SAN DIEGO CHAPTER NEWS LETTER

The minutes of October 25, 2007, General Meeting were approved as written and published.

Officer & Committee Reports:

President’s Report:

• The following guests were welcomed at the meeting:

-         Susan Inumberable (Transferred from Virginia and is looking for part time work.)

-         Carmina Esteban (Clinical Educator) – Scripps Mercy

• AORN Congress will be held in Anaheim, March 30-April 3, 2008.

-         On Line registration available now.

-         Design your own Name Badge (will be mailed to your home)

-         You will receive a CD with your information and choices via snail-mail.

-         List Education Sessions you plan to attend

-         Pick-up bag at Congress

-         Early Registration due NLT February 11, 2008 for discount

-         5-K Run/Walk is being planned – bring your running / walking shoes.

President-Elect:

• In order to get the newsletter out in a timely manner, articles and submissions for inclusion should be emailed NLT 5:00 pm on January 04, 2008.
• Volunteers for Congress are being sought.  Information is available in the newsletter if you would like to assist during the Congress.
• ORNCC Congress Pin is available via the ORNCC website.
• With great sadness, it was announced that Sylvia Durance (California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco) of ORNCC passed away on November 27^th while on her way to work.  Details for service and services are available on the ORNCC website.
  • Vickie Pierce introduced a motion that the Chapter donate $250.00 to the AORN Foundation in remembrance of our friend and colleague.  The motion was passed unanimously.

Vice President:

• Spring Workshop will be on February 2, 2008 at the AMN Healthcare Facility. Currently the focus is on Patient Safety and Clinical Documentation; however, we continue to look into expanding the list of topics.
• Our speaker for January 24, 2008 will be our Chapter President, Marcia Cavanaugh.  Her topic will be “Mentoring & Leadership.”

Treasurer’s Report:

Secretary:

Wivina Limson is recuperating at home after her recent surgery.  We send her our warmest regards and hope she is doing well soon.  Please feel free to send her email and cards.  We are sure some of you have also been receiving her comical email notes and jokes.

Nominating Committee:

We have one Board Member that has tentatively said she might run for the position of President-Elect, however, this is dependent on prior commitments.  We continue to seek another individual with prior Board service to consider running as her opposition.

Bylaws:

• Points are due NLT December 15^th. 
• Eloise tracks the meetings attended, however if members have been involved in other activities they need to email her documentation for the point calculations:
• Must attend a minimum of five (5) General Meetings
  • National Committees
  • Committee Participation
  • Outside Activities
  • Volunteer Community Activities (i.e., Freshstart Surgical Gifts.
• Members requested that the point calculation information be included on the website.  This will be accomplished and posted.

Legislative:

• The ANA (American Nurses Association) is bringing suite against the State of California regarding the issue of “Unlicensed Persons” in schools giving injections.  There will be more information forthcoming on this issue printed in the newsletter.

Hospitality:

• Our Holiday Pot-Luck continues to be a success.
• The Chapter is looking for someone to act as the Hospitality Chairperson.  The hours are very good and significant help is available.  Please let Marcia know if you could fill this position.

Scholarship:

• There are two First Time CNOR/CRNFA certification exam applicants who submitted applications and will receive a re-imbursement check for half the cost of the Exam at the January 27, 2008 meeting.
• First Congress Attendee application will be in the next newsletter.

Membership:

• We are expecting the Pre-Congress increase to improve our numbers.
• Reminder letters to those who will lapse within the next 90 days are scheduled to be mailed soon.
• Linda Brown reported that our membership continues to decrease at a slow trickle.  Currently our profile shows:
  • Total Members                                   340
  • Standard Members:                          319
  • Retired:                                                  21
  • Lapsed:                                                  18
  • Due to Lapse within 90 days:           91

Golf:

• Next year’s golf tournament will be held again at Twin Oaks on June 6, 2008.
• Too early in the planning process to report at this time.

Ways and Means:

• Entertainment Books are sales are slow. The cost is $40. Contact Suzanne Higginbotham.
• Sales will be closed on December 15^th.
  • Discounts at Ralphs
  • Theater Tickets
  • Theme Park Discounts
  • Hotel and Car Rental
  • Restaurants
  • Airline Discounts
• Maina Tauiliili is ready to begin work on the OR hats.  We also have a second person at Tri-City who is willing to sew hats for us, Gail Thomas.
• Bring 2 yards of cloth to the Board or General Meetings or give to any Board Member.

Announcements:

• Nancy Lilliott presented the balloting results from the recent CCI election.  Jim Stobinski (former Chapter member and Vice President) was unsuccessful in his bid for the CCI Board of Directors.  Jim thanks all those Chapter Members that submitted votes of his candidacy and hopes to see you all again in the near future.
• Perioperative Nurses’ Week Activities:
  • Tri-City Medical Center hosted seven high-school students for our annual “Shadow Day.”  Students and parents met with the Preceptors the day before the event to get acquainted and answer questions.  Each student was introduced to patients and family members and their presence was explained and permission from patient and family was requested for them to observe.  There were NO declinations.  After the observation period, students and preceptors met again over lunch and discussed what was observed and any misconceptions were clarified.  One letter has been received from one participant in which she stated:
    • “Now I’m sure nursing is what I want to do.  Thanks so much to the Tri-City OR nurses, I also know that an OR nurse are what I want to be.  Please save me a spot in your Internship program.”
  • Palomar/Pomerado has students from their “Shadow Day” that are asking to return and participate in their Volunteer Program.
    • P/P nurses believe that we need to “Get’m young and Teach’m right.”  Now ain’t that the truth?
  • Marilyn Clements, after years at Palomar/Pomerado and completing her Master’s Degree, has accepted a position as Professor of Nursing with University of California - San Marcos.  We wish her well and know that her expertise will be a fantastic addition to UCSM’s program.
• Candise Flippin reported that due to the recent “Firestorm,” the Surgery Weekend that was adopted by the staff at Palomar/Pomerado Medical Center had to be cancelled.   It has been rescheduled for the weekend of January 12^th and 13^th of 2008.
• Candise also announced that she has accepted the position of Editor-In-Chief of the American Society of Plastic Surgery Nurses Journal.  This publication is printed on a quarterly schedule.  Congratulations Candise.
• Jeanne Botsford announced that Trish Siefert just recently lost her son.

 There being no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned at 18:40 until the next General Meeting to be held on February 28, 2008 at the AMN Healthcare facilities.

                                                                                                       Respectfully Submitted:

                                                                                       Mel Bridges, RN, BSN, CNOR

                                                                             Acting - Secretary for Wivina Limson