- Email: [email protected]
Give to the AORN Foundation—an investment in education and research
FEBRUARY 1998, VOL 67, NO 2 A 0R
N F0UN D A T I 0 N
Give to the AORN Foundation-an
investment in education and research
w
hen the National Parks and Conservation Association called me last week asking €or another donation, I groanedrIt seemed like I just had given. Actually, when I checked my records, I realized it had been nine months since 1 had made a contribution. As I contemplated my giving, I thought about how important the environment is to me and how many wonderful memories I had of spending time with my children in national parks throughout America. I also reflected on the fact that now my grown children still enjoy the parks for hiking and backpacking with friends. It occurred to me that I would want my grandchildren to know the same joys I had experienced. So I dug down deep and gave with a glad heart. Throughout the years, giving has become one of the better habits I have acquired. The amount is not large; however, it is consistent. As most people, I give to organizations that have particular meaning to me. That is why giving to the AORN Foundation is high on a list I share with many of you. AORN has been a very important part of my adult life. Becoming a perioperative nurse has given me an opportunity to practice in a profession I love. It also has allowed me to grow professionally and move into positions of increasing responsibility. Among nursing organizations, AORN stands with a select few in terms of prestige and influence. Bright, educated, and articulate
nurses, coupled with an expanding body of scientific perioperative nursing research, make AORN strong and credible. These also are the keys to our profession’s future and to each generation’s livelihood. Education and research are expensive; however, they are necessary to support the perioperative nursing standards that are the foundation for our practice. The goal of the AORN Foundation is to provide funds to support perioperative nurses who wish to pursue education and research-the only true insurance for our profession. The AORN Foundation provides funding for undergraduate and graduate degree programs, continuing education (eg, Congress grants), chapter grants (eg, money to help chapters provide education programs), research grants, and rn Leadership Conference support. Many AORN members had little or no knowledge of the Foundation until recently; however, the Foundation has made a concerted effort to get the word out to members that money is available. Before this effort, few members sought funding. That has changed, and there has been a significant increase in funding requests. At the same time, the ability to raise money has become more difficult. Traditionally, the donations for these programs have come from the industries that make the surgical products we use in our health
446 AORN JOURNAL
care settings. Donations have been very generous, but it has become increasingly difficult for the industries we have come to depend on to make the same level of commitment as in the past. We all have seen the changes in supply purchases in our own facilities. Standardization of supplies, purchasing groups with major influence on pricing, increased compliance with purchasing contracts, and competition have resulted in lower profit margins for industries and fewer discretionary dollars to donate. Although support and enthusiasm remain high, the AORN Foundation has experienced a decline in contributions from industry. What has not changed is the need for funds to support education and research. It occurred to me that if every AORN member donated $10, it would generate more than $44O,OOO. Many members already are very generous and make significant contributions on a regular basis. Others donate at special events, such as Congress where the Foundation has a visible presence. Chapters and state councils also make donations. All of these contributions are welcome. The goal of the Foundation is to raise money to be able to spend it on members. We have done a good job in both endeavors. Support has been impressive and so have the requests for funding. The AORN Foundation also is working hard to secure funding from sources outside the medical community.
FEBRUARY 1998, VOL 67, NO 2
I am suggesting each of us takes the time to reflect on what it means to be a perioperative nurse and the significance of the profession in our lives. For most of us, who we are is tightly bound with what we do. The pride we feel about ourselves is married to the profession we practice. We are fortunate that our work is a humanitarian endeavor and gives us a sense of pride and prestige. We make a profound difference on a daily basis in so many people’s lives-the kind of difference that few others have an opportunity to do. We also belong to an organization that makes a difference in the nursing
and medical communities. As a past President of AORN, I have experienced the remarkable respect AORN generates in the larger nursing community and beyond. That respect extends from small local hospitals to the White House. The average age of a perioperative nurse is 47 years. This certainly increases the odds for role reversal (ie, perioperative nurses becoming patients and, very possibly, surgical patients). I know you will agree when I say I hope the person taking care of me during my procedure is a perioperative nurse with a solid knowledge of perioperative practice and not a
recently trained, poorly paid nonprofessional. I have great faith in the future of perioperative nursing, but I know it takes money for education and research-the two requisite investments in the future. Each of us invests in the future when we contribute to the AORN Foundation. A gift of $10 per year from every member is a good investment. Of course, the greater the gift, the greater the investment. Either way, why not start getting into the habit of giving today? CYNTHIA S.SPRY RN, MSN, CNOR, CNAA SECRETARY AORN FOUNDATION OF TRUSTEES BOARD
Social Support Linked to Improved Trauma Recovery A study reported at the 1997 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons found that a patient’s social support system affects how well he or she recovers from traumatic injury. The study evaluated 302 patients 12 months after sustaining blunt trauma to the leg from a motor vehicle accident, fall, or pedestrian injury. It reported actual physical impairment accounted for only 23% of patients’ continuing dysfunction one year after treatment and revealed a relationship between continued disability and the adequa-
cy of social support. A patient’s social support network includes both emotional support and practical assistance. To reduce trauma injury recovery time, researchers say people with weak support systems can benefit from more attention, such as increased levels of home care or increased provisions for counseling. Study Shows Social Support Improved Recovery for Patients with Traumatic Injury (news releuse, Chicago: American College of Surgeons, Oct 14, 1998) 1-4.
