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Project Team grapples with organizational structure
Project 2000
Project Team grapples with organizational structure
T
he Project Team to Develop a Model for the Association’s Organizational Structure was charged with examining the needs of subspecialties within AORN and recommending a structure that would meet their needs. After carefully analyzing the options, the Team forwarded a recommendation to the Project 2000 Steering Committee that AORN should incorporate specialty assemblies into its formal structure. This recommendation was forwarded to the Board of Directors and was approved at the January Board meeting. Last m o n t h ’ s “ P r o j e c t 2 0 0 0 ” c o l u m n explained the rationale and issues surrounding the formation of specialty assemblies within national associations. AORN staff members are working on developing the policies and implementation procedures for groups that seek this opportunity. The specific guidelines for developing specialty assemblies were not ready at press time, but the goal was to have them available at Congress. Members who were not able to attend Congress can write to the Center for Member Services at Headquarters for a copy of those guidelines. The guidelines also will be published in this column when they are ready. The same Project Team also was charged with assessing the adequacy of AORN’s present organizational structure to meet AORN’s current and anticipated needs in the year 2000. T o meet that charge, the members of the Project Team delved into the literature on popular association structures and compared those with AORN’s structure. This column reviews
common organizational structures in nationail membership organizations and AORN’s present structure.
Common Association Structures
T
h e most common method of iinalyzin,g association structure is to first examine how the volunteer members are organized and how the association is governed. Do all members belong to a national association as the first entry level’? Are there state and/or local levels’? Does the association require chapter or locad level membership before a person can clairn national membership‘? The literature on national member associations shows that most volunteer, professional organizations like AORN have some kind of relationship with chapters or affiliates at either the state or local level. Most chapters or affiliates are not controlled by the parent organization, but they must belong to the parent organization. Most have their own bylaws and conduct business in concert with the mission of the parent organization. Governance is commonly by delegates elected by the local chapters, although some organizations allow the general membership voting privileges (eg, the National League for Nursing). Some associations have a three-tiered structure. A member would belong at local, state, and national levels and pay dues at each level. Another popular structure is the federation. In a federated structure, members belong tit the
AI'KII. I'J'J2, V O L ii. NO -!
A O H N .IOlIHNAL
The Project Team is designing a new committee model that might better meet the needs of AORN in the year 2000.
local or slate level and the state, in turn, belongs to the national association. This is how the American Nurses Association (ANA) is structured. Nurses who say they belong to the ANA actually belong to their state nurses association, which in turn is a constituent member of the ANA. The constituent members send delegates to the ANA 615-member house of delegates. I n some associations, the local or state association is not required to join the national organization. Each unit is independent of each other as well as the parent organization, and members can independently choose which level(s) to join. In such an informal setup, the national organization has little control or influence over the local or state groups. I n exercising their autonomy, the local or state groups may find themselves either competing with each other or providing overlapping services and activities for their constituencies.
A 0RN's Structure
A
ORN's structure is based on individual membership and local chapters. It has no corporate membership or state constituent members. Nurses who want to be members of AORN are required to belong to a local chapter. If, however, there is no chapter within 50 miles, nurses can join as members at large. AORN is governed by a House of Delegates composed of delegates primarily from the chapters. Presently, the A O R N House of Delegates is composed of 1,500 delegates from 389 chapters, members at large, and past Presidents. Members of the Board and members of the Nominating Committee are elected by these delegates. The Board of Directors is accountable to the members through the House of Delegates. Because the Nominating committee is elected by the House, it also is 962
accountable to the membership through the House of Delegates. The Board consists of five officers (ie. Pre s iden t , President - e lec t , V ice Pre side n I , Secretary, Treasurer) and seven members. Each officer and member serves a two-year term with the exception o f the President and President-elect, who serve one-year terms. The Board has the power, authority. and responsi.bility to manage the affairs of the Association, except modifying the action of the House. The Board has o n e employee-the AORN Executive Director, who in turn is given thr: authority to administer the affairs of the Association and oversee all staff operations. Committees. Members and chairmen 01' AORN national standing committees, special committees, task forces, and special liaisons are appointed by the Board of Directors anti work to accomplish specific charges given to them by the Board. Currently, the standing committees of the Association as listed i n thc b y l a w s a r e t h e A u d i o v i s u a l , A w a r d for Excellence, Bylaws, Legislative, Membership, Nursing Practices, Nursing Research, and R e c o m m e n d e d P r a c t i c e s C o o rd i n at i ti g Committees and the National Committee on Education. Other committees such as the Ethics C o m m i t t e e , the E n v i r o n m e n t a l Issue:, Committee, o r the Project 2000 Steering Committee are, by their very nature, special committees. Right now, AORN has quite a few special committees or task forces to help accomplish the work of the Association. Each chairman reports directly to the Board of Directors, anti the Board in turn reports to the House on the accomplishments of those committees. The Project Team is examining the preset11 committee structure and designing a new model that might better meet the needs of AORN in the year 2000. The Project Team
APRIL 1992, VOL 5.5. NO 4
members are asking themselves the following questions. 0 Is the present committee structure meeting the needs of AORN? Is there another way to look at organizing those tasks traditionally done by national committees? How can AORN best use the precious time of its volunteer members'? 0 How can members who have specific expertise make meaningful contributions at the national level? 0 What structure will facilitate staff support of the volunteer efforts? Where does the Association need to concentrate its efforts'? The questions concerning committee structure for the future probably have no definitive answers, but the Project Team is consulting its advisory and reaction panels in an effort to meet its charge and make recommendations to the Project 2000 S t e e r i n g C o m m i t t e e by August 1992.
