General Information
Delegates, Alternates, Delegate Chairs
Please read this information carefully. For voting at Congress every year, every chapter selects a Delegate Chair annually. The Delegate Chair provides a list of chapter delegates and alternates to AORN. The Delegate Selection System is now open. Enter your delegates and alternates now! The deadline for submission is February 13, 2009. Chairs will receive a confirmation of the delegates and alternates submitted and will be able to check the list at any time. Each delegate and alternate selected will also receive an email confirming that he or she is a delegate or alternate for the 2009 Congress. If a Chair is unable to register delegates or alternates online, please email the information to Deb Warren or call 800-755-2676, Ext. 222.
Jerry G. Peers Distinguished Service Award
Do you know someone who has made a significant contribution to the growth, progress and welfare of AORN? If so, why not nominate them for the Jerry G. Peers Distinguished Service Award. All you need to do is write a letter, addressed to Sue Banschbach, AORN President, with the name of the nominee and supportive documentation, and include the following information:
-Describe and give examples of contributions the nominee has provided in the support of the Association's mission and vision.
-Describe and give examples of contributions to the professional growth of the Association and its members.
-Describe the image projected by the nominee to individuals within AORN or to outside groups.
-Identify familiarity of AORN members with the nominee.
The deadline for submitting this information to Sue Banschbach is November 1. You can send this information to Lisa Wyant at AORN Headquarters. The recipient of the Jerry G. Peers Distinguished Service Award will be selected by the members of the Board of Directors and presented at the AORN Congress in Chicago, Illinois.
Meeting Room Requests for AORN Affiliated Groups
A limited number of meeting rooms are available on a, first-come, first-assigned basis for chapters, committees, and other groups affiliated with AORN. Meetings should be confined to one and one-half hours or less. All services such as audiovisual, catering, electrical, internet, and meeting room rental provided to the group requesting the meeting space are the sole responsibility of the requestor. A $50 AORN administrative fee will apply. All meeting room requests must be received in writing by Friday, November 28. Download a meeting space request form. For questions, contact Sandy Abbott at 800-755-2676, Ext. 209.
NEW for 2009!
To better accommodate attendee schedules and allow maximum opportunities to attend education sessions and visit the Exhibit Hall, we are requesting the following:
- All chapter, state council, specialty assembly, and other committee meetings to be scheduled for and held either on Sunday, March 15, from 8 am to noon, or Monday, March 16, from 7 am to 6 pm. Requests received outside the above hours will be filled on a space available basis.
- Anillary groups may not schedule any events that provide Contact Hours opposite any Congress education session.
Poster Displays
Research/Evidence-Based Practice and Clinical Improvement/Innovation poster displays will be available for daily viewing during the Congress week. The number of Contact Hours you may earn for viewing posters will be determined by January 5, 2009. The total number of poster sessions and contact hours available will be determined by the number of proposals accepted. Contact Hours and exact viewing times will also be listed in the Congress Program given to each attendee onsite. Additional information can also be found on the Posters web page.
Session Volunteers - Moderators and Session Assistants needed!
Moderator: The role of the Moderator is to make quick announcements to the audience, introduce the speaker, and keep the session running on time. One Moderator is needed for every concurrent education session.
Session Assistant: The Session Assistant is an important role and many volunteers are needed! Each concurrent session needs a minimum of 10 Session Assistants while the General Sessions each need 15 to 20 volunteers. You can still attend your choice of sessions and earn contact hours. The primary responsibility of the Session Assistant is to assist the audience as needed.
Login and sign up online. Please contact Lisa Alikhan at lalikhan@aorn.org with any questions.
Congress Bookstore
The AORN Bookstore is your source for the perioperative resources you need to stay up-to-date in your field. You’ll find AORN’s classic publications such as the new edition of Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices as well as popular titles, speaker books, hard-to-find publications, tool kits, CD ROMs, and a variety of logo items. The onsite bookstore will be located on Level 3 of the Convention Center and will be open during registration hours. Stop by and shop our large selection and access the resources you need for your facility and personal library. Visit the Congress Bookstore webpages for up-to-date information.
Center for Nursing Practice Booth
The Center For Nursing Practice booth is your source for clinical perioperative information. Located on Level 3 near the Congress Bookstore, AORN’s nursing specialists will be available to answer your clinical consult questions in person and provide information about which books to purchase to meet your needs. AORN’s nursing specialists will also be available to discuss the importance of research, the research grant application process at AORN, and the research resources and information available on the AORN website. You will have an opportunity to meet the authors of the AORN Journal’s Clinical Issues Column as well as the Standards and Recommended Practices Committee. You will also be able to view the new Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices eSubscription products and learn more about this exciting new format. Visit the Center for Nursing Practice booth for all your clinical needs!
The Green Mission of Congress 2009
It is the expressed commitment of the employees of AORN and McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois to deliver products and services in an environmentally friendly sustainable manner. To achieve this goal, AORN strives every year to make Congress a little “greener.” In pursuit of our efforts, and in celebration of the “greenest” of all holidays — St. Patrick’s Day — the 2009 Congress will again be virtually paperless – meaning we will not distribute education session information (overviews and objectives), handouts, or poster abstracts via the Congress Resources book in print or via other paper printouts. This change continues to move AORN to a more environmentally sensitive and “greener” annual meeting.
McCormick Place West Building, home of Congress 2009 and Chicago’s largest convention center, also strives to be environmentally responsible by applying many
- energy conservation methods
- resource conservation methods
- environmental friendly initiatives
- water conservation methods
- improving indoor environmental quality
- recycling of trash products
- encouraging alternative transportation; and more.
Education Session Information, Poster Abstracts, and Session Handouts!
Session Information and Poster Abstracts – The session information and poster abstracts will be printed in the Congress Resources book that registered attendees will receive in the conference attendee bag.
Session Handouts – All registered attendees will have access to the session handouts before, during, and after the meeting from the Congress website. If you wish to have handouts available at a session, please print them and bring them with you to Congress. Handouts will be a maximum of 5 pages for each session.
Electric Scooters
To rent electric scooters, please contact Marshall Robinson & Associates at (903) 897-2091 or download an order form online. These scooters are a high demand service; please contact Marshall Robinson & Associates for advance reservations. Upon arrival, scooters will be available for pick-up in room W182 on level 1 in McCormick Place West. Marshall Robinson & Associates also provides overnight scooter battery recharge.
Roommate Information
If you would like to share a room, call QBS at (800) 755-2676, x273. You will be placed on a list that is given to others who are interested in sharing a room. You must make your own contacts. AORN/QBS is not responsible for your individual choices or safety.