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In the Mail
IN THE MAIL Letters to the Editor should be kept as brief as possible. Anonymity will be preserved, i f requested, provided the writer’s name and address is given.
TOO BUSY TO CARE? The CNA Bulletin, the oficial organ of the California Nurses’ Association, in February ’68 published the following by Mary Shelter, R.N., chairman of the CNA’s OR Conference Group: -“OR nurses aren’t nurses at all; they are merely technicians practicing their trade by rote. They don’t even have to think, just give blind obedience to the surgeon’s commands.” Ouch! Does that hurt? Does it make you angry? I would be very disappointed if you weren’t. In the 22 years that I have worked in the OR I have found these nurses to be the most vocal and active group in nursing activities. When the Conference Group, in response to individual letters, began their project, “Guidelines for OR Nurses,” we expected at least a token response from nurses all over the state. Instead, the only response came from nurses in the Los Angeles-Long Beach coastal area and the San Bernardino-Palm Springs area. These are the nurses who are interested in what happens to the OR nurse; but what about the rest of the OR nurses in California? I’ve written numerous letters to nurses in the North, central and extreme South with absolutely no results, other than everyone is too busy. Does this mean you are too busy to care? If you don’t want others deciding what is best for you, then let me hear from you so that a committee can be established in your area.
Miss Shelter received responses jrom OR nurses which she answered in the May issue of the CNA Bulletin. Excerpts from her reply follow:
I have no intention of apologizing for my remarks, but I would like to answer my critics and the Teasons they gave for their policy of non-involvement I’m sure that many of you are legitimately busy, but, many of you I’m sure must feel as one nurse who wrote: “Perhaps their “too busy” reply was a way of avoiding saying that they are not interested in being only a section of a large
... .
110
...
organization, when, in fact, they have an organization of their own in which they are active. I’m sure you can recall the AORN.” Some other excerpts from letters I received are as follows: “Tell us what advantages ANA can give us over our own organization.” “We don’t want to lose our identity in a large organization.” . . . There is no reason why an OR nurse should not belong to CNA and the AORN or, for that matter, any other group which will satisfy her needs. The AORN will probably satisfy her technical needs; but it is only through the one professional organization, ANA, that the nurse can hope to grow in professional stature. This, then, takes me into the second excerpt, i.e., “what advantages can ANA give us over the AORN?” The AORN supplies the OR nurse with technical “know how” as it relates to her speciality. It presents its members with progressive techniques and offers a common meeting ground for discussion of problems peculiar to the operating room nurse. So far, so good -but what is to be done about our professional needs-such things as economic security, continuing education, licensure and classification of nurses? In fact, ANA is the only professional organization that is able to meet these needs! , . “Lose your identity in a large organization?” Contrarily, it is my belief that the only identity we have as nurses comes from membership in the American Nurses’ Association. Sections within this organization are making steady progress toward their goals. So, why should OR nurses be satisfied with belong ing only to the AORN? After all, aren’t they first NURSES. in the broad sense of the word, and then technicians within their specialty? Why not belong to both organizations-ach working for the common good of nursing?
.
. .
Responding to these thoughts, one of AORNS California members wrote to us as follows: Continued on page 118
AORN Journal
Continued from page 110
UNITY IN PURPOSE The perennial discussion of why there are two organizations for operating room nurses comes at a time when members of the health team need to be helping each other in every specialty and adopting methods and techniques used effectively in industry. We in the nursing profession must provide leadership and guidance, in unity, for high quality health care. The surgical nurse specialists proved their interest and ability by founding and developing a most helpful organization for their specialty-the AORN. The nurses who have been in OR nursing for the last thirty years know well the need for continuing education. This is not a new concept. ANA and CNA in the past have not provided guidance or solutions for specific problems in the OR specialty. Indeed, this would have been an impossible task. AORN members recognize that both ANA and AORN, two fine nursing organizations, are necessary, each one contributing to the needs of the nurse. I agree with Mary Shelter that the OR nurse can benefit from membership in both organizations. True, the AORN provides technical needs but also provides professional and educational needs as well as sharing and comradery. Most AORN members join because .they need this and want it but they also belong to ANA. I don’t know of a nurse who gave up her membership in ANA when she joined the