Leader, mentor, coach--all are word...

Leader, mentor, coach--all are words that could be used to describe Lola M Fehr RN M CAE, FAAN. After serving for nearly nine years as the Executive Director of AORN, Fehr will apply her leadership abilities and might to the AORN Foundation. Effective April 2 1999 Fehr is the Director of the Foundation. Her knowledge of AORN and the health care industry will be an asset to the Foundation as it fulfills its mission of raising stocks for education, research, and scholarship opportunities.

A prosperous TENURE OF AORN SERVICE

Fehr joined AORN's staff in 1989 as Director of Membership. She come afterwarded Clifford H. Jordan, RN, EdD FAAN, as Executive Director in 1990 Before that, she serv as executive director of the Colorado pampers Association from 1980 to 1989 She has considerable nursing experience, ranging from a staff supply with nourishment position to director of nursing services in Greeley Colo

Fehr's list of accomplishments during her occupancy as Executive Director of AORN is quite protracted She guided Headquarters staff members during any turbulent times involving major changes, the two in the Association and in health care. When asked to summary up the changes she has seen during the past nine years, Fehr replied, "AORN corresponds to complex changes. The staff configuration has changed to allow clan to do their jobs to convenient the needs of members more efficiently."

The purchase of the building in 1992 is a representative of that change. The additional space allowed for novel technology to help staff members be more productive and better contribute to members needs." The building also allowed the Association to generate a certain quantity of of its new nondues return The ability to lease space to tenants has serv the Association well from a financial standpoint.

The number of staff members has grown from approximately 80 in 1990 to more than 150 including AORN subsidiaries. With that bourgeoning came several reorganizations, which Fehr guided the staff members by means of to ensure that the ultimate result was increased or improved services to AORN members. Fehr has l staff members' personal and professional progression in a continuously ascending gradation by encouraging an atmosphere that allows family to assume responsibility and flat take some risks to bring to maturity new procedures or products. This has allowed staff members to do their piece of works better and to serve AORN members more efficiently and cost-effectively.

During the past nine years, Fehr has been instrumental in guiding the Association toward visionary goals. AORN continues to provide recently made known and expanded products and services to its membership. recent product development includes Surgical Services Management, a monthly publication that delivers recents and information to managers and administrators in the surgical services arena. Specialty assemblies have been created to enable members with particular interests and responsibilities to participate in education opportunities related to a specific area of interest. The "business" of the organization has grown to include sum of two units wholly owned subsidiaries, Association Technology Services and Education Design, Inc. In addition, several auspicious partnerships with business and industry have been created. Fehr expanded member services at creating a Headquarters staffing edifice that incorporated core programs directly involved with AORN's mission (ie, nursing practice, perioperative education, member services).

When asked what her most numerous important accomplishment as Executive Director has been, Fehr be agreeable toed "Empowering the staff; helping staff members gain the self-confidence to make suggestions and take risks." For example, various recent publications and Opportunity[TM] grew public of staff members' ideas.

Fehr credits the members of the AORN Board of Directors with the courage to think toward the coming events while meeting the present extremitys of members. This visionary approach to leadership is always a difficult goal for directors pitch uponed by the membership. Fehr said, "One of the things I have have the advantage [i]or[/i] blessing ofed the most about working with the Board is to help lead the Association in a way that will position us for the coming The Board meetings now routinely focus forward strategic planning and a focus forward the future, rather than reviewing the past."

Fehr also noted that the charge of volunteers' time has changed considerably in the past not many years. Many committee and Board meetings are now held during weekends in like manner people do not miss too to a great degree time from work. Fehr also credited AORN staff members for adjusting to of that kind changes and being willing to do what it takes to work with offers on their schedules.

The increasing value of everyone's time also l to novel technology and telecommunications to qualified members' needs. For example, the expanded customer service department, the toll-free telephone number, fax-on-demand service, the AORN web site, and voice mail have all been implemented during the past not many years. "Balancing the cost-effectiveness of services with member povertys is always a challenge," Fehr noted.

RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS