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AORN RECRUITMENT PROGRAM ROUND-UP
AORN RECRUITMENT PROGRAM ROUND-UP Robert Wilsotz
If one word could describe the way AORN
ties is not necessarily the kind that is generated Chapters throughout the nation have made the by competition-rather, it stems from the chalNational Recruitment Program successful, that lenge of achieving an ultimate satisfaction by all word would have to be “cooperation!” participants, working together to achieve a And the general consensus from AORN- worthwhile result-to help deviate the tremenallied groups such as State Health Associations dous shortage of trained nurses in the US. and Councils, men’s and women’s service clubs Following is a report on the ways several and groups, and all of the communications AORV Chapters across the nation are achieving media, seems to be, “AORN has done a terrific results in nurse recruitment. It’s not a complete job so far toward our common goal, and the report that mentions every Chapter’s commendbest is yet to come!” It’s true in every part of able activity in the nurse recruitment program the country. -rather, it should be viewed as a representative Another interesting aspect of this national selection that reflects how AORN Chapters campaign to attract more qualified people to have made the most of limited personnel and rewarding careers in nursing is that AORN resources to achieve synergistic gains in excess Chapters are continuing a t “full steam” with of what might have been expected from individtheir programs, including those chapters which ual achievement. The secret of success seems to were riot selected as finalists in the current be teamwork-within the Chapter, within conational competition.* The initial efforts have operating groups in the community and in the provided all AORN Chapters with an incentive area, and within the many communications to continue until that hypothetically unlikely media and techniques that are available to every time when all nurse recruitment activities can Chapter everywhere in the country. be suspended. CINCINNATI: Cooperation is definitely the However, the true incentive observed in all key to the successful nurse recruitment effort local AORN Chapter nurse recruitment activi- of the Cincinnati Chapter of the AORN. Early in their own campaign planning stages, AORN became aware that the Health Careers Associa*Last month, the following six AORN Chapters were selected to compete for the first annual $1,000 schol- tion of Greater Cincinnati had also been planarship award, the Audrey BeU-ASR Medical Industries ning to become more active in nurse recruiting Award. which will be presented at the 1970 AORN programs. The two groups joined together and Congress: Mohawk Valley, N. Y.; Richmond, Va.; Southwest Louisiana; Central Oklahoma; Denver, have produced spectacularly successful results Colo.;and the Evergreen Chapter, Tacoma, Wash. to date.
66
AORN Journal
One phase of the AORN-HCA joint activity involves an upgrading program to stimulate local members of the Operating Room Technicians Association, to prepare for certification examinations. AORN members are serving as volunteer instructors at monthly evening study classes as part of this program. Another joint AORN-HCA effort, that was highly effective this past summer, was a Careers in Nursing program conducted at camps for children ages 8-15. AORN nurses presented a well-planned information and education program to over 900 children. To build the nurse image to these pre-high school students, AORN members packed their nursing bags with miniature nurses’ uniforms, bandages, small first-aid kits and colorful posters, made the rounds of the camps with a one-hour program called “HOWto Care for a Cut,” and explained the vital role of the nurse in health care. The purpose of this program is to stimulate these students to direct their own educations into the health fields. The second and third phases of this education program are now continuing in Cincinnati, with plans t o first reach all grade and junior high schools in the area, through clags sessions, to provide further motivation for careers in nursing and later, to continue presentations on senior high school and college levels. AORN members have also worked closely with HCA people in developing a complete educational nursing program at all appropriate colleges, junior colleges, hospitals and practical nursing schools in the area. To date, complete programs have been planned through 1970.
EAST TENNESSEE: Again, cooperation has been the key to a successful effort by the AORN East Tennessee Chapter in Knoxville. Working closely with both the local Knoxville Hospital Council and the Tennessee Hospital Association, AORN members helped to plan and put together “Knoxville Health Careers Fair,” held in that city in October. The Fair was regarded as an outstanding triumph for local nurse recruitment as attendees were pre-
January 1970
sented with materials that explained the myriad rewards of a nursing career. All of the cooperating groups generally concede that without the combined effort, their labors would have probably fallen short of the educational goal of the Fair.
