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Congress—yesterday, today
Editorial Congress-yesterday,
today
on clean white gloves as the train pulls into s AORN members, we tend to think the New York City’s Grand Central Station. word Congress relates only to our annual Exchanging nervous smiles, they gaze at the national meeting. Actually, congress has some crowds and consider the task ahead of them. fascinating historical perspective. They are among the 750 nurses descending The year is 1768. John Adams, future viceupon New York City for the first AORN conpresident of the United States, sits under a tree, ference. his weary horse staked nearby. By the light of a The road to this historic meeting has not campfire, he carefully makes another entry in been smooth. Lacking the support of the the diary that he keeps in his saddlebags. American Hospital Association, the American Tomorrow, God willing, I finally shall Nurses Association, and the National League see Philadelphia. What a task we are for Nursing, 17 AORN charter members have undertaking! Fifty-five delegates, many taken the lead and planned their own indepenof us strangers, will consult upon the dent annual meeting. As individuals, the 750 present unhappy state of the colonies nurses in attendance have made significant sacand try to achieve unity on one objectrifices to attend this historic conference. Even independence from Britain. Congress, with industry support, the meeting has stretched from the Latin word congressus means a many budgets. For some, the journey has coming together in diplomacy. How required several days of train travel. For others, diplomatic can 55 men of such diverse justifying their absence from work has been religions, educations, manners, and complicated by the relative obscurity of this interests be, and how can we possibly fledgling organization. Will the meeting be sucunite in one plan of conduct? Am I precessful? Will there be future national AORN pared to contribute wisely to these disconferences? Will the organization cussions? I have listened to survive its early years? * the protest meetings held in Fast forward to 1993. A fortythe state houses, the courtsomething woman pushes through the houses, and the stores at crowd in the Los Angeles airport, country crossroads. I believe praying that her luggage arrived safein my heart that I represent ly. Squeals of excitement erupt all the sentiments of my counaround her as people bound for the trymen, yet a part of me deep 40th annual AORN Congress greet old inside despairs for the future friends from previous meetings. As a of our young country. first-timer at Congress, she feels like Fast forward to 1954. Two Beverly P. Giordano an outsider and envies the comradery. women adjust their hats and pull
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JANUARY 1993, VOL 57, NO 1
AORN JOURNAL
Her colleagues at home have tried to prepare her for Congress. From her teal briefcase, she pulls their list of questions and general advice. Find out how others are maintaining excellence in the face of severe cost-containment measures. Ask what would we have to do to design an RN first assistant program. Ask about the latest recommendations on infectious waste management. Be sure to visit the exhibits and ask lots of questions about the new equipment that we have requested. Don‘t miss the opportunity to meet the candidates. Wear comfortable shoes. Network with other nurses at the poster sessions and in the focus group discussions. Go to all the Forums and bring home copies of Congress News so we’ll know what happened. Finally reunited with her luggage, she finds a van, pays the driver, and relaxes, catching snatches of the conversations around her. Some of the talk focuses on the important questions that will be discussed at the Forums. Other men and women are debating the qualifications of the various candidates for national office. A few are already making plans for dinner later in the week. She wonders if the 8,000 nurses at this 40th annual AORN Congress will evidence the qualities that John Adams used to describe his fellow delegates to the First Continental Congress: “being of easy and cheerful countenance; polite in address; possessing clear and cool heads; eating, sleeping, and drinking little, but devoting themselves tirelessly to the work at hand.” Will the attendees adhere to the original meaning of the word congress? Will they come together in diplomacy? Will they come “prepared to conduct negotiations without arousing hostility while working toward a common goal?” Will the new leaders demonstrate the same commitment to the Association’s future as the
pioneers who planned the first conference in 1954? Will the education sessions provide answers to current clinical and professional questions? A wave of excitement runs through the van as the Anaheim Convention Center and its huge welcome sign come into view. Swept up in the surge of the crowd, she suddenly is confident that her investment of time, energy, and scarce funding will be rewarded by the week’s opportunities for learning and networking, and that she, too, will be part of the comradery of the 40th annual AORN Congress. What can be learned from this historical review? From John Adams’ example, we can understand the importance of coming to Congress with a commitment to diplomacy and the desire to unite in one plan of conduct. We must come prepared to contribute wisely to the Forum discussions. Over the next few weeks we must solicit questions and input from our colleagues who will remain on the front lines during Congress. From the AORN charter members who organized the 1954 conference, we can assume the mantle of responsibility for determining the future of perioperative nursing and continuing AORN’s heritage of excellence. P. GIORDANO, RN, MS BEVERLY EDITOR Notes 1 . P M Angle, By These Words (New York City: Rand McNally & Co, 1954)44-45. 2. J Driscoll, Preserving the Legacy (Denver: Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc, 1990) I-L.
