative nurses to contribute to quality patient care, now and in the future. The entire second forum will be dedicated to discussing the Think Tank, the new model, and future directions for perioperative nursing.
The model for perioperative nursing practice is designed to meet the needs of perioperative patients in various settings. Perioperative roles are described as Perioperative Clinician, Interventional Care Coordinator, and Advanced Practitioner. Each role has a direct care and a management component. (The entire document is available on AORN's Fax on Demand.)
The Board has decided that the phone consultation provided by the two nurse consultants in the Center for Perioperative Nursing, Health Policy, and Research would be implemented as a "member-only" benefit. Data collected over the year shows that between 40% and 50% of the calls to the consultants come from nurses who chose to remain nonmembers. AORN can no longer afford to provide that service free. Information to nonmembers will continued to be offered in the form of the 10 most asked questions and answers, Fax on Demand, recorded messages, information on the Web site, access to the AORN library for literature searches, and by purchasing AORN Standards and Recommended Practices, and Guidelines.
The Board approved the Working Paper for the Development/Translation of a Guideline as developed by the Guidelines Subcommittee. The Malignant Hyperthermia Guideline is soon to be published in the AORN Journal and in the Recommended Practices publication. The revised HIV statement has been approved by the Board and awaits ratification by the House of Delegates.
Linda's theme for this Congress is "Rekindle the Passion for Perioperative Nursing". That evening as we sat in the semi-dark watching the over-heads preview what was to be debuted at Congress, we could feel the love and devotion that our President has for our profession. We could feel her pride in the Committees' accomplishments. We could feel the energy level in the room increase. This Congress will show us new ways to look at our practice. This Congress will give us new ways to define what we do and measure how we affect quality. This Congress will provide us with tools we can implement immediately upon return.
Usually I board the plane for Congress thoroughly exhausted from wrapping up loose ends, both personally and professionally. Usually I am mid-flight before I allow myself to get excited. But not this time. I'm almost there!
Submitted by Donna Benotti
This past month we had the opportunity to observe the end of an era - the strong Navy presence in the San Francisco Bay Area. Local news coverage showed the final sailing of the USS Carl Vinson as it left Alameda for its new home port. There was a marching band, uniformed personnel on the ship returning the waves of the tearful crowd, and fireboats saluting on the bay as the ship passed beneath the Golden Gate.
This did not happen suddenly. Dialogues had been lengthy and of course the usual surveys were completed. National and local multimedia news coverage had kept us apprised of developments. Reams had been written about the impact of military reduction on our nation's ability to respond as the leader of the free world, the economic health of local communities (property values, job opportunities, services provided by local governments), and veterans services. And still it happened.
The USS Carl Vinson left with a great deal of fanfare. Would the end of AORN of Alameda County even be noticed? Much has been written about the need for participation in professional activities to help us keep apprised of current issues affecting perioperative practice as well of the rewards of chapter involvement. Surveys are made yearly in an attempt to learn chapter members' needs. However, only eight members even took the time to return the June 1996 survey. As of December 31, 1996, national membership is 44,213 (down from 48,000+) and our chapter membership is 197 (down from 240+). Seven chapters were disbanded in December. Many chapters are decreasing their meeting schedules to every other month and in one instance, even quarterly.
As I contemplate all of the above, I tend to drift off into a fantasy mode. If only Nursing, AKA �the Sleeping Giant,� would arise. If only nurses would attend our chapter meetings and discover how energizing they can be, how supportive their peers are, how much sharing of practice issues goes on, and what great resources we have within our chapter. If only nurses would take a risk and become involved in a committee. If only each nurse could see the direct impact she/he has on her/his professional organization's vitality and viability. If only nurses could see how participation in their chapter provides unique opportunities for networking and accessing the latest information. If only nurses would �rekindle the passion� for nursing. If only nurses could see future benefits through present participation. If only nurses could see that the time is now, or there may be no tomorrow.
Our Nominating Committee is actively seeking candidates for chapter offices. I often hear such comments as �It's always the same people,� �I'd vote if there was more than one candidate running,� �I don't have time,� �I don't know anybody,� �I've never done anything like that,� �I'm too tired,� �When I leave work I don't want to think about nursing. All I want to do is get into sweats and relax.� And so it continues - but for how much longer?
