MEMBERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Linda Savage, RN, BS, CNOR

Making your perioperative voice heard
Dubbed “Senator Savage” by her friends and colleagues, Linda Savage, RN, BS, CNOR, makes sure her perioperative voice is heard, whether she is coordinating legislative activities in her state or promoting communication among members of her Specialty Assembly (SA) networking group.

“As perioperative nurses, we share expertise in a unique profession because we advocate for patients who can’t speak up for themselves, and people need to know about our work, whether those people are our patients or legislators on Capitol Hill,” she stresses.

As AORN’s Florida state coordinator, Savage keeps in constant communication with her state legislators to share her nursing perspective on healthcare concerns and to remind them she is an expert willing to share her knowledge. She also reaches out to perioperative nurses in her state to educate them about legislative initiatives that impact nursing and encourage them to get involved as AORN grassroots members.

“So many members I talk to just want to know where to start to get involved. I direct them to AORN’s public policy resources, but I also make sure to foster open communication so I can personally keep them up-to-date on legislative activities they can be a part of.”

Savage also chairs AORN’s Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Specialty Assembly and is currently working with her SA council members to foster a partnership with her specialty colleagues in the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses.

“Listening and learning from colleagues is just as important as speaking out. I learn so much from this group that helps me stay ahead of new practices, technologies and trends in our specialty,” she added.

Above all, Savage says “It all comes down to strong communication, whether in your chapter, state, committee or even in the board room. Nurses need to stand up and say, ‘this is what I do and why I do it to keep patients safe.’ By speaking out, we can participate in the healthcare reforms and decision-making processes that affect our practice and touch every patient.”

Do you know a member who is making a difference? Send an email to aornnews@aorn.org and tell us.

Read more news in AORN Connections.