JANUARY 1997, VOL 65, NO 1 P R E S I D E N T ‘ S M E S S A G E

Prepare now for a place in perioperative nursing in the next millennium

t’s January 1997--only three years to the next millenni- um. What have you done to

The beginning of the new year prepare yourself for the future?

is the time to take inventory and to determine what skills you need to design your future as a periop- erative nurse. One of the first steps in this process is to assess what is occurring in the health care arena by asking yourself the following questions. What trends are affecting nursing and, specifi- cally, perioperative nursing? What knowledge and skills will you need to maintain your current position or to enhance that posi- tion? How do you envision your- self as a perioperative nurse? What strategies do you need to achieve that vision? What assis- tance will you require? How will you communicate this vision to your colleagues? How will you overcome obstacles that stand in your way? How can you become comfortable with the nontradi- tional ideas, activities, and actions that are part of the redesigned health care system? Is it worth taking the risks that are necessary for your future success?

Your first reaction to this chal- lenge may be, “I don’t have time for this. I’m barely keeping my head above water.” My response and advice is, “You can’t afford not to plan for your future.’’ Now is the time to make your New Year’s resolution-to chart the course of action to achieving your success as a professional periop- erative nurse.

I AORN LEADING THE WAY Strategic planning and devel-

oping a preferred future for peri- operative nursing are top priorities for your AORN Board of Direc- tors and Headquarters staff mem- bers. I discussed AOR”s Strate- gic Plan in the June “President’s Message,” and in the October “President’s Message,” I reported the results of the Think Tank, which brought together AORN leaders to develop a preferred future for perioperative nursing.

ing, we discussed the successes that AORN has achieved and progress that we have made toward meeting the goals in the Strategic Plan. A synopsis of this discussion follows.

Goal 1. Promote excellence

At the November Board meet-

in perioperative nursing prao tie. AOR”s multisite clinical study of bloodborne exposures in OR personnel is nearing comple- tion, and the data will be present- ed at Congress. AORN’s co- directors of perioperative research are conducting two addi- tional studies: one is a study of surgical gown flammability and strike through, and the second focuses on prevention of decubi- tus ulcers in the OR.

The outcomes subcommittee of the Data Elements Coordinat- ing Committee has revised A 0 R ” s patient outcome stan- dards. Perioperative nurses can use these outcome statements in conducting research about the relationship between patient out- comes and perioperative nursing

interventions. Surgical

Services Man- agement now has more than

scribers and continues to gain recognition as the leading publication for managers of peri- operative resources. The AORN Journal soon will be available on CD-ROM and will appear in full text on the Internet.

AORN Online now contains more than 250 pages of informa- tion, ranging from AORN Journal clinical articles and answers to fre- quently asked clinical practice questions to descriptions of AORN products and services. Users now can search an online database of perioperative job opportunities, enjoy a redesigned home page, and obtain news and information about Congress. Traffic to AORN Online continues to increase, with 8% of users coming from outside the United States. New features planned for 1997 include specialty assembly pages, an online mem- bership application, a government affairs section, a sponsored online clinical consulting feature, AORNs Perioperative Bookstore, a virtual OR, and the OR Product Directory.

A 0 R ” s international activi- ties demonstrate our willingness to share perioperative nursing knowledge and exchange cre- ative ideas with our colleagues in other parts of the world. The

4,100 sub-

LINDA K. GROAH

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JANUARY 1997, VOL 65, NO 1

clinical guidelines, perioperative nursing report card) that will assist in implementing this model. AORN’s Center for Peri- operative Education is develop- ing specific education activities to help perioperative nurses pre- pare for expanded roles.

Colleges of Nursing plans to develop a new cumculum for nursing education, and AORN will participate in this venture. Through collaboration with other education providers, AORN is able to offer members outstand- ing education programs that meet members’ specific needs.

AORN has a comprehensive public information plan and a variety of consumer education products, such as You Need and Deserve a Perioperative Nurse, which is available in English and Spanish; a videotape with three public service announcements about perioperative nursing and patient care; and a resource list of consumer information about surgery. The resource list appears on AORN Online and will be available in print at the 1997 Congress.

Goal 4. identify issues affecting perioperative care. The Assembly Connection,

The American Association of

which premiered in July, serves as a resource about Headquar- ters and Board information for specialty assembly governing council members. The AORN Center for Nursing Practice, Health Policy, and Research provides perioperative clinical practice information via AORN Online and the fax on demand service. Individuals who have Internet access may send ques- tions to the AORN consultants at consult@aom.org.

AORN’s legislative program coordinator is establishing con- tacts with public interest groups and other associations involved in health care policy to promote AORN members’ interests. AORN also is in contact with fed- eral agencies (eg, Health Care Financing Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion, Occupational Safety and Health Administration) that have interest in or jurisdiction over state regulation of health care facilities.

The Legislative Committee- which plans to have members serving as state coordinators in all 50 states; Washington, DC; her to Rico; and the Virgin Islands-pro- motes perioperative nurses’ inter- ests by establishing and maintain- ing relationships with policymak-

Table 1 S K I U S REQUIRED FOR O<PMIDED PERlOPERAllVE NURSING ROLES

Use of critical pathways and case management for surgical patients Cross-training in all areas of perioperative nursing

Skill development (eg, interpersonal, communication and collaboration with other team members, delegation, empowerment in the work setting) Patient and family education skills Business skills to assess effective use of perioperative resources Negotiation and communication skills to achieve effective presence in the legislative arena

ers and their staff members. AORN’s legislative program coor- dinator also has developed policy profiles to provide members infor- mation about issues directly relat- ed to public policy and periopera- tive nursing. Legislative Commit- tee state coordinators and chapter presidents have received the fist two policy profiles (ie, Regulation of surgical technologists, Success in the legislature). These policy profiles also appear on the govern- ment affairs page of AORN Online.

SUMMARY AORN is making great strides

toward achieving the mission and vision of representing periopera- tive nurses and the specialty of perioperative nursing in this country. There is still much to do, and we cannot afford to relax our vigilance or lose sight of our goals. As AORN members, we must be at the right place at the right time with the right response as we continue to advocate for cost-effective, quality care for surgical patients.

Your charge, should you choose to accept it, is to make a New Year’s resolution to rekin- dle your passion for periopera- tive nursing by transforming your skills, your ideas, and your commitment to your patients. The Association’s future and the future of perioperative nursing depend on each member’s tak- ing the concepts and tools that AORN develops and using them in individual practice settings. This concerted action will ensure that you have a place in perioperative nursing in the next millennium.

LINDA K. GROAH RN, MS, CNOR, CNAA

PRESIDENT

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