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What AORN Means to Patient Care & What AORN Means to Me

Life Without AORN

• No Standards
• No Counts
• Practice without evidence-based research
• Perhaps no RN's in attendance
• Chaos!

The Birth of AORN

• Formed by group of OR supervisors in New York City
• Purpose to exchange knowledge and share ideas
• Has shaped the future of perioperative nursing and continues to do so

AORN Milestones

• 1954 First AORN conference
• 1960 First AORN Journal
• 1975 AORN Standards, Guidelines, and Recommended Practice's
• 1979 First Certification Exam

How Does AORN Enhance Patient Care?

• Standards and Recommended Practices are used to develop policies and procedures AORN offers many opportunities for continuing education
• Congress
• Conferences
• Home study programs
• AORN Journal
• Resources
• Competency statements
• Position Statements
• RN as circulator
• Correct site surgery
• Bloodborn diseases
• Role of industry representative in the OR
• Nurse to patient ratio
• Safety in the workplace
• AORN's attention to Patient Safety and  "National Time Out Day" gained national attention for AORN and perioperative nurses
• AORN Personal and Professional Growth
• Networking - local and global
• Opportunity to improve leadership skills
• Contributing to the "greater good"
• Legislative awareness
• New experiences
• Belonging to a group
• Having fun!

Submitted by Pam Utz, RN, BSN, CNOR (member of AORN Chapter 2301, Metro Detroit)