Do your homework for discussions on Congress issues You should be gearing up for Congress now whether you will be attending or not. Important Association decisions will be made at the an- nual meeting March 7 to 12 in Anaheim, Calif. If you aren't able to attend, you aren't off the hook. You should make your views on the is- sues known to your chapter's delegates who will be representing you.

To those of you who are coming to Congress but are not delegates, please attend the forums and House of Delegates sessions. You may speak, even though you may not vote. A voice of a member who is knowledgeable and committed can be persuasive and influential. Those who sit on the sidelines and do not participate in AORN activities will be surprised how decisions made at Congress will affect their practice.

My advice is to get involved by reading, dis- cussing issues, and listening to others' views. You will feel more secure in speaking to the issues when you take the time to prepare. Then when you arrive at Congress, seek out other colleagues to discuss your ideas with. The forums and House of Delegates can be interesting and exciting if we all do our homework. Some of the Congress issues are summarized in this column.

The AORN Board of Directors, Headquar- ters staff, and national committees attempt to keep members informed throughout the year with articles in the Journal and AORN Newsletter, which is mailed to chapter presi- dents and OR supervisors. We also solicit

a President's message

opinions through periodic surveys. In early January, the Board mailed a ques-

tionnaire to chapter presidents. A copy was published in the January Journal for members-at-large. We are gathering informa- tion from the grass roots to assist us in long- range planning. We are asking chapter presi- dents to confer with their members, fill out the questionnaire, and give it to the chairman of their state delegation at Congress.

The results will be tabulated and discussed at the annual Planning Committee meeting in the spring. We need to get a better handle on members' needs so we can make more solid predictions for future changes.

These are some other topics that will be discussed at Congress. Between now and then, others may arise.

Proposed bylaws changes. These may be submitted by chapters and the Bylaws Com- mittee. This year, delegates will be considering changes regarding member-at-large status for military nurses and the mailing of a second dues notice. You can read about these in this issue.

Credentialing. Members will hear a report about the national Task Force on Credential- ing in Nursing. The task force was organized in 1979 to build consensus for a national nursing credentialing center. This is the outgrowth of a national study on nursing licensure, accredita- tion, and certification. AORN is a resource group to the task force, and representatives attend its meetings.

A key issue now is interrelationships among organizations that now do credentialing of nurses and nursing organizations. The task force was to send recommendations to the resource groups in January, with a discussion at its April meeting.

320 AORN Journal, February 1982, Vol35, No 3

Agenda: House Xlll Adjournment

I II Ill IV V

VI VI I

Vll l

IX X

XI XI1

of Delegates Call to order Credentials report AdoDtion of agenda

Forum agenda

Introduction 0; parliamentarian 1. Adoption of convention rules Adoption of auditor's report 2. Annual reports 3. A. Officers 4. B. Nominating Committee C. Standing committees 5.

1. Bylaws 2. Planning

1. Competency 6. 2. Search 3. Legislative

D. Special committees

Special reports 7. A. American Nurses' Association

Monday, March 8, 7 to 8:30 am, Convention Center Arena

Invitational Conference for Nurse Educators Long-range planning questionnaire Bylaws changes Report on the national Task Force on Credentialing in Nursing Update on US Department of Health and Human Services proposed revision of circulating regulation and related AORN activities Revision of manual of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals: Will there be an OR section? First assistant update

convention issues

preparedness and nurses in the National Guard and Reserves

New business Teller's Committee Report (election results) Announcements Introduction of new officers

B. Resolution on emergency Tuesday, March 9, 7 to 8 am, Convention Center Arena 1. Should AORN have an expert witness

program? 2. Search Committee report 3. Survey by National Legislative Committee 4. Resolution on military preparedness and

nurses in the National Guard and Reserves 5. New AORN competency statements

At Congress, the AORN Board will tell you about these recommendations and lead a dis- cussion at a forum. Please review the article about credentialing in this Journal and be pre- pared to discuss the issue.

Proposed circulator regulation. I have re- quested a meeting for AORN leaders with Carolyne Davis, RN, administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). She has jurisdiction over the Medicare and Medicaid rules and regulations, where the cir- culator proposal appears. The proposed rule, still not approved, would allow OR technicians and licensed practical nurses to circulate dur- ing surgery. AORN has waged a major effort over the past several years to oppose the change.