How Local Structure Affects the Member
AORN JOURNAL
ship is likely to increase; local membership is likely to decrease, leaving only those who want to be involved.
Summary
T
he Project Team is analyzing mandatory chapter membership as well as the present committee structure to determine the best model to meet the needs of AORN members a n d to facilitate t h e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t of AORN's mission. Pros and cons can be identified for each structural arrangement. The key is for the constituency to identify a clear mission statement and a mutually agreed upon set of values and choose a structure that will best support that mission. AORN's mission statement emphasizes enhancing professionalism of perioperative nurses, promoting standards of perioperative nursing practice, and providing a forum for interaction and exchange of ideas. Its structure must be one that is not only in concert with that mission but facilitates it. PATNIESSNER PALMER, RN, MS MEMBER, PROJECT TEAM TO DEVELOP A MODELFOR THE ASSOCIATION'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
A
n association's structure determines how members gain entry into the organization and how they affect decisions made at the national level. Because AORN's structure is based on chapters, perioperative nurses who seek membership in AORN gain entry to the national organization by becoming chapter members unless they qualify for member at large status. Other organizations have chapters or local units but allow the individual to enter on the national level and bypass the local level altogether (eg, American Association of CriticalCare Nurses). In such organizations, individuals who do not choose to become involved at the local level but want to support their organization and receive the national benefits join at the national level only. Individuals who want and need the local interaction with their peers and believe in active participation, join the local level. In this structure, national member963
Project Team grapples with organizational structure
T
he Project Team to Develop a Model for the Association’s Organizational Structure was charged with examining the needs of subspecialties within AORN and recommending a structure that would meet their needs. After carefully analyzing the options, the Team forwarded a recommendation to the Project 2000 Steering Committee that AORN should incorporate specialty assemblies into its formal structure. This recommendation was forwarded to the Board of Directors and was approved at the January Board meeting. Last m o n t h ’ s “ P r o j e c t 2 0 0 0 ” c o l u m n explained the rationale and issues surrounding the formation of specialty assemblies within national associations. AORN staff members are working on developing the policies and implementation procedures for groups that seek this opportunity. The specific guidelines for developing specialty assemblies were not ready at press time, but the goal was to have them available at Congress. Members who were not able to attend Congress can write to the Center for Member Services at Headquarters for a copy of those guidelines. The guidelines also will be published in this column when they are ready. The same Project Team also was charged with assessing the adequacy of AORN’s present organizational structure to meet AORN’s current and anticipated needs in the year 2000. T o meet that charge, the members of the Project Team delved into the literature on popular association structures and compared those with AORN’s structure. This column reviews
common organizational structures in nationail membership organizations and AORN’s present structure.
Common Association Structures
T
h e most common method of iinalyzin,g association structure is to first examine how the volunteer members are organized and how the association is governed. Do all members belong to a national association as the first entry level’? Are there state and/or local levels’? Does the association require chapter or locad level membership before a person can clairn national membership‘? The literature on national member associations shows that most volunteer, professional organizations like AORN have some kind of relationship with chapters or affiliates at either the state or local level. Most chapters or affiliates are not controlled by the parent organization, but they must belong to the parent organization. Most have their own bylaws and conduct business in concert with the mission of the parent organization. Governance is commonly by delegates elected by the local chapters, although some organizations allow the general membership voting privileges (eg, the National League for Nursing). Some associations have a three-tiered structure. A member would belong at local, state, and national levels and pay dues at each level. Another popular structure is the federation. In a federated structure, members belong tit the
AI'KII. I'J'J2, V O L ii. NO -!
