Members Making a Difference

I recall, several years ago Trish Seifert addressing the AORN House of Delegates regarding the need for nurses in the operating room. Trish spoke to reassure the House, "Nurses have nothing to fear; there will always be a need for nurses in the OR" I cannot agree more. For the work we do in preparing patients for their surgical experience, protecting them from harm, and expediting a highly technical procedure, there is no better professional than a perioperative registered nurse.

Yet, we all know that it takes specialized training and time for a nurse to become competent in the perioperative setting. Time, as the adage goes, is money. Employers of today have less of both, which curtails their ability to provide OR staff members with adequate training. That is why I contribute to the AORN Foundation. Scholarships from the Foundation have enabled many nurses to join us behind the double-doors. Education Grants allow nurses to receive necessary continuing education and resources that address complex patient needs and new advances in technology. It gives me a great feeling, knowing that my donations provide nurses and institutions with the means to keep the nurse in the OR.

And, it's so easy to do, even in this difficult economy. Once a month, a small amount is automatically withdrawn from my account and is donated to the AORN Foundation. Little by little it adds up so that by tax time, my accountant can write off a sizable chunk of what I owe Uncle Sam. But, more important to me is the investment I am making in the future. Someday, I will need an OR nurse and I want to make sure that he or she will be there. With help from the Foundation, that's a certainty.

Alice Erskine, RN, MSN, CNOR
Perioperative Nurse Educator

Join Alice, and sign up for automatic monthly withdrawal donations to the AORN Foundation today. Or make a one-time donation online here.