Governance Resources

At the AORN business sessions, all delegates will be assigned to a special area.   Chapter delegates will be assigned state seating.  Delegates will also have special seating.  Virtual delegates will also be able to participate. 

State seating is determined by the number of authorized delegates.   Therefore, there will be enough seats for all delegates in the assigned areas.  In some instances, two delegations from different states may be seated in the same row.  Delegates are asked to begin filling the rows from the aisle to the center in those cases.  There will always be at least one empty chair separating the two delegations.  

Roll Call at the House of Delegates session will be taken at the First meeting only.

In order to accomplish the roll call efficiently and leave plenty of time to discuss official AORN business, each State Reporter will be limited to 25 words to announce the number of delegates and a brief statement about their State.   Templates were given to each State Reporter.  A silent roll call will be taken by the Secretary before the Second House of Delegates.

Delegates are requested to arrive, or log in virtually, at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time of the meetings.  The meetings will start on time. 

1. All members may participate by attending the House of Delegates in person or electronically via the Zoom platform. Votes will be taken and recorded using the Turning Point app.
2. Only AORN members may propose motions and vote.
3. Virtual participants will be muted at the start of the meeting. Virtual participants who wish to speak must use the “Raise your Hand” function. Members attending in person must go to a microphone.
4. The Chair will call on members participating virtually to speak in the order of their raised hand; those members will then be prompted to unmute. The Chair will alternate between calling on virtual members and those at the microphones.
5. Because members will be called upon in the order of raised hands alternating with those at the microphones, that portion of Robert’s Rules of Order which allows for interrupting motions of a procedural nature is suspended upon adoption of these rules; these include making a point of order and appealing a ruling of the Chair. Motions such as to amend the main motion, call the question or refer to a committee may still be made during your time to speak once you are called upon.
6. Before speaking, members should identify themselves by name and any chapter or area represented if applicable.
7. Each speaker is limited to two minutes. Members may not speak twice to the same motion until all others wishing to speak have done so, and not more than twice without the presiding Chair’s permission.
8. All main motions (introducing a new topic) and substantive motions such as primary amendments must be reviewed with the parliamentarian prior to the meeting or will be ruled out of order. The parliamentarian’s office hours are posted, or you may schedule a time directly by emailing [email protected] by 9:30 am, Wednesday, March 23.
9. The Chair may direct, or headquarters staff may initiate, the muting of a participant if a participant is causing undue interference with the meeting.
10. The Zoom Chat function will be disabled during the meeting. Use of the “Question and Answer” function is allowed and should be limited to operational and non-AORN business questions for AORN staff. All substantive AORN business must be presented verbally. AORN staff will not read aloud typed member Questions while AORN business is being conducted.
11. Members are obligated to follow these rules, observe proper decorum and refrain from disruptive behavior during the meeting. The presiding Chair may direct the muting of a member’s connection for the remainder of the meeting, or ejection from the meeting, of any member who persists in disrupting the meeting by making dilatory or frivolous motions, speaking when not recognized, making inappropriate remarks, or otherwise failing to follow these rules. The Chair’s decision to do so is subject to an undebatable appeal that can be made by any member, must be seconded, and will be decided by majority vote. The results of any such vote on appeal will be announced during the meeting and recorded in the minutes.

The AORN parliamentarian will be available, in Room 263, during the following times:

• Saturday, March 19 from 2:30 – 3:00 PM
• Sunday, March 20 from 12:30 – 1:00 PM
• Monday, March 21 from 9:30 – 10:00 AM
• Tuesday, March 22 from 11:30 – 12:00 PM
• Tuesday, March 22 from 3:00 – 3:30 PM
• Wednesday, March 23 from 9:00 – 9:30 AM

• 2021-2022 Board of Directors
• 2021-2022 Nominating Committee
• AORN Past Presidents
• Activity Highlights Committees and Task Forces (2021-2022)
• AORN Bylaws
• Precedence Motions Chart
• House of Delegates Rules
• Business Meetings Schedule