A Year in Review

In my final message, I'd like to take a moment to discuss my theme of “Innovation” and what it has meant to me. I would also like to reminisce with you about my year as AORN President and relate some of the key stepping stones and important events in that time. the Nominating Committee evolving into the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee, all members winning the opportunity to vote for and elect their national AORN leaders, the AORN recommended practices becoming evidence rated, and ensuring financial accountability and recovery in the aftermath of the Great Recession. AORN continues to grow in the final months of my presidency, expanding its influence with international nurses through the 5th International Summit1 and with nurse leaders with the advent of the OR Executive Summit™.2 A significant innovation that took place this past year was the name change for our annual conference, now called the AORN Surgical Conference & Expo,3 although we are still retaining the moniker of “Congress” for the business meeting component of the annual conference. In addition to that, we have expanded and clarified our focus to include education and industry more fully at the event. seeing higher acuity patients with comorbidities in the hospital setting; seeing an increase in the number of patients undergoing bariatric procedures; seeing a rapid expansion of ambulatory and office-based procedures; expecting the imminent expansion of medical tourism; technology becoming outdated in three years, thereby shrinking the depreciation schedule and increasing the cost of doing business; consolidating services and standardizing practices at many facilities, improving culture and customer satisfaction and reducing lengths of stay, and simulation and gaming being explored and expanded as educational tools. In light of this changing landscape, our future as an organization depends on us being innovative, or creative, if you prefer that term. It requires us to be nimble and to react quickly to elements of health care reform, changing technology, and an evolving global economy. Strategic planning is crucial to ensure that we stay focused on our mission and core values.4 Sustainability demands that we continue to identify what is important to our members, through efforts such as task forces and surveys, to ensure that we remain relevant to what our young and future perioperative nurses are seeking and value. Developing mechanisms to capture the value of our experienced and retiring perioperative nurses facilitates education and mentoring activities. The Board of Directors will continue to face these challenges and seek solutions to the problems that face our industry. I assumed the role of AORN President in March 2013. In April, I traveled to Ottawa, Canada, for the national conference of the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada5 and the meeting of the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses.6 The AORN delegation included members of the International Committee and other AORN members who were interested in being part of a collaborative international effort to promote patient safety and support perioperative nursing. In May, I traveled to the Chinese Nurses Association conference in Chengdu, China, to speak on the evidence-rating process that is used by AORN in developing the recommended practices.7 I also enjoyed the opportunity to experience a bit of the culture of the country, led by Annie, a college student and interpreter, and Mr Dhu, who was my driver. Then I headed off directly to Australia for the International Council of Nurses8 conference in Melbourne. This conference was truly a melting pot: of people, languages, and technology. The meetings focused on the global promotion of the nursing profession through education, governmental support, and patient awareness efforts. In addition to the conference, I personally enjoyed spending time with Ruth Melville, RN, President of the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses, at her institution's exhibit booth and over dinner. During this trip, I also went sightseeing along the coastal area of the country with my colleagues from Australia, China, Nigeria, the United States, and the National League for Nursing. In July, the AORN Board of Directors met in conjunction with the AORN Volunteer Leadership Academy in Denver, Colorado. This allowed AORN member leaders to meet and network with Headquarters staff members and Board liaisons. The Town Hall segment of the meeting allowed Board members to solicit input on proposals for the coming years and alerted attendees to the annual conference's name change, from AORN Congress to the AORN Surgical Conference & Expo. September included my attendance at the Cardinal Top 25 meeting in Chicago, Illinois, and OR Manager in National Harbor, Maryland. In October, attending the American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting in San Francisco, California, provided me with the opportunity to hear about the “perioperative surgical home model”9 concept and the American Society of Anesthesiologists “When Seconds Count” campaign.10 AORN recognizes the importance of perioperative nurses' input into such a model and will extend an offer for early collaboration. In November, the Nursing Organizations Alliance™ met in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The focus was around nurses practicing to the full extent of their educational preparation. The sessions offered attendees the opportunity to establish connections with other nursing organizations and to participate in collaborative efforts around common patient safety standards and care coordination. In December, I attended the AORN Board meeting at AORN Headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Terrance Barkan, a consultant on international strategy for the future, presented us with options for consideration, as an adjunct to the regular business meeting component. This discussion included global growth strategies and the potential for AORN to develop a strategy focused on expanding this market. For the next steps, AORN will receive a report from Barkan that reflects the discussion and that will facilitate prioritizing this strategy with other areas for the AORN 2014-2015 strategic plan. It has been a busy, exciting, and fulfilling year. As my year as AORN President draws to a close, I hope that I will see you all at the AORN Surgical Conference & Expo in Chicago, Illinois, March 30 to April 2, 2014. There, we can share in honoring AORN's past, celebrating our present, and aspiring to our future. Rosemarie T. Schroeder, BSN, RN, CNOR, is the AORN President and director of perioperative services at Ministry Saint Joseph Hospital, Marshfield, WI. President Schroeder has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as posing a potential conflict of interest in the publication of this article.

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