A O H N .IOlIHNAL
The Project Team is designing a new committee model that might better meet the needs of AORN in the year 2000.
local or slate level and the state, in turn, belongs to the national association. This is how the American Nurses Association (ANA) is structured. Nurses who say they belong to the ANA actually belong to their state nurses association, which in turn is a constituent member of the ANA. The constituent members send delegates to the ANA 615-member house of delegates. I n some associations, the local or state association is not required to join the national organization. Each unit is independent of each other as well as the parent organization, and members can independently choose which level(s) to join. In such an informal setup, the national organization has little control or influence over the local or state groups. I n exercising their autonomy, the local or state groups may find themselves either competing with each other or providing overlapping services and activities for their constituencies.
A 0RN's Structure
A
ORN's structure is based on individual membership and local chapters. It has no corporate membership or state constituent members. Nurses who want to be members of AORN are required to belong to a local chapter. If, however, there is no chapter within 50 miles, nurses can join as members at large. AORN is governed by a House of Delegates composed of delegates primarily from the chapters. Presently, the A O R N House of Delegates is composed of 1,500 delegates from 389 chapters, members at large, and past Presidents. Members of the Board and members of the Nominating Committee are elected by these delegates. The Board of Directors is accountable to the members through the House of Delegates. Because the Nominating committee is elected by the House, it also is 962
accountable to the membership through the House of Delegates. The Board consists of five officers (ie. Pre s iden t , President - e lec t , V ice Pre side n I , Secretary, Treasurer) and seven members. Each officer and member serves a two-year term with the exception o f the President and President-elect, who serve one-year terms. The Board has the power, authority. and responsi.bility to manage the affairs of the Association, except modifying the action of the House. The Board has o n e employee-the AORN Executive Director, who in turn is given thr: authority to administer the affairs of the Association and oversee all staff operations. Committees. Members and chairmen 01' AORN national standing committees, special committees, task forces, and special liaisons are appointed by the Board of Directors anti work to accomplish specific charges given to them by the Board. Currently, the standing committees of the Association as listed i n thc b y l a w s a r e t h e A u d i o v i s u a l , A w a r d for Excellence, Bylaws, Legislative, Membership, Nursing Practices, Nursing Research, and R e c o m m e n d e d P r a c t i c e s C o o rd i n at i ti g Committees and the National Committee on Education. Other committees such as the Ethics C o m m i t t e e , the E n v i r o n m e n t a l Issue:, Committee, o r the Project 2000 Steering Committee are, by their very nature, special committees. Right now, AORN has quite a few special committees or task forces to help accomplish the work of the Association. Each chairman reports directly to the Board of Directors, anti the Board in turn reports to the House on the accomplishments of those committees. The Project Team is examining the preset11 committee structure and designing a new model that might better meet the needs of AORN in the year 2000. The Project Team
APRIL 1992, VOL 5.5. NO 4
members are asking themselves the following questions. 0 Is the present committee structure meeting the needs of AORN? Is there another way to look at organizing those tasks traditionally done by national committees? How can AORN best use the precious time of its volunteer members'? 0 How can members who have specific expertise make meaningful contributions at the national level? 0 What structure will facilitate staff support of the volunteer efforts? Where does the Association need to concentrate its efforts'? The questions concerning committee structure for the future probably have no definitive answers, but the Project Team is consulting its advisory and reaction panels in an effort to meet its charge and make recommendations to the Project 2000 S t e e r i n g C o m m i t t e e by August 1992.
How Local Structure Affects the Member
AORN JOURNAL
ship is likely to increase; local membership is likely to decrease, leaving only those who want to be involved.
Summary
T
he Project Team is analyzing mandatory chapter membership as well as the present committee structure to determine the best model to meet the needs of AORN members a n d to facilitate t h e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t of AORN's mission. Pros and cons can be identified for each structural arrangement. The key is for the constituency to identify a clear mission statement and a mutually agreed upon set of values and choose a structure that will best support that mission. AORN's mission statement emphasizes enhancing professionalism of perioperative nurses, promoting standards of perioperative nursing practice, and providing a forum for interaction and exchange of ideas. Its structure must be one that is not only in concert with that mission but facilitates it. PATNIESSNER PALMER, RN, MS MEMBER, PROJECT TEAM TO DEVELOP A MODELFOR THE ASSOCIATION'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
A
n association's structure determines how members gain entry into the organization and how they affect decisions made at the national level. Because AORN's structure is based on chapters, perioperative nurses who seek membership in AORN gain entry to the national organization by becoming chapter members unless they qualify for member at large status. Other organizations have chapters or local units but allow the individual to enter on the national level and bypass the local level altogether (eg, American Association of CriticalCare Nurses). In such organizations, individuals who do not choose to become involved at the local level but want to support their organization and receive the national benefits join at the national level only. Individuals who want and need the local interaction with their peers and believe in active participation, join the local level. In this structure, national member963