ABSTRACT
"1 As President of this wonderful association, there are so many ways that I can measure the past year. * In days: 333 serving as President. * In "President's Messages": 12 deadlines that had to be met (but more often were not). * In conference calls: with the Board;the Executive Committee;and various other committees, task forces, and groups. After the Reset, we held a combined orientation for the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee members. The COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on the world, and our association has not been unscathed by it. Because the Headquarters team was nimble, resourceful, and acting in the best interest of the Association and you, our members, we emerged from the last two years financially strong, even after transitioning both the 2020 and 2021 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expos into virtual events. Along with Lynn, my executive director, Becky Ruban, MSN, RN, SHRM-SCP, and Evelyn Rosenthal, AVP Leader and Employee Development Experience, have provided me with autonomy to do both my work and serve AORN during my tenure on the Board.
ABSTRACT
On January 9, 2020, the World Health Organization announced a mysterious coronavirusrelated pneumonia in Wuhan, China,1 and 12 days later, on January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the first coronavirus case in the United States.2 By March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.3 People were encouraged to stay home, wash their hands frequently, wear masks in public, and stay socially distant- all in hopes of "flattening the curve." For many of us in health care, ORs started shutting down, staff members were deployed into other parts of the facility to assist colleagues with caring for the overabundance of patients, and there were shortages of medical supplies throughout the country. Because of the potential for additional waves of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of vaccine availability, the AORN Board of Directors voted to move the 2021 Global Surgical Conference & Expo from April 2021 to August 2021.5 Throughout 2020, pharmaceutical companies worked toward getting vaccines ready for the public, with the goal of bringing an end to the pandemic. First travel-related case of 2019 novel coronavirus detected in United States [news release].
ABSTRACT
According to the Mayo Clinic, If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers found that women who were optimistic had a significantly reduced risk of dying from several major causes of death-including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection-during an eight-year period, compared with women who were less optimistic.8 Training your brain toward a more positive mindset can help you live a longer, healthier life. According to Seth Swirsky, a clinical psychotherapist, "Just saying that you're stressed can [set] off a cascade of chemicals in the body-epinephrine and cortisol-and neurotransmitters in the brain" that increase our feelings of stress.9 According to an article published by Verywell Mind, When faced with stressful situations, positive thinkers cope more effectively than pessimists.
ABSTRACT
Because of the continued pandemic, the AORN leaders decided to move this year's Expo to August and create another new reality-a hybrid conference. In 2021, Expo attendees will have three ways to attend: via the Leadership Summit, which provides management-focused education and activities in addition to the full conference benefits;the Global Surgical Conference, which includes in-person access to the main conference education and activities, plus 30-day on-demand streaming;and the all-new Virtual Pass, which includes online access to select sessions and experiences. AORN is working closely with Visit Orlando, the Orange County Convention Center, vendors, and key partners to ensure that we are consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
ABSTRACT
"3 The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes that advocacy is a pillar of nursing and has a web page dedicated to this topic.4 In 2020, the AORN Board of Directors revised AORN's mission statement to include this important component of our daily work: AORN defines, supports, and advocates for patient and staff safety through exemplary practice in all phases of perioperative nursing care using evidence-based guidelines, continuing education and clinical practice resources.5 ADVOCACY FOR PATIENTS As a novice perioperative nurse, I was taught that to be a good RN circulator you must be an advocate for patients- to be their voice in a time when they are unable to speak for themselves and to keep them safe at all costs. Implementation of these guidelines is critical to maintaining patient safety, managing risk, and securing insurance reimbursements.6 Guidelines that are currently being revised and will be posted for public comment between now and the end of 2021 include the guidelines for surgical smoke safety, retained surgical items, and information management. In 2015, AORN endorsed the 2015 ANA Position Statement on Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence.8 This year, former AORN President David Wyatt, PhD, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, brought together an amazing group of nurse leaders from AORN, the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists to form the Workplace Civility Task Force.