If only more nurses would say �yes.� Yes to risk. YES to opportunity, to new visions for self development and professional growth, to new avenues for involvement in their specialty and profession, and to new ways of making a difference.
If only...
Submitted by Donna Benotti
The computerized versions of the August, October, and December 1996 newsletters were lost due to the editor�s practice of never backing up data. They may be typed here in the future.
At this time of year it is customary for elected officers and committee chairmen to organize their paperwork, evaluate accomplishments, write reports with recommendations and budgetary implications for the coming year, and determine points for themselves and committee members. In short, get ready to pass notebooks (and the torch) on to their successors.
As is the custom in many chapters, we, too, will see familiar faces in new and continuing positions. The Board of Directors has asked me, per Chapter Bylaws, to fill the vacancy created by an absent President-Elect. However, you will not be seeing a re-run of this past year. You will be seeing (and hopefully participating in) a new season. While I may be continuing on as President, my great fear of stagnation prohibits me from maintaining the status-quo. The style may be the same, but there will be progress. For, like Clara Barton, "I will not rust." This unique position of consecutive terms of office will permit the continued progress we are making in streamlining the way the Chapter does business and in increasing our financial sophistication. We have accomplished much but it is only a start. I have learned much this past year and I am committed to using that knowledge in 1996-1997. (I am especially pleased that Beth Mar has graciously consented to continue as Past President so that we will have a full compliment of Officers. This will permit the Chapter to be run as stated in our Bylaws.)
I want to thank all the Officers and Board Members for their counsel and honesty. The Committees have executed their charges with thoroughness and I know the Chapter is as proud and appreciative of their hard work as I am. We have enjoyed wonderfully informative educational programs, clinical questions that have sought to inform as well as to survey our community practice, a most profitable and superbly executed Fall Workshop, a Newsletter without peer, revisions to our Bylaws and the majority of our committee functions, a full ballot, and an excellent scholarship raffle which will result in awarding two scholarships. We have 93% member retention, regular reports on legislation that affects our practice, and we sat the designated number of Delegates at Congress. We have met the standards that National has set for us.
This coming year we will be looking at ways to reconfigure the Project Alpha Committee to include educating the public and our colleagues regarding the role of the perioperative nurse. We will also need to look at increasing our outreach to members, those perioperative nurses who do not belong to AORN, and those nurses who support the mission of AORN but do not work in the intraoperative setting.
At the June Chapter meeting I will be asking your elected Officers and appointed Committee Chairmen to fulfill their responsibilities with enthusiasm and creativity. I am asking you, the Membership, to support their efforts. Do not look at the Chapter as one of the "theys" in your life. It belongs to You. You determine if it is to be successful. If we do not respond affirmatively to our profession today, we will not have one tomorrow. Let us work together to make our Future as bright as our Past.
1996 - 1997 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Officers and Board wish everyone a great summer. See you September 4th!
Submitted by Donna Benotti
I wish everyone could attend Congress. It is so uplifting to attend a meeting that celebrates our practice. I am always impressed by the caliber of our leadership and their accessibility. The Headquarters staff is most accommodating and so willing to answer questions and hear concerns. There is no doubt that this is my organization. What I gain from AORN is directly related to what I avail myself of. Whether its attending a national meeting, learning about new procedures, technology and trends in perioperative nursing, or taking advantage of educational activities and networking opportunities at the local level, it is my choice. I choose to invest in my future. I hope you will make this choice as well.
It is with much regret that I accept Peggy Zampetti's resignation as Secretary, effective immediately. Peggy states that work demands have become such that she is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of Secretary. We will miss her valued counsel and thank her for the contributions she has made to our Chapter. We look forward to her continued support of AORN of Alameda County.
Submitted by Donna Benotti
Watching a news broadcast these days is a challenge to one's ability to maintain positive thinking and faith in the inherent goodness of mankind. Recent news of corporate layoffs, buy-outs, and restructuring of health care delivery systems with loss of jobs is not something we can say is "happening out there." This is happening in our chapter and is impacting many of us.
