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A Few Minutes With Beverly Kirchner
EDITORIAL BOARD OUTLOOK
A Few Minutes With Beverly Kirchner BSN, RN, CNOR, CASC
BIOGRAPHY In May 1976, I received my bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Woman’s University. My career began in labor and delivery at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Within three years of nursing practice, I found my way to the OR, where I have since focused my career. In 1985, after being hit for the second time by a drunk driver while on my way to work (on call), I looked for a way to stay in the perioperative setting and not have to risk meeting another drunk driver late at night. To that end, I helped develop and open my first surgery center in late 1985. Ambulatory surgery was cutting-edge health care at that time, and I was in on the ground floor. To date, I have developed, managed, and/or consulted in more than 55 ambulatory surgery centers. My business travels have taken me throughout the United States, where I have the privilege of working side by side with perioperative nurses, ensuring that ambulatory surgery centers are safe environments for patients and their nurses. I have had the honor to serve as a member of the AORN Board of Directors from 2005 to 2009. I have served on national and local nursing committees to help develop best practices for perioperative nurses. I currently serve AORN members on the AORN Editorial Board, Continuing Education Approval Committee, and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaboration Expert Group. I feel it is my obligation as a perioperative nurse expert to share my knowledge and give back to the organization, leaders, and colleagues who have helped me throughout my career. One of the greatest joys in my life is being able to help individuals become better nurses for their patients.
Question: What is your most significant contribution to the AORN Journal?
Answer: My most significant contribution to the AORN
Journal has been sharing my knowledge of the ambulatory practice, making me a go-to source for ambulatory surgery nursing. I have shared my lifelong professional experiences and provided guidance around the needs of the ambulatory nurse in both a freestanding surgery center and hospital outpatient departments. Through my connections and encouragement, a number of ambulatory nurses have shared their experiences and knowledge through their writings for the AORN Journal.
Question: What perioperative topics are you passionate about and why?
Answer: There are two perioperative topics of which I am most passionate. One is providing the tools and processes for the perioperative nurse to ensure that every patient receives safe care. I am most excited when I can help develop industryleading best practices shared through the AORN Journal and the AORN organization. The second topic that I am passionate about is safety. I believe every perioperative nurse needs to work in an environment that is safe in order to provide the highest level of patient care. Safety breeds safe care!
Question: How does the AORN Journal contribute to perioperative nursing practice?
Answer: I believe the AORN Journal gives perioperative nurses articles, opinions, and data from experts that are accurate, peer reviewed, and research based. Reading the AORN Journal gives every perioperative nurse the ability to stay current in the field, to be a lifelong learner, and to grow professionally.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2015.08.013 ª AORN, Inc, 2015
468 j AORN Journal
www.aornjournal.org
A Few Minutes With Beverly Kirchner BSN, RN, CNOR, CASC
BIOGRAPHY In May 1976, I received my bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Woman’s University. My career began in labor and delivery at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Within three years of nursing practice, I found my way to the OR, where I have since focused my career. In 1985, after being hit for the second time by a drunk driver while on my way to work (on call), I looked for a way to stay in the perioperative setting and not have to risk meeting another drunk driver late at night. To that end, I helped develop and open my first surgery center in late 1985. Ambulatory surgery was cutting-edge health care at that time, and I was in on the ground floor. To date, I have developed, managed, and/or consulted in more than 55 ambulatory surgery centers. My business travels have taken me throughout the United States, where I have the privilege of working side by side with perioperative nurses, ensuring that ambulatory surgery centers are safe environments for patients and their nurses. I have had the honor to serve as a member of the AORN Board of Directors from 2005 to 2009. I have served on national and local nursing committees to help develop best practices for perioperative nurses. I currently serve AORN members on the AORN Editorial Board, Continuing Education Approval Committee, and the Ambulatory Surgery Center Quality Collaboration Expert Group. I feel it is my obligation as a perioperative nurse expert to share my knowledge and give back to the organization, leaders, and colleagues who have helped me throughout my career. One of the greatest joys in my life is being able to help individuals become better nurses for their patients.
Question: What is your most significant contribution to the AORN Journal?
Answer: My most significant contribution to the AORN
Journal has been sharing my knowledge of the ambulatory practice, making me a go-to source for ambulatory surgery nursing. I have shared my lifelong professional experiences and provided guidance around the needs of the ambulatory nurse in both a freestanding surgery center and hospital outpatient departments. Through my connections and encouragement, a number of ambulatory nurses have shared their experiences and knowledge through their writings for the AORN Journal.
Question: What perioperative topics are you passionate about and why?
Answer: There are two perioperative topics of which I am most passionate. One is providing the tools and processes for the perioperative nurse to ensure that every patient receives safe care. I am most excited when I can help develop industryleading best practices shared through the AORN Journal and the AORN organization. The second topic that I am passionate about is safety. I believe every perioperative nurse needs to work in an environment that is safe in order to provide the highest level of patient care. Safety breeds safe care!
Question: How does the AORN Journal contribute to perioperative nursing practice?
Answer: I believe the AORN Journal gives perioperative nurses articles, opinions, and data from experts that are accurate, peer reviewed, and research based. Reading the AORN Journal gives every perioperative nurse the ability to stay current in the field, to be a lifelong learner, and to grow professionally.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2015.08.013 ª AORN, Inc, 2015
468 j AORN Journal
www.aornjournal.org