This year I intend to start the meeting promptly at 5:30. The meeting should last about 30 minutes. I hope to have a sponsor that will present an educational program for a specific length of time. THEN, we can have all the time we want to socialize and ‘network’. Bring a guest, even if they aren’t a member of AORN yet. For those members that can’t stay, we understand. We are busy nurses with busy lives and families.

Mark your calendars for next years’ meetings. They are held at Beef O’Brady’s on Hwy 49, Gulfport promptly at 5:30 on Tuesdays. Usually, they are the third Tuesday of the month, but Mardi Gras is February 21 so we delayed that meeting a week.

January 17

February 28

AORN Congress in New Orleans March 24-29

April 17

May 15

Congress is in New Orleans this year. We are considering chartering a bus or a limousine to take people for daily visits. If you are interested in going on any day, please let me know. There are daily registration rates of $215 (before 1/31/12) or weekly of $545 or $515 for a group (before 1/31/12). Congress is so close to home, there’s no excuse not to go!

I know I sound like a parrot. I am repeating the same ole message that the Presidents of Past have said. I guess we will keep saying it until we figure out how to do it.

We are 53 members strong. I know there are more dedicated, conscientious, professional Registered Nurses that consider themselves Perioperative Nurses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I also know economic times are difficult now. (It costs $125 to join.) But, I firmly believe that it is important to be active in your professional organization and that the benefits and advantages are well worth the (tax exempt) membership fee of joining.

Clinical Journal: Members receive an annual subscription to the award-winning AORN Journal featuring the latest clinical, management, and research articles. You will also have access to the AORN Journal Online, which features full-text searchable archived issues.
Free with membership.*

The journal alone is worth the cost. Please encourage all the RN’s at your facility to take advantage of the many benefits available through AORN membership.

Continuing Education: Continuing education will help you strive for excellence. AORN’s education meets the learning needs of both clinicians and managers and covers a wide range of specialties. As a member, you receive over 25 FREE CEs, plus discounted member rates on education, events, and access to free online education resources.  

It’s nice to see and visit with everyone at the meetings, no denying that. At the same time, I want to make our time spent together meaningful. We seem to have a difficult time finding programs for our meetings. What is on the ‘top of your list’ these days; is it hand washing, some new item or device that you have recently started using, is a procedure specific to your facility? Please share it with your chapter. Contact the Clinical Sales Rep or whoever is responsible for that item/device/procedure.

Please talk to them about presenting an educational program to our AORN Chapter. It is always good to learn something new.

So, to wrap up:

1.       Encourage your peers to join AORN

2.       Attend AORN meetings (there’s only 5 more)

3.       Be active in finding programs for our meetings

4.       Attend Congress March 24-29

Sue Bowers RN MHA CNOR

President 2011-12