Creating the member experience

AORN Journal,  Nov, 2003  

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The purpose of the Center for Member Services (CMS), according to Lorrie Briggs, director of member support and development, is to "create the member experience." Briggs' extensive background in association management helps her keep the finger on the pulse of AORN's members so she can develop strategies and programs to meet member needs. She and the CMS department work hard to give members the tools and resources to become successful leaders, within both their profession and the Association, and to recognize members for their accomplishments. They are interested in developing members at all levels--locally, regionally, nationally, and within their specific specialties.

The CMS strives to connect members with each other and their Association by giving them outlets for communication, networking, and personal growth. Briggs has done an excellent job of building a strong team with an energetic, enthusiastic, and positive attitude. "It's the outlook we want to pass on to our members," Briggs stated.

Briggs describes Kendra Keene, chapter relations coordinator, and Bonnie G. Denholm, RN, MS, CNOR, specialty assembly coordinator, as "the cheerleaders for our member groups." They help keep member groups interested, motivated, and energized to carry out the work of the Association. They build communities to support AORN members through the joys and troubles they encounter as perioperative nurses. "Member groups," states Denholm, "exist to help members feel more connected to their profession."

Denholm worked for many years as a perioperative nurse and nurse manager in both hospital and ambulatory settings. In 1991, she was presented with the opportunity to share what she had learned about nurse management with thousands--she was offered the position of clinical editor for the AORN Journal, working on management-related Home Studies. During her time as clinical editor, Denholm enjoyed encouraging and working with authors who wanted to develop their skills as researchers and writers.

When the position of chapter relations coordinator became available, Denholm saw it as an opportunity to further connect with AORN's members and accompany them in their pursuit of professional growth. Denholm says that her favorite aspect of her current position is "helping members connect with AORN through the specialties that they're passionate about."

As the chapter relations coordinator, Keene is AORN's liaison to member groups including chapters, state councils, members-at-large, the National Membership Committee, and two task forces: the Board Visit Task Force and the Coalition of Students and Young Nurses Task Force. She also is responsible for eChapter, which was born under her leadership and has grown to represent more than 800 members. Keene's background in community outreach and master's degree in public health help her to support these member groups through continual communication from Headquarters and assistance with leadership issues such as governance, financial and program management, and problem-solving. In addition, Keene also manages voting and delegates at Congress, Member-Talk, AORN's e-mail discussion group, and the AORN Speakers' Bureau.

One of Keene's most rewarding projects has been the development of the Chapter Resource Center on AORN's Website. The Resource Center, Keene stated, has been designed to provide chapter leadership information in an easy-to-access format, such as daily updates of chapter membership rosters. "I have the best job in the world," Keene states, "because I have the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects, and I get to spend so much of my time talking to AORN members. I want every member I come in contact with to have an overwhelmingly positive experience with AORN."

Ann Karcher, volunteer services program manager, is the glue that holds the CMS together. As she puts it, the department is like a jigsaw puzzle whose pieces all overlap. Karcher is involved with each of those pieces, and she helps snap them all together. "The best pieces of the puzzle are the members," she says, "We help take an international population of perioperative nurses and bring them into a community in which they can receive information and support." Karcher joined the team in January of this year and brings to her position 16 years' experience in the non-profit industry.

Together, all members of the CMS team work to serve as the voice of the members within the Association. "Our primary goal is to help members connect with their professional association," Briggs says. "They do that by getting involved at the chapter, state, or specialty level. It makes the association experience much more meaningful."

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