Airing with stories of major layoffs is often a feature which includes an "expert" giving advice about surviving restructuring in the workplace. The experts usually being by saying that the average person will hold a minimum of ten jobs. (This translates into "this could happen to you"). We are then advised to:
While this advice may be intended for employees of the corporate business scene, restructuring and work redesign are certainly affecting us in health care and we can benefit from this advice.
Life-long learning is not a foreign concept to any of us. We are constantly challenged by new technology and new procedures. But what is our attitude toward new experiences? Do we welcome these learning opportunities? Do we wish for the "good old days" or "pre-endoscopic days?" Do we respond to assignments with "I don't do those cases" or with "May I be precepted?" Have we become complacent or are we just too tired to think about learning anything new?
Learning marketable skills is essential. Does your facility provide all the education you need to function in today's operating room? I'm sure it doesn't. There is not enough time in the day or enough money in anyone's budget to permit this. There is even a philosophy that nurses should be responsible for their own education. How do you provide for your own professional development? Are you planning for your future? Do you know what the future will hold for you?
Attending AORN meetings will provide educational and networking opportunities for you as well as challenge you to think in new directions. Nurses who attended the December chapter meeting heard about a future for O.R. case managers and the possibility of operating rooms without registered nurses. Attendees of the January meeting discussed (among other things) the elimination of masks and the effects of wearing sweats in the O.R. Participants in the chapter's January workshop had the opportunity to re-wire a video tower (change the connections between monitor, camera, light source, printer, and VCR) without the stress imposed by the need for a rapid turn-over.
If we are to prepare for an uncertain future, we must take advantage of all the opportunities that are available to us. This involves an element of risk. One of Webster's definitions of risk is "to expose oneself to chance, the unknown." We cannot afford to "cocoon" ourselves at home, insulated from reality. We must become informed about issues impacting the future of perioperative nursing, discover new talents, develop new skills, seek new opportunities.
Take a risk--become involved in your chapter. Attend a meeting, join a committee, run for office. KEEP LEARNING AND EVOLVING!
Submitted by Donna Benotti
I can't remember a time when the arrival of an AORN Journal derailed me so. I was so intrigued by the cover of the November issue that I must have read half the articles at one sitting. With the celebrations of Veterans Day and the numerous "50 Year Anniversaries" of different historical events, it seemed so fitting to recognize the contributions of nurses during World War II and to reflect on the growth and development of our specialty.
Perioperative nurses certainly have experienced many changes in our collective practice. I always enjoy "remember when" sessions from both the long ago and the immediate past that always occur when two or more perioperative nurses get together. The enthusiasm, the humor, the connecting that occurs when sharing stories (even the most dismal of memories) can be re-energizing. Maintaining enthusiasm for one's practice in an environment of change (albeit health care reform, restructuring, more technology, downsizing) is indeed a challenge. It is easy to succumb to the pressures of the workplace and lose sight of why we do what we do.
I wish every perioperative nurse had the opportunity to participate in some form of O.R. Nurse Week activity where you could interact with the public as a representative of our specialty and not in a direct care-provider role. On November 14th I was given the opportunity to plan and implement Summit's lobby display. While this is an excellent opportunity to educate the public regarding the role of the professional perioperative nurse, it is also quite an experience to learn what the public thinks of us.
The majority of those stopping by the display (physicians excluded) actually are in awe of perioperative nurses. They are impressed by our general knowledge, our technological expertise, simply by the fact that we do what we do where we do it. Every person has a story-and YOU, the perioperative nurse, have played a significant role in a time of crisis for many. We are all honored to be members of a profession that inspires such complete faith and trust.
While we celebrate O.R. Nursing, all that we have been, are, and will be, we should also celebrate the strides our professional organization has made to elevate our specialty and ensure quality care for the patient requiring surgical intervention. AORN is recognized as the premiere specialty organization. We belong to a nationally recognized chapter. We are benefiting today from the commitment of those nurses who chose to devote their time and energies to elevating the standard of perioperative nursing practice in Alameda County. We celebrate the accomplishments of yesterday's chapter and gratefully acknowledge the contributions of past leaders and members. O.R. Nurse Week provides a time to reflect on what we do and where we've been. Tomorrow as we greet our patients, let us say with pride, �I am ___(name)__, the registered nurse who will be caring for you in the operating room.�
May you and yours experience the joy and peace of the season.
Submitted by Donna Benotti