Urgent Response Needed to Government Proposal According to a Dec 19, 1997, notice in the Federal Register, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has proposed changes to the rules governing surgical and anesthesia services under the Conditions of Participation for Hospitals Receiving Medicare/ Medicaid Reimbursement, Sec. 482.45 (a) and (b). The proposal deletes “the current specific requirements regarding the types of personnel who can serve as scrub nurses or perform circulating duties in the operating room” and proposes that “surgical procedures be performed only by practitioners with appropriate clinical privileges.” Copies of the proposals can be obtained directly from the Internet by connecting to the Federal Reg-
ister at http://www.access.gpo.gov. Use keywords “hospital” and “conditions of participation” and look for document: fr19de97. To send letters regarding this action submit one original and three copies to: Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Box 7517, Baltimore, MD 21207-0517, Attention: HCFA-3745-P. Deadline to send letters is 5 PM, Feb 17, 1998. Include the file code HCFA3745-P in the body of the letter. For more information, contact Candace Romig, Legislative Program Coordinator/Health Policy Analyst at AORN Headquarters by telephone (800) 7552676 x 8263 or e-mail at [email protected].
447 AORN JOURNAL
N F0UN D A T I 0 N
Give to the AORN Foundation-an
investment in education and research
w
hen the National Parks and Conservation Association called me last week asking €or another donation, I groanedrIt seemed like I just had given. Actually, when I checked my records, I realized it had been nine months since 1 had made a contribution. As I contemplated my giving, I thought about how important the environment is to me and how many wonderful memories I had of spending time with my children in national parks throughout America. I also reflected on the fact that now my grown children still enjoy the parks for hiking and backpacking with friends. It occurred to me that I would want my grandchildren to know the same joys I had experienced. So I dug down deep and gave with a glad heart. Throughout the years, giving has become one of the better habits I have acquired. The amount is not large; however, it is consistent. As most people, I give to organizations that have particular meaning to me. That is why giving to the AORN Foundation is high on a list I share with many of you. AORN has been a very important part of my adult life. Becoming a perioperative nurse has given me an opportunity to practice in a profession I love. It also has allowed me to grow professionally and move into positions of increasing responsibility. Among nursing organizations, AORN stands with a select few in terms of prestige and influence. Bright, educated, and articulate
nurses, coupled with an expanding body of scientific perioperative nursing research, make AORN strong and credible. These also are the keys to our profession’s future and to each generation’s livelihood. Education and research are expensive; however, they are necessary to support the perioperative nursing standards that are the foundation for our practice. The goal of the AORN Foundation is to provide funds to support perioperative nurses who wish to pursue education and research-the only true insurance for our profession. The AORN Foundation provides funding for undergraduate and graduate degree programs, continuing education (eg, Congress grants), chapter grants (eg, money to help chapters provide education programs), research grants, and rn Leadership Conference support. Many AORN members had little or no knowledge of the Foundation until recently; however, the Foundation has made a concerted effort to get the word out to members that money is available. Before this effort, few members sought funding. That has changed, and there has been a significant increase in funding requests. At the same time, the ability to raise money has become more difficult. Traditionally, the donations for these programs have come from the industries that make the surgical products we use in our health
446 AORN JOURNAL
care settings. Donations have been very generous, but it has become increasingly difficult for the industries we have come to depend on to make the same level of commitment as in the past. We all have seen the changes in supply purchases in our own facilities. Standardization of supplies, purchasing groups with major influence on pricing, increased compliance with purchasing contracts, and competition have resulted in lower profit margins for industries and fewer discretionary dollars to donate. Although support and enthusiasm remain high, the AORN Foundation has experienced a decline in contributions from industry. What has not changed is the need for funds to support education and research. It occurred to me that if every AORN member donated $10, it would generate more than $44O,OOO. Many members already are very generous and make significant contributions on a regular basis. Others donate at special events, such as Congress where the Foundation has a visible presence. Chapters and state councils also make donations. All of these contributions are welcome. The goal of the Foundation is to raise money to be able to spend it on members. We have done a good job in both endeavors. Support has been impressive and so have the requests for funding. The AORN Foundation also is working hard to secure funding from sources outside the medical community.