MIAMI, FLORIDA: AORN of South Florida quite correctly viewed the scope of the AORN Nurse Recruitment Program as one with longrange goals, and not an activity to be begun and ended in a certain period of time. The Chapter spent the past summer in planning and preparing activities, working closely with the Southem Florida Hospital Council. Among the activities developed were brief sketches for presentation at school assemblies beginning this past Autumn; the development of a “fact sheet on nursing,” distributed to all Junior and Senior High School Guidance Counselors; and participation in “Hospital Week” in the Spring of next year with a youth-oriented Career Fair Booth. The Chapter has arranged for all inquiries regarding nursing careers that come to school guidance counselors, to be channeled back to the Chapter for personal follow-up and contact.
UTAH: The Operating Room Nurses of Utah have enthusiastically developed a program of personal counseling and mail and personal contact with a very wide range of youth, church, ladies’, and other groups throughout the state, and are working closely in cooperation with the Utah State Nursing Association, with whom they have formed a joint careers committee. Among the groups they are working actively with are the Camp Fire Girls, both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the YMCA and YWCA, the Jewish Family Service Society and the 4H Club Program for Utah. According to a report from the Chapter, “. . with both organizations (AORN and USNA) working together, we find it possible to function much more effectively and do a more organized and thorough job without the risk of duplication of activities.”
.
SONOMA COUNTY (CALIFORNIA): Working with the local District Nurses Association and the Hospital Association, the AORN Chapter of
67
Sonoma County, California, reports that they have worked actively with these cooperating groups for several years in nurse recruitment programs, stressing the “timelessness” of the need to keep an active recruitment program going. The current national nurse recruitment program of AORN has, however, helped to focus this Chapter’s activities to the accomplishment of more tang&le goals. Among the programs which the Sonoma County AORN is participating in currently are Career Day Fairs, high school career programs, hospital tours, the enlistment of young volunteers t o work as hospital messengers, and work with the local Job Opportunity Corps and youth rehabilitation centers in motivating people toward employment in nursing fields.
UPSTATE NEW YORK: The Rochester, N. Y., AORN Chapter is cooperating closely with the local Health Careers Office, and local Chapters of the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing, in producing sustaining interest in careers in nursing. Highly successful programs, such as a “Health Careers in Action Week” have produced nearly 200 inquiries for follow-up by AORN members. AORN members are presently participating with the other groups in Future Nurse Clubs, and are serving as speakers in schools and before other young people’s groups. A highly successful summer program of appearances before camp groups, with follow-up activities involving local hospital tours and open houses, was held by the Upstate New York AORN Chapter this year. Billboards, bus advertising and department store and school displays are being created with the help of, and sponsorship of, a local advertising agency. VIRGINIA: AORN Chapters located in Virginia are conducting particularly active nurse recruitment programs, and once again, as are other Chapters throughout the country, cooperating closely with associated Hospital Associations and other groups to achieve the desired results. The Richmond AORN Chapter, as mentioned above, has been named as one of the finalists in
68
the national competition for the $1,000 scholarship award, for example. As part of its effort to produce interest in nursing as a career in the Tidewater area of the state, the AORN Chapter located in Norfolk participated in a very successful health careers fair this past May, working with the local Hospital Association. And in Northern Virginia, the local AORN Chapter has been extremely active in a series of programs involving direct contact with high school students and guidance counselors. A series of speeches has been prepared, and is being given before school groups, including health classes, study hall programs, Career Clubs and “Movie of the Week” programs. For the latter, the Chapter is using a highly regarded film on careers in nursing entitled, “New Life for Lisa” which has been very much welcomed by prospective nursing students. The Chapter has also compiled information on nursing curricula for l, 2, 3, and 4 year educational programs in nearby schools, with tuition data, available financial assistance, and other data of information interest. The Chapter has also produced a one-minute spot radio announcement which is being broadcast periodically by the local station with the greatest number of teenage listeners. A full program of news releases and other publicity tools are being utilized by the Northern Virginia Chapter to keep the public informed of its activities, and to spur further interest in nursing careers. The intention of this report is not to cite individual accomplishments of specific AORN Chapters. It is to demonstrate the value of continuing to fully participate in the local nurse recruitment programs you have developed, and to encourage you to expand activities by working closely with cooperating groups in the area who have the same goal in mind-to provide the candidate community with information, through education, that will accurately describe the rewards that a career in nursing can offer to anyone interested in public service, and to provide the motivation in your community, along with inspiration and guidance that will convert interest into nursing curricula enrollment.