Joining me to attend the meeting with Davis would be Margaret Huth Meeker, RN, CNOR, president-elect, and Jerry G Peers, RN, execu-

tive director. We hope to discuss our Associ- ation's concerns regarding quality care of the surgical patient and related health care issues.

The only communication AORN received from HCFA in 1981 was a request to complete a questionnaire about regulatory reform. This was designed to determine which HCFA regu- lations should be considered for revision or deletion. The agency had not yet made its final report as of Dec 1.

Basic competency statements. These new statements defining operating room nursing at the six- to twelve-month level have been ap- proved by the AORN Board. The committee that developed the statements will be introduc- ing them and distributing copies at a Congress session at 9 am Wednesday, March 10. There will be time for questions about the statements and how they can be used. The statements, with a background article, will also be pub-

324 AORN Journal, February 1982, Vol35, No 3

lished in the April Journal, and a booklet spon- sored by the Patient Care Division of Johnson 8, Johnson Products, Inc, will be mailed to all members in early April.

Search committee. You will hear an update about the search for a new AORN executive director. Jerry G Peers, RN, plans to retire in January 1983. A roast in her honor is being held Monday night, March 8, at the Convention Center. The deadline for tickets has now passed.

Department of Defense resolution. The Board of Directors is proposing a resolution encouraging nurses to volunteer with military medical units. There are critical shortages of nurses in National Guard and Reserves units. Along with representatives of other nursing or- ganizations, I met with military and defense officials in October about the development of a program to reduce nursing shortages and im- prove military preparedness. (See President's message in the February AORN Journal.)

At the meeting, we discussed the need for readiness due to unstable world conditions and the threat the shortages pose to national security. The Board believes we should assist defense efforts by encouraging OR nurses to consider joining Reserve and Guard units.

Expert witnesses. We will discuss the need for a list of OR nurses to be available as expert witnesses during malpractice trials. Headquar- ters receives many requests for the names of nurses who can serve as expert witnesses. The Board will ask for your reactions to having such a list.

American Nurses' Association (ANA). The next convention will be held June 25 to July 1 in Washington, DC. The Board has invited ANA to send a representative to Congress to dis- cuss nursing issues that will arise at its conven- tion. We also want to hear your views on these issues, since AORN will be sending represen- tatives to the ANA convention to present our views.

Project Alpha. The National Committee on Education asked each chapter to send a report of its Project Alpha activities by Feb 19 to Les- lie Grosser, RN, in the Education Department at Headquarters. As you may recall, the 1981 House of Delegates charged each AORN chapter to work with at least one school of nursing during this year and to report its results at the 1982 Congress. The project is designed

to encourage schools of nursing to restore OR nursing to their generic nursing curriculum. We need to know what is being accomplished in this effort.

First assistant. Delegates will receive a re- port in their packets about the first assisting issue. We would like your feedback about the status of first assistants in all regions of the country.

Other issues may arise between now and Congress. Any member may request to place an item on the forum agenda by contacting me. The forums, scheduled for 7 am Monday and Tuesday, March 8 and 9, are informal sessions where any member may speak without being encumbered by parliamentary procedure. You need not be a delegate to speak at these meet- ings, or even in the House of Delegates. You will find the protocol for the forums printed in this issue.

Let your voice be one of many that will assist in setting goals for AORN and OR nursing. I am reminded of a quote from Buckminster Fuller-"To sail with the wind is to yield to evolutionary forces. To sail into the wind is to master forces."

Nancy L Mehaffy, RN President

Meet the candidates The meet the candidates session will be from 10 am to 12:30 pm Sunday March 7, in the Anaheim Convention Center. AORN President Nancy L Mehaffy will preside.

The session will be divided into two segments. The first part will be from 10 to 1 1 :30 am in the Convention Center Anaheim Room. During this time, each candidate for national office will be introduced and give a three-minute presentation. Following the presentations, candidates will be available for one-on-one meetings with members from 11 :30 am to 1230 pm in the Convention Center Santa Ana Room.

The session is open to all Congress registrants, and delegates and alternate delegates are urged to attend. A review of candidates' election statements, printed in this Journal, will be helpful.

326 AORN Journal, February 1982, Vol35, No 3