AORN. There is no reason why one can’t belong to both organizations and most do. However, in terms of personal involvement, if it comes to a choice of one, for various reasons, wouldn’t each nurse not only the one in the OR, but any nurse, choose the one that gives her the greatest help and personal satisfaction? I think each nurse chooses the organization that she feels makes her a better nurse. We, in the OR, are interested in learning and advancing, providing high quality care, in education, in economic security, in administration, in personal growth, in personnel relations, in fact, everything that improves nurses and nursing generally. Are these different from any other nursing goal? We, too, must meet very unreasonable and unrealistic demands in the operating room suites. Our time is limited and we must learn to budget our energies and time on and off the job. Webster’s Dictionary defines progress as “an advance to an objective; a going or getting ahead.” As nurses it is our primary responsibility to take the best possible care of our patients. This can come about if there is mutual understanding, unity and concern with group exchange of ideas to stimulate nurses in the over-all care of the patient-unity in one mutual goal. MABELCRAWFORD, R.N. Los Angeles, California
118
MOORE AWARD-A CHALLENGE In preparing material for our monthly newsletter, our chapter president handed me information concerning the Charles B. Moore award. To me, this presents an exciting challenge as it calls for candidates who have made an outstanding contribution toward improving nursing care in the operating room. The key words here are nursing care. This would indicate to me any improvement for the safety and/or comfort of the surgical patient in the OR. Improvcments which contribute to efficiency would qualify if they reduced anesthesia time or helped eliminate the possibility of human errors. Every nurse in the OR should ideally be constantly alert to improving his or her own manner of work to this end. Since only one will be selected, we need to look beyond the single room to find such an individual. It will be someone who has projected patient empathy contributions into general acceptance within her own department, local region, or to some broader area. This might be in the design of some new accessory, the development of a new technique, or dissemination of information relating to improved care through published writings, AORN meetings, workshops and institutes or dynamic inservice activities which promote a climate for ever improved patient care. I t is the nurse behind the doors of surgery who knows who these individuals arc. Each of us should feel some obligation to let our chapter know of the nurse we feel deserves this recognition. R.N. BEHNICE N. FISHPAW, Daytona Beach, Florida
AN INSPIRATION The editorial in the June issue was an inspirational treat. The unnamed scribe must have been a very wise and thoughtful person. You were equally thoughtful to share the editorial with your reader. R.N. HELENS. ARNOLD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
JOURNAL FOUND TOPICAL During recent months, whilst undertaking postgraduate studies in operating room management, I have become familiar with your Journal. I find it very interesting, informative and topical. I am hopeful that I may subscribe and look forward to hearing from you. JULIE QUINN,R.N. Australia
REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP PROMPTLY
I
AORN Journal
TOO BUSY TO CARE? The CNA Bulletin, the oficial organ of the California Nurses’ Association, in February ’68 published the following by Mary Shelter, R.N., chairman of the CNA’s OR Conference Group: -“OR nurses aren’t nurses at all; they are merely technicians practicing their trade by rote. They don’t even have to think, just give blind obedience to the surgeon’s commands.” Ouch! Does that hurt? Does it make you angry? I would be very disappointed if you weren’t. In the 22 years that I have worked in the OR I have found these nurses to be the most vocal and active group in nursing activities. When the Conference Group, in response to individual letters, began their project, “Guidelines for OR Nurses,” we expected at least a token response from nurses all over the state. Instead, the only response came from nurses in the Los Angeles-Long Beach coastal area and the San Bernardino-Palm Springs area. These are the nurses who are interested in what happens to the OR nurse; but what about the rest of the OR nurses in California? I’ve written numerous letters to nurses in the North, central and extreme South with absolutely no results, other than everyone is too busy. Does this mean you are too busy to care? If you don’t want others deciding what is best for you, then let me hear from you so that a committee can be established in your area.
Miss Shelter received responses jrom OR nurses which she answered in the May issue of the CNA Bulletin. Excerpts from her reply follow:
I have no intention of apologizing for my remarks, but I would like to answer my critics and the Teasons they gave for their policy of non-involvement I’m sure that many of you are legitimately busy, but, many of you I’m sure must feel as one nurse who wrote: “Perhaps their “too busy” reply was a way of avoiding saying that they are not interested in being only a section of a large
... .