AORN Journal
If one word could describe the way AORN
ties is not necessarily the kind that is generated Chapters throughout the nation have made the by competition-rather, it stems from the chalNational Recruitment Program successful, that lenge of achieving an ultimate satisfaction by all word would have to be “cooperation!” participants, working together to achieve a And the general consensus from AORN- worthwhile result-to help deviate the tremenallied groups such as State Health Associations dous shortage of trained nurses in the US. and Councils, men’s and women’s service clubs Following is a report on the ways several and groups, and all of the communications AORV Chapters across the nation are achieving media, seems to be, “AORN has done a terrific results in nurse recruitment. It’s not a complete job so far toward our common goal, and the report that mentions every Chapter’s commendbest is yet to come!” It’s true in every part of able activity in the nurse recruitment program the country. -rather, it should be viewed as a representative Another interesting aspect of this national selection that reflects how AORN Chapters campaign to attract more qualified people to have made the most of limited personnel and rewarding careers in nursing is that AORN resources to achieve synergistic gains in excess Chapters are continuing a t “full steam” with of what might have been expected from individtheir programs, including those chapters which ual achievement. The secret of success seems to were riot selected as finalists in the current be teamwork-within the Chapter, within conational competition.* The initial efforts have operating groups in the community and in the provided all AORN Chapters with an incentive area, and within the many communications to continue until that hypothetically unlikely media and techniques that are available to every time when all nurse recruitment activities can Chapter everywhere in the country. be suspended. CINCINNATI: Cooperation is definitely the However, the true incentive observed in all key to the successful nurse recruitment effort local AORN Chapter nurse recruitment activi- of the Cincinnati Chapter of the AORN. Early in their own campaign planning stages, AORN became aware that the Health Careers Associa*Last month, the following six AORN Chapters were selected to compete for the first annual $1,000 schol- tion of Greater Cincinnati had also been planarship award, the Audrey BeU-ASR Medical Industries ning to become more active in nurse recruiting Award. which will be presented at the 1970 AORN programs. The two groups joined together and Congress: Mohawk Valley, N. Y.; Richmond, Va.; Southwest Louisiana; Central Oklahoma; Denver, have produced spectacularly successful results Colo.;and the Evergreen Chapter, Tacoma, Wash. to date.
66
AORN Journal
One phase of the AORN-HCA joint activity involves an upgrading program to stimulate local members of the Operating Room Technicians Association, to prepare for certification examinations. AORN members are serving as volunteer instructors at monthly evening study classes as part of this program. Another joint AORN-HCA effort, that was highly effective this past summer, was a Careers in Nursing program conducted at camps for children ages 8-15. AORN nurses presented a well-planned information and education program to over 900 children. To build the nurse image to these pre-high school students, AORN members packed their nursing bags with miniature nurses’ uniforms, bandages, small first-aid kits and colorful posters, made the rounds of the camps with a one-hour program called “HOWto Care for a Cut,” and explained the vital role of the nurse in health care. The purpose of this program is to stimulate these students to direct their own educations into the health fields. The second and third phases of this education program are now continuing in Cincinnati, with plans t o first reach all grade and junior high schools in the area, through clags sessions, to provide further motivation for careers in nursing and later, to continue presentations on senior high school and college levels. AORN members have also worked closely with HCA people in developing a complete educational nursing program at all appropriate colleges, junior colleges, hospitals and practical nursing schools in the area. To date, complete programs have been planned through 1970.
EAST TENNESSEE: Again, cooperation has been the key to a successful effort by the AORN East Tennessee Chapter in Knoxville. Working closely with both the local Knoxville Hospital Council and the Tennessee Hospital Association, AORN members helped to plan and put together “Knoxville Health Careers Fair,” held in that city in October. The Fair was regarded as an outstanding triumph for local nurse recruitment as attendees were pre-
January 1970
sented with materials that explained the myriad rewards of a nursing career. All of the cooperating groups generally concede that without the combined effort, their labors would have probably fallen short of the educational goal of the Fair.
MIAMI, FLORIDA: AORN of South Florida quite correctly viewed the scope of the AORN Nurse Recruitment Program as one with longrange goals, and not an activity to be begun and ended in a certain period of time. The Chapter spent the past summer in planning and preparing activities, working closely with the Southem Florida Hospital Council. Among the activities developed were brief sketches for presentation at school assemblies beginning this past Autumn; the development of a “fact sheet on nursing,” distributed to all Junior and Senior High School Guidance Counselors; and participation in “Hospital Week” in the Spring of next year with a youth-oriented Career Fair Booth. The Chapter has arranged for all inquiries regarding nursing careers that come to school guidance counselors, to be channeled back to the Chapter for personal follow-up and contact.
UTAH: The Operating Room Nurses of Utah have enthusiastically developed a program of personal counseling and mail and personal contact with a very wide range of youth, church, ladies’, and other groups throughout the state, and are working closely in cooperation with the Utah State Nursing Association, with whom they have formed a joint careers committee. Among the groups they are working actively with are the Camp Fire Girls, both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the YMCA and YWCA, the Jewish Family Service Society and the 4H Club Program for Utah. According to a report from the Chapter, “. . with both organizations (AORN and USNA) working together, we find it possible to function much more effectively and do a more organized and thorough job without the risk of duplication of activities.”
.
SONOMA COUNTY (CALIFORNIA): Working with the local District Nurses Association and the Hospital Association, the AORN Chapter of
67
Sonoma County, California, reports that they have worked actively with these cooperating groups for several years in nurse recruitment programs, stressing the “timelessness” of the need to keep an active recruitment program going. The current national nurse recruitment program of AORN has, however, helped to focus this Chapter’s activities to the accomplishment of more tang&le goals. Among the programs which the Sonoma County AORN is participating in currently are Career Day Fairs, high school career programs, hospital tours, the enlistment of young volunteers t o work as hospital messengers, and work with the local Job Opportunity Corps and youth rehabilitation centers in motivating people toward employment in nursing fields.
UPSTATE NEW YORK: The Rochester, N. Y., AORN Chapter is cooperating closely with the local Health Careers Office, and local Chapters of the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing, in producing sustaining interest in careers in nursing. Highly successful programs, such as a “Health Careers in Action Week” have produced nearly 200 inquiries for follow-up by AORN members. AORN members are presently participating with the other groups in Future Nurse Clubs, and are serving as speakers in schools and before other young people’s groups. A highly successful summer program of appearances before camp groups, with follow-up activities involving local hospital tours and open houses, was held by the Upstate New York AORN Chapter this year. Billboards, bus advertising and department store and school displays are being created with the help of, and sponsorship of, a local advertising agency. VIRGINIA: AORN Chapters located in Virginia are conducting particularly active nurse recruitment programs, and once again, as are other Chapters throughout the country, cooperating closely with associated Hospital Associations and other groups to achieve the desired results. The Richmond AORN Chapter, as mentioned above, has been named as one of the finalists in
68
the national competition for the $1,000 scholarship award, for example. As part of its effort to produce interest in nursing as a career in the Tidewater area of the state, the AORN Chapter located in Norfolk participated in a very successful health careers fair this past May, working with the local Hospital Association. And in Northern Virginia, the local AORN Chapter has been extremely active in a series of programs involving direct contact with high school students and guidance counselors. A series of speeches has been prepared, and is being given before school groups, including health classes, study hall programs, Career Clubs and “Movie of the Week” programs. For the latter, the Chapter is using a highly regarded film on careers in nursing entitled, “New Life for Lisa” which has been very much welcomed by prospective nursing students. The Chapter has also compiled information on nursing curricula for l, 2, 3, and 4 year educational programs in nearby schools, with tuition data, available financial assistance, and other data of information interest. The Chapter has also produced a one-minute spot radio announcement which is being broadcast periodically by the local station with the greatest number of teenage listeners. A full program of news releases and other publicity tools are being utilized by the Northern Virginia Chapter to keep the public informed of its activities, and to spur further interest in nursing careers. The intention of this report is not to cite individual accomplishments of specific AORN Chapters. It is to demonstrate the value of continuing to fully participate in the local nurse recruitment programs you have developed, and to encourage you to expand activities by working closely with cooperating groups in the area who have the same goal in mind-to provide the candidate community with information, through education, that will accurately describe the rewards that a career in nursing can offer to anyone interested in public service, and to provide the motivation in your community, along with inspiration and guidance that will convert interest into nursing curricula enrollment.
AORN Journal