FEBRUARY 1998, VOL 67, NO 2
I am suggesting each of us takes the time to reflect on what it means to be a perioperative nurse and the significance of the profession in our lives. For most of us, who we are is tightly bound with what we do. The pride we feel about ourselves is married to the profession we practice. We are fortunate that our work is a humanitarian endeavor and gives us a sense of pride and prestige. We make a profound difference on a daily basis in so many people’s lives-the kind of difference that few others have an opportunity to do. We also belong to an organization that makes a difference in the nursing
and medical communities. As a past President of AORN, I have experienced the remarkable respect AORN generates in the larger nursing community and beyond. That respect extends from small local hospitals to the White House. The average age of a perioperative nurse is 47 years. This certainly increases the odds for role reversal (ie, perioperative nurses becoming patients and, very possibly, surgical patients). I know you will agree when I say I hope the person taking care of me during my procedure is a perioperative nurse with a solid knowledge of perioperative practice and not a
recently trained, poorly paid nonprofessional. I have great faith in the future of perioperative nursing, but I know it takes money for education and research-the two requisite investments in the future. Each of us invests in the future when we contribute to the AORN Foundation. A gift of $10 per year from every member is a good investment. Of course, the greater the gift, the greater the investment. Either way, why not start getting into the habit of giving today? CYNTHIA S.SPRY RN, MSN, CNOR, CNAA SECRETARY AORN FOUNDATION OF TRUSTEES BOARD
Social Support Linked to Improved Trauma Recovery A study reported at the 1997 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons found that a patient’s social support system affects how well he or she recovers from traumatic injury. The study evaluated 302 patients 12 months after sustaining blunt trauma to the leg from a motor vehicle accident, fall, or pedestrian injury. It reported actual physical impairment accounted for only 23% of patients’ continuing dysfunction one year after treatment and revealed a relationship between continued disability and the adequa-
cy of social support. A patient’s social support network includes both emotional support and practical assistance. To reduce trauma injury recovery time, researchers say people with weak support systems can benefit from more attention, such as increased levels of home care or increased provisions for counseling. Study Shows Social Support Improved Recovery for Patients with Traumatic Injury (news releuse, Chicago: American College of Surgeons, Oct 14, 1998) 1-4.
Urgent Response Needed to Government Proposal According to a Dec 19, 1997, notice in the Federal Register, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has proposed changes to the rules governing surgical and anesthesia services under the Conditions of Participation for Hospitals Receiving Medicare/ Medicaid Reimbursement, Sec. 482.45 (a) and (b). The proposal deletes “the current specific requirements regarding the types of personnel who can serve as scrub nurses or perform circulating duties in the operating room” and proposes that “surgical procedures be performed only by practitioners with appropriate clinical privileges.” Copies of the proposals can be obtained directly from the Internet by connecting to the Federal Reg-
ister at http://www.access.gpo.gov. Use keywords “hospital” and “conditions of participation” and look for document: fr19de97. To send letters regarding this action submit one original and three copies to: Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Box 7517, Baltimore, MD 21207-0517, Attention: HCFA-3745-P. Deadline to send letters is 5 PM, Feb 17, 1998. Include the file code HCFA3745-P in the body of the letter. For more information, contact Candace Romig, Legislative Program Coordinator/Health Policy Analyst at AORN Headquarters by telephone (800) 7552676 x 8263 or e-mail at [email protected].
447 AORN JOURNAL