Board meets, approves new specialty assembly

AORN Journal,  April, 2004  by Sharon A. McNamara

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The AORN Board of Directors met in Denver Feb 5-7, 2004. All Board members were present, as were Executive Director Tom Cooper, CAE, and executive staff members. As part of the ongoing process for making knowledge-based decisions, the Board members received all materials for the meeting weeks in advance so they had time to thoroughly synthesize the background information from staff members and AORN committees and task forces before the meeting. This refined process expedites the work of the Board members and helps them make efficient, knowledge-based decisions.

Board members completed a review of the current strategic plan, goals, and direction of the Association. Key areas of planning were addressed, such as federal and state legislative strategies, AORN's international presence, the AORN World Conference, and the new Latin American/South American conference. The Advanced Medical Technology Associations' Code of Ethics on Interaction with Health Care Professionals also was introduced and discussed.

CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

The following consent agenda items were ratified by the Board of Directors during the meeting:

* Nov 13-15, 2003, Board meeting minutes;

* Presidential/Board actions between Board meetings; and

* affiliate status for the Michigan State Council.

In addition, the Board accepted committee and task force annual reports from the

* Awards Committee;

* Bylaws Committee;

* Credentials Committee;

* Legislative Committee;

* Membership Committee;

* Nursing Practices Committee;

* Scholarship Committee;

* Ambulatory Surgery Specialty Assembly;

* Cardiothoracic Specialty Assembly;

* Integrated Healthcare Practices Specialty Assembly;

* Leadership Specialty Assembly;

* Minimally Invasive Surgery & Lasers Specialty Assembly;

* Neurosurgery Specialty Assembly;

* Nurse Educator/Clinical Nurse Specialist Specialty Assembly;

* Nurses in Business, Industry, & Consulting Specialty Assembly;

* Orthopedic Specialty Assembly;

* Pediatric Specialty Assembly;

* Perioperative Nursing Informatics Specialty Assembly;

* RN First Assistant Specialty Assembly;

* Rural/Small Hospital Specialty Assembly;

* Bariatric Task Force;

* Board Chapter Visits Task Force;

* Congress Education Planning Committee;

* Exhibitors' Advisory Committee;

* International Resource Committee;

* Task Force to Promote Perioperative Nursing at the High School Level;

* Presidential Commission on Patient Safety Task Force;

* Web Task Force;

* Workplace Safety Task Force; and

* AORN Foundation.

ACADEMIC FACULTY TASK FORCE

A motion from the Academic Faculty Task Force to develop and fund a demonstration project using the perioperative arena for student nurses' medical/surgical rotation was approved. The task force will measure student learning outcomes to provide evidence that student nurses who have medical/surgical clinical training in the perioperative area will have positive learning outcomes. Measuring the results of the students' learning will provide validity for training in perioperative clinical sites.

POLICY COMMITTEE

The Policy Committee brought a number of motions to the Board. A motion to create a task force to develop a corporate compliance plan was approved. The Board is acting diligently to execute its fiduciary responsibility for oversight and to ensure appropriate financial accountability as required by the recent Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. The following Board members were appointed to the task force by President Betty Shultz, RN, CNOR:

* Susan K. Banschbach, RN, BSN, CNOR;

* Paula R. Graling, RN, MSN, CNOR; and

* Mary Jo W. Steiert, RN, CNOR.

A staff member appointment to this task force will be determined in the future.

A second motion to add a disclosure of interest sign off to the Policy on Ownership form was approved. This will be implemented during the committee selection process for this year and thereafter.

ITEMS EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA

The following committee and task force reports were extracted from the consent agenda by various Board members to allow discussion of particular content:

* Nominating Committee,

* Coalition of Students and Young Nurses Task Force,

* Academic Faculty Task Force,

* Members at Large/ e-Chapter Task Force,

* Disaster Preparedness Task Force,

* Nursing Research Committee,

* National Committee on Education, and

* Recommended Practices Committee.

After clarification, these reports were accepted.

STAFF AWARD

AORN staff members are the backbone of the quality operation of the Association. President Shultz initiated a Headquarter Staff President's Award for 2004 to recognize the outstanding contributions to the Association by a member of the staff. To underscore the value of this staff member award, the Board approved a motion to create an annual award to recognize the contributions that Headquarters staff members make to AORN.

NEW AORN SPECIALTY ASSEMBLY

The Board approved a request for the formation of a new specialty assembly, which will be known as the Retired Nurses Specialty Assembly. The goal of creating this specialty assembly is to provide these members with an additional forum to participate in and contribute to their professional Association. The continued involvement and shared expertise of AORN's 942 retired members and the potential 8,083 members older than age 56 who are heading toward retirement will only strengthen and enhance AORN and its membership.