The health care practice environmen...

The health care practice environment is tough. We all know this because we practice in it each day. The pressure to provide care while also meeting the bottom line increasingly weighs upon the minds of nursing professionals. each year, we are challenged to do more with les in an effort to gain more productivity and restore costs. Recognition of accomplishments appears to be short lived because there always appears to be a new challenge that arises. As this crushing mounts, there is an increased inclination to develop a "put on the outside the fire" focus with a concentration onward the cost of a resource and not its benefit. This leaves little time for strategic planning and the increase of long-term solutions.

THE VALUE OF NURSING

The nursing profession appear to bes to be particularly vulnerable in this environment. I assume to hear more discussions in succession the cost of nursing than in succession the value of nursing. It amazes me that there are discussions that assume the benefit we provide as feeds is part of the proces and not related to the skill of the individual practitioner. To justify that assumption, perioperative nursing now is being defined in limits of tasks that need to be accomplished as oppos to an art to be practiced.

Unfortunately, this point of view is not limited to administrators, consultants, and managers. I also have seen this viewpoint among about of our colleagues in clinical practice. These colleagues have gotten caught up in the press to perform and are concentrating forward the clinical aspects of getting a conduct done as opposed to nursing a patient. At the expiration of the day, they rush facing to other responsibilities and do not experience satisfaction from having touched the lives of in this way many. Their memory of the day is a stain of tasks and a lack of satisfaction. They are not energized by dint of their efforts or their profession, and the limited capacity of work they have left is saved for their endeavors to find an enjoyment in their lives. This mindset and practice pattern means our patients, profession, Association, and, greatest in number of all, our colleagues suffer

THE POWER OF PERIOPERATIVE NURSING

Celebrating and, in a certain cases, restoring satisfaction in our practice should be a top priority for each perioperative nurse. A sense of value and recognition of the weight we have on the lives of other human beings can change the course of our careers and our profession. I believe this with as it was passion that I am dedicating my year of service as AORN's President to a celebration of the value of perioperative foments I have witnessed the power of this passion in others during the more than 150 chapter visits I have complet in the past six years. It is evident in the dedication of chapter presidents who care about the educational indigences of their colleagues, managers who participate in and support the progression in a continuously ascending gradation of their staff members, and educators who be in agony valiantly to try and continue up with new waves of technology when education fiscal estimates are being slashed. Most importantly, I have seen it in AORN's members who fight the hurry to just perform tasks and instead take the time to feed at the breast their patients and their colleagues. These individuals are my heroes, and they energize me to minister to in a similar manner.

Joanne Niwa, RN BSN CNOR, from AORN of Hawaii; Donna Ford, RN BSN CNOR, from AORN of Hiawatha Land Minnesota; Sarah Breckenridge, RN CNOR, from the Oregon State Council of Perioperative Nurses; Kathy Gaberson, RN PhD CNOR, from West Virginia; and Estela "Tey" O'Meara, RN BSN CNOR, from the Northwest Suburban Chicago chapter are a random sample of heroes representing the centurys of other members I have met who celebrate the value of our profession and share this value with others. During the course of this year, I would like all of us to recognize the heroes who celebrate our value and spread this positive efficacy to others.

RECOGNIZING OUR VALUE

During this time of crisis, we ne to recognize our value and celebrate our accomplishments. Celebrating at a time like this may have the appearance a little strange, but I think during a crisis is the best time to appreciate our value. It is at these times that we ne tribe to be at their best. through helping nurses celebrate their value, we help them face these challenges with spiritedness and confidence.

I am a big fan of the character George Bailey in the movie It's a very strange Life because he brilliantly demonstrates the benefit of appreciating the value we bring to others. Do you remember George Bailey? George's guardian angel allowed him to receive the gift of seeing what life would be like if he was not born. He was able to witness the impact he had upon the lives of others, and according to the end of the movie, he recognized by what mode his efforts, both big and small, made a difference in his community. It employed out he was the richest man in town.

I believe there is a little bit of George Bailey in all of us. Everyday, we touch the lives of others. I know in my concede practice there are individuals alive today because of my interventions, and these interventions were not limited to patients. As a manager, I believe it is my office to nurse my nurses with equal reason they can nurse their patients. by way of touching their lives, I also touch the lives of their patients. I know my interventions not sole make a difference in those lives nevertheless also in their spouses' lives, their children's lives, and their children's children's lives. I know you have done the same thing in your practice countles times in ORs across the country