110
...
organization, when, in fact, they have an organization of their own in which they are active. I’m sure you can recall the AORN.” Some other excerpts from letters I received are as follows: “Tell us what advantages ANA can give us over our own organization.” “We don’t want to lose our identity in a large organization.” . . . There is no reason why an OR nurse should not belong to CNA and the AORN or, for that matter, any other group which will satisfy her needs. The AORN will probably satisfy her technical needs; but it is only through the one professional organization, ANA, that the nurse can hope to grow in professional stature. This, then, takes me into the second excerpt, i.e., “what advantages can ANA give us over the AORN?” The AORN supplies the OR nurse with technical “know how” as it relates to her speciality. It presents its members with progressive techniques and offers a common meeting ground for discussion of problems peculiar to the operating room nurse. So far, so good -but what is to be done about our professional needs-such things as economic security, continuing education, licensure and classification of nurses? In fact, ANA is the only professional organization that is able to meet these needs! , . “Lose your identity in a large organization?” Contrarily, it is my belief that the only identity we have as nurses comes from membership in the American Nurses’ Association. Sections within this organization are making steady progress toward their goals. So, why should OR nurses be satisfied with belong ing only to the AORN? After all, aren’t they first NURSES. in the broad sense of the word, and then technicians within their specialty? Why not belong to both organizations-ach working for the common good of nursing?
.
. .
Responding to these thoughts, one of AORNS California members wrote to us as follows: Continued on page 118
AORN Journal
Continued from page 110
UNITY IN PURPOSE The perennial discussion of why there are two organizations for operating room nurses comes at a time when members of the health team need to be helping each other in every specialty and adopting methods and techniques used effectively in industry. We in the nursing profession must provide leadership and guidance, in unity, for high quality health care. The surgical nurse specialists proved their interest and ability by founding and developing a most helpful organization for their specialty-the AORN. The nurses who have been in OR nursing for the last thirty years know well the need for continuing education. This is not a new concept. ANA and CNA in the past have not provided guidance or solutions for specific problems in the OR specialty. Indeed, this would have been an impossible task. AORN members recognize that both ANA and AORN, two fine nursing organizations, are necessary, each one contributing to the needs of the nurse. I agree with Mary Shelter that the OR nurse can benefit from membership in both organizations. True, the AORN provides technical needs but also provides professional and educational needs as well as sharing and comradery. Most AORN members join because .they need this and want it but they also belong to ANA. I don’t know of a nurse who gave up her membership in ANA when she joined the AORN. There is no reason why one can’t belong to both organizations and most do. However, in terms of personal involvement, if it comes to a choice of one, for various reasons, wouldn’t each nurse not only the one in the OR, but any nurse, choose the one that gives her the greatest help and personal satisfaction? I think each nurse chooses the organization that she feels makes her a better nurse. We, in the OR, are interested in learning and advancing, providing high quality care, in education, in economic security, in administration, in personal growth, in personnel relations, in fact, everything that improves nurses and nursing generally. Are these different from any other nursing goal? We, too, must meet very unreasonable and unrealistic demands in the operating room suites. Our time is limited and we must learn to budget our energies and time on and off the job. Webster’s Dictionary defines progress as “an advance to an objective; a going or getting ahead.” As nurses it is our primary responsibility to take the best possible care of our patients. This can come about if there is mutual understanding, unity and concern with group exchange of ideas to stimulate nurses in the over-all care of the patient-unity in one mutual goal. MABELCRAWFORD, R.N. Los Angeles, California
118
MOORE AWARD-A CHALLENGE In preparing material for our monthly newsletter, our chapter president handed me information concerning the Charles B. Moore award. To me, this presents an exciting challenge as it calls for candidates who have made an outstanding contribution toward improving nursing care in the operating room. The key words here are nursing care. This would indicate to me any improvement for the safety and/or comfort of the surgical patient in the OR. Improvcments which contribute to efficiency would qualify if they reduced anesthesia time or helped eliminate the possibility of human errors. Every nurse in the OR should ideally be constantly alert to improving his or her own manner of work to this end. Since only one will be selected, we need to look beyond the single room to find such an individual. It will be someone who has projected patient empathy contributions into general acceptance within her own department, local region, or to some broader area. This might be in the design of some new accessory, the development of a new technique, or dissemination of information relating to improved care through published writings, AORN meetings, workshops and institutes or dynamic inservice activities which promote a climate for ever improved patient care. I t is the nurse behind the doors of surgery who knows who these individuals arc. Each of us should feel some obligation to let our chapter know of the nurse we feel deserves this recognition. R.N. BEHNICE N. FISHPAW, Daytona Beach, Florida
AN INSPIRATION The editorial in the June issue was an inspirational treat. The unnamed scribe must have been a very wise and thoughtful person. You were equally thoughtful to share the editorial with your reader. R.N. HELENS. ARNOLD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
JOURNAL FOUND TOPICAL During recent months, whilst undertaking postgraduate studies in operating room management, I have become familiar with your Journal. I find it very interesting, informative and topical. I am hopeful that I may subscribe and look forward to hearing from you. JULIE QUINN,R.N. Australia
REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP PROMPTLY
I
AORN Journal