3. Angle, By These Words, 44-46. 4. Ibid.
today
on clean white gloves as the train pulls into s AORN members, we tend to think the New York City’s Grand Central Station. word Congress relates only to our annual Exchanging nervous smiles, they gaze at the national meeting. Actually, congress has some crowds and consider the task ahead of them. fascinating historical perspective. They are among the 750 nurses descending The year is 1768. John Adams, future viceupon New York City for the first AORN conpresident of the United States, sits under a tree, ference. his weary horse staked nearby. By the light of a The road to this historic meeting has not campfire, he carefully makes another entry in been smooth. Lacking the support of the the diary that he keeps in his saddlebags. American Hospital Association, the American Tomorrow, God willing, I finally shall Nurses Association, and the National League see Philadelphia. What a task we are for Nursing, 17 AORN charter members have undertaking! Fifty-five delegates, many taken the lead and planned their own indepenof us strangers, will consult upon the dent annual meeting. As individuals, the 750 present unhappy state of the colonies nurses in attendance have made significant sacand try to achieve unity on one objectrifices to attend this historic conference. Even independence from Britain. Congress, with industry support, the meeting has stretched from the Latin word congressus means a many budgets. For some, the journey has coming together in diplomacy. How required several days of train travel. For others, diplomatic can 55 men of such diverse justifying their absence from work has been religions, educations, manners, and complicated by the relative obscurity of this interests be, and how can we possibly fledgling organization. Will the meeting be sucunite in one plan of conduct? Am I precessful? Will there be future national AORN pared to contribute wisely to these disconferences? Will the organization cussions? I have listened to survive its early years? * the protest meetings held in Fast forward to 1993. A fortythe state houses, the courtsomething woman pushes through the houses, and the stores at crowd in the Los Angeles airport, country crossroads. I believe praying that her luggage arrived safein my heart that I represent ly. Squeals of excitement erupt all the sentiments of my counaround her as people bound for the trymen, yet a part of me deep 40th annual AORN Congress greet old inside despairs for the future friends from previous meetings. As a of our young country. first-timer at Congress, she feels like Fast forward to 1954. Two Beverly P. Giordano an outsider and envies the comradery. women adjust their hats and pull
A
13
JANUARY 1993, VOL 57, NO 1
AORN JOURNAL
Her colleagues at home have tried to prepare her for Congress. From her teal briefcase, she pulls their list of questions and general advice. Find out how others are maintaining excellence in the face of severe cost-containment measures. Ask what would we have to do to design an RN first assistant program. Ask about the latest recommendations on infectious waste management. Be sure to visit the exhibits and ask lots of questions about the new equipment that we have requested. Don‘t miss the opportunity to meet the candidates. Wear comfortable shoes. Network with other nurses at the poster sessions and in the focus group discussions. Go to all the Forums and bring home copies of Congress News so we’ll know what happened. Finally reunited with her luggage, she finds a van, pays the driver, and relaxes, catching snatches of the conversations around her. Some of the talk focuses on the important questions that will be discussed at the Forums. Other men and women are debating the qualifications of the various candidates for national office. A few are already making plans for dinner later in the week. She wonders if the 8,000 nurses at this 40th annual AORN Congress will evidence the qualities that John Adams used to describe his fellow delegates to the First Continental Congress: “being of easy and cheerful countenance; polite in address; possessing clear and cool heads; eating, sleeping, and drinking little, but devoting themselves tirelessly to the work at hand.” Will the attendees adhere to the original meaning of the word congress? Will they come together in diplomacy? Will they come “prepared to conduct negotiations without arousing hostility while working toward a common goal?” Will the new leaders demonstrate the same commitment to the Association’s future as the
pioneers who planned the first conference in 1954? Will the education sessions provide answers to current clinical and professional questions? A wave of excitement runs through the van as the Anaheim Convention Center and its huge welcome sign come into view. Swept up in the surge of the crowd, she suddenly is confident that her investment of time, energy, and scarce funding will be rewarded by the week’s opportunities for learning and networking, and that she, too, will be part of the comradery of the 40th annual AORN Congress. What can be learned from this historical review? From John Adams’ example, we can understand the importance of coming to Congress with a commitment to diplomacy and the desire to unite in one plan of conduct. We must come prepared to contribute wisely to the Forum discussions. Over the next few weeks we must solicit questions and input from our colleagues who will remain on the front lines during Congress. From the AORN charter members who organized the 1954 conference, we can assume the mantle of responsibility for determining the future of perioperative nursing and continuing AORN’s heritage of excellence. P. GIORDANO, RN, MS BEVERLY EDITOR Notes 1 . P M Angle, By These Words (New York City: Rand McNally & Co, 1954)44-45. 2. J Driscoll, Preserving the Legacy (Denver: Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc, 1990) I-L.
3. Angle, By These Words, 44-46. 4. Ibid.