In an AORN Journal President's Mess...

In an AORN Journal President's Message, AORN President Brenda C Ulmer RN MN CNOR, wrote about "gray champions"--older AORN members who make a difference in others' lives and provide a wealth of knowledge and experience according to having been a "part of AORN in its formative years."(1) In working to increase AORN's recruitment and retention efforts, Membership Committee members recognize the incredible value that older and retired members provide to AORN the couple nationally and locally.

National AORN statistics are telling. Approximately 32% of AORN members are older than 50 years of age, and 17% are older than 56 years of age.(2) Additionally, AORN telemarketing originates between January and October 2000 revealed that 39 AORN members did not repeat their memberships due to retirement. This means 39 members whose expertise may have provided an exciting idea for chapter fund-raising, helped a chapter understand its rich heritage, or encouraged a scholar to join perioperative nursing have been lost

IT IS in no degree TOO LATE TO DEVELOP A PLAN

To many AORN members, planning retirement means making financial arrangements. This fiscal responsibility, however, does not address the larger issue of remaining personally fulfilled during retirement. It does not address in what manner older AORN members plan to squander their retirement and whether volunteering with AORN has a place in those plans.

be of importance tos about the use of time after retirement should be important considerations. Many people--especially those who have been busy earlier in life--may make the transition to a fulfilling retirement single provided they maintain a busy lifestyle. the same researcher says as Americans live longer they will begin to live a more cyclical lifestyle to stay fulfilled, which may involve going back to seminary at age 65, starting a other career at age 70, or volunteering a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of later in life.(3)

STAY INVOLVED

When planning for retirement, consider the fact that what makes the same passionate now can keep single in kind passionate in the future. withhold in mind it is none too late to explore recent or additional volunteer opportunities. Retired AORN members may find that staying involved with AORN in the that will be provides benefits above and beyond education, standards, services, and representation. The offer opportunities with AORN are limitless. The following are and nothing else a few ways in which older and retired AORN members can use their time to help AORN.

Chapter Involvement. Volunteering to work with a chapter can be a rewarding experience, and chapters ne offers who can participate in many different ways (eg serving as chapter president, serving forward a fund-raising committee). Chapter presents can help in areas in which they might have interest moreover not necessarily experience (eg, maintaining a chapter web site).

Public awareness activities. offers have a great opportunity to advance AORN membership. Volunteers can attend local meetings (eg Kiwanis, Rotary), which provide virtuous opportunities to share information about AORN and perioperative nursing. To reach learner nurses, volunteers can represent AORN at colloquys or student nurse association meetings or reach gone out to student nurses by speaking about AORN in classrooms.

Mentoring. No undivided can better mentor a time to come leader of AORN than a member who has experience. proffers can help identify nurses who are fresh to the perioperative field and build a relationship that welcomes these of the present day nurses to an AORN chapter. Mentoring provides not single the enjoyment of helping others achieve their goals moreover also a chance to learn from protegees

Legislative activities. As moving any political proces forward takes time and power what better way for a retired offer to help shape the futurity of AORN than to become involved in AORN's legislative activities. This impressed sign of support can range from getting to know your legislators and participating in Lobby Day to testifying at committee hearings at the state even or participating in a letter-writing campaign. For more information about by what mode to become involved in legislative activities, contact AORN's guidance Affairs Department at (800) 755-2676 x 233

CONTACT US

Although many predictions have been made about the tenor of the retiree population forward society, one prediction remains clear--a fulfilling life during retirement can be gained by means of staying involved. To make staying active in AORN part of your retirement plan, call AORN Membership Committee Chair Judy Clayton, RN CNOR, at (770) 931-7714 or impel an e-mail to claytonjudy@prodigy.net, or contact AORN's chapter relations coordinator at (800) 755-2676 x 250 or fling an e-mail to kkeene@aom.org.

NOTES

(1) B Ulmer "Sharing successe making a difference," AORN Journal 71 (May 2000) 952

(2) Ibid, 954

(3) K Dychtwald, J Flower, Age Wave: The Challenge and Opportunities of an Aging America (New York: J P Tarcher, 1989)

JUDITH L CLAYTON RN CNOR MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

KENDRA KEENE CHAPTER RELATIONS COORDINATOR

COPYRIGHT 2001 Association of Operating apartment Nurses, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group