Making My Mark as AORN President

This year has flown by, and it is bittersweet that I must write my final President's Message column. Being the 61st AORN President is the professional honor of a lifetime, and I am excited to reflect on my year as I prepare to pass the torch. Attending meetings and conferences, representing our 45,000 members, and advocating for the perioperative nursing specialty entails great responsibility and accountability, but I wouldn't change the experience for anything.

Many years ago, before I was on the AORN Board, the AORN President at the time told me something I have never forgotten. She had given me my first committee assignment, so during the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo that marked the end of her Presidential term, I introduced myself to her. We chatted briefly, and then she said, “We expect great things from you.” I was honored, humbled, and terrified, wondering if I could ever live up to that. I hope when my term ends that she and each one of our members believes that I have done great things.

Serving on the Board for the past eight years has been a privilege. I was shocked when I was first elected to the Board in 2016. I was relatively new to AORN, but the membership put its faith in me. Each time that I was placed on the ballot, I held firm to who I was and why being a perioperative nurse was so important. I promised to listen intently to the information presented to the Board and vote in the best interest of our membership.

As I stepped into the role of AORN President one year ago, I took great pride and responsibility in leading our team of 12 Board members. No one is truly ready to assume the Presidential role, and the imposter syndrome is real! But I discovered what the AORN voters knew: I could lead with integrity and a meaningful, strategic vision. Your Board has made challenging decisions, knowing that we have positioned our association for continued growth and success.