"Getting to know you"

"Getting to know you" - this familiar song title expresses quite simply the reasons for a national AORN representative making chapter visits.

The AORN Board of Directors are very strong in their feeling that AORN is every individual member across the country. De- velop a closer liaison with each and every chapter i s their aim. Since the inception of tt-is project a total of 105 chapters have been visited.

During a recent whirlwind tour of seven chapters on the West Coast (Reno, Nevada; Son Francisco; San Fernando Valley; Orange County; Hi-Lo Desert; San Jose; and South Bay), Caroline Rogers, RN, Di- rector of Membership at National Head- quarters reports that the project i s a suc-

cess. An awareness of the needs and the problems on the local level i s placed in focus. Open discussion evolves and from this many suggestions are offered to aid in stimulating and maintaining interest in local chapter activities.

With each group, Mrs. Rogers theorized that chapter meetings be planned so as to involve as many members as possible. Group discussions, role playing, demonstrations of draping, new equipment, etc, provide the media for the active participation of several members a s opposed to the passive type learning experience afforded by a lecture type program.

The involvement of as many members as possible in the program presentatiovs also ensures that a personal contact between members of a chapter i s established. It i s this personal contact that provides the warm glow and a feeling of belonging.

Educational programs that are geared to be a source of information for the com- munity or for the student nurses in the area require an input of the individual AORN

Af te r the chapter meeting, a cof fee break affords the perfect oppor tu i i t y for San Jose chapter rnern- berr t o became better acqui inted.

Ann Bowers, RN, Dorothy Thompson, RN, and Bar- bara Gruendemann, RN, confer before the start o f the San Fernando Valley AORN chapter meeting.

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member’s expertise in the area of her daily work. Psychologically, i t i s true that a per- son benefits immeasurably when one gives of one’s self.

The feedback from the local chapters to National Headquarters i s the main vehicle for developing educational materials and programs such as seminars, workshops, in- stitutes that are needed and requested on a grass roots level.

Headquarters believes that its primary purpose i s to serve its members and will continue to offer this service for as long as it i s deemed necessary.

Barbara Dominick, RN, president o f the Reno chap- ter, listens t o a committee repor t dur ing a chapter business meeting.

Members o f the Orange County AORN chapter are given their f i rst look a t the ar t fu l poster de- signed t o publicize the chapter‘s annual dance.

Some o f the officers and members of the recently formed South Bay chapter o f AORN (Redondo Beach and Torrance, Ca l i fo rn ia ) pause before meeting t ime fo r pictue taking. Shown are Betty Jean Bailey, RN; Betty Hayes, RN; Joan Venetti, RN, chapter treasurer: Catherine Quick, RN, act ing chapter chairman; and Mary Sharp, RN.

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