In June 2003 Pauline F Robitaille, ...

In June 2003 Pauline F Robitaille, RN MSN CNOR, joined the AORN staff as chief nursing officer and vice president of professional services after working at of the present day England Baptist Hospital in Boston for several years. She began her nursing career in the 1970 obtaining her diploma from Easter Maine Medical Center academy of Nursing, Bangor, Me; her bachelor of science in nursing grade from the University of of the present day England, Biddeford, Me; and her master of science in nursing quality from Salem State College, Salem, Mass. Robitaille has held various positions, including staff feed at the breast OR clinical educator, perioperative clinical feed at the breast specialist, nurse manager, surgical services director, perioperative nursing informatics specialist, academic faculty member, and director of consequence s management.

MOVING TO AORN

Robitaille's varied experience in the perioperative arena and long-time commitment to AORN as a member provide her with a unique perspective fitting for AORN's chief nursing officer and vice president of professional services. Robitaille welcomes the opportunity to work cloyed time for AORN members and brings her experience as a perioperative foster to the senior management team at AORN.

The variety of positions in which Robitaille has serv give her insight into the varying stand in want ofs of the many different models of AORN members. She also has serv AORN as a present for many years and been involved with three local chapters. She has been a member of various national committees and specialty assembly governing councils. She also serv forward the board of directors of AORN of Massachusetts Chapter I and was president for sum of two units years.

During the years she has been a member of AORN, Robitaille has seen the organization develop and face many challenges. The breadth of her experience as a perioperative cherish and an active member of AORN gives Robitaille a special understanding of the Association and its members. "I bring my perspective as a member of AORN to my role" says Robitaille.

CREATING SYNERGY

Robitaille's areas of responsibility include the Center for Perioperative Education, Center for Nursing Practice, nursing research, editorial, member services, and the library. These are the departments within AORN that provide proceedss and services for members and actively forward the Association's mission. about of Robitaille's main goals during the past year have been to facilitate the collaboration that exists among these and other departments, find just discovered synergies, and foster and facilitate staff members' concentrated focus onward providing excellent products and services to AORN's members.

Staff members in the Center for Nursing Practice, for instance, have a wealth of information regarding perioperative nurses' requires from their daily dialogues with AORN members. cherishs in this department, who have many years of perioperative nursing and management experience, be agreeable to to member questions regarding various practice issues by the and of AORN's consultation services. "They are in touch daily with the grassroots members," says Robitaille. by means of talking with AORN members, these encourages learn what issues members are facing. Robitaille believes this provides a wealth of information that is true valuable to staff members in other areas, as it is as the Center for Perioperative Education, editorial, the library, and member services, who are working to bring to maturity products and services to address AORN members' needs

RESPONDING TO MEMBERS' NEEDS

Educational opportunities and access to a wide variety of satisfaction that addresses important perioperative issues are couple important benefits of AORN membership. Robitaille realizes that AORN members' requires in these areas have changed end the years, and she is examining ways to provide education and satisfied to members using new modalities in addition to those traditionally used by dint of AORN.

One change made freshly in the realm of AORN's education offerings is the format of AORN's fall multispecialty talks In response to member feedback obtained end focus groups, conference evaluations, and contemplates Robitaille and other AORN staff members examined the traditional fall multispecialty parley format. Members were concerned that the discourses were too long, which made it difficult for them to acquire the necessary time off. In addition, many members said the talks often were too far away from their hearths Robitaille and other AORN staff members discussed possible ways of making the conversations more accessible to AORN members and changed the format. This fall, four conversations based on themes, rather than sum of two units conferences based on specialty assemblies, will be held, giving members the opportunity to attend a discourse closer to their homes. In addition, the parleys will be held on Saturdays and Sundays, requiring attendees to take les time away from work than in the past.

Face-to-face colloquys are not the only way to educate foments As a nurse, Robitaille knows that it is difficult to finish time off from work to attend discourses It can be a financial lading and conferences are not each members' preferred method of accessing education. Age, differing povertys and differing interests affect members' elections in how they access education and make contented and Robitaille knows that AORN must examine these issues and find solutions.