The move to energize NAON's Special Interest Groups (SIG) is in full swing! NAON's SIG are formalized groups that focus on identifying and fostering common special interest areas of orthopaedic nurses. They have been a part of our NAON culture for years, providing an opportunity to share information, ask and answer questions of other NAON members, and engage in valuable networking activities. Participating NAON members in the SIG are often recognized experts in their fields.
To enhance the SIG evolution, they have been tailored into four areas that are also in alignment with NAON's mission statement and strategic plan. These are as follows:
* Clinical practice: pertaining to the care of a patient and associated orthopaedic or other condition. SIG leader is Kathy Brown, MSN.
* Education: pertaining to advancing the knowledge of patients and/or nursing and other staff. SIG leader is Mickey Haryanto, RN-BC, ONC, MBA.
* Research: pertaining to systematic investigational studies using scientific methods that involve orthopaedic or other patients and/or staff. SIG leader is Patricia Quinlan, DNSc, MPA, CPHQ.
* Leadership/management: pertaining to leading or managing people or situations related to healthcare, associated improvement of processes, or care delivery. SIG leader is Brigitte Failner, MS, RN, ONC.
The discussion forums on the NAON website, http://www.orthonurse.org, changed to reflect the realignment of the SIG, and each SIG now has a leader to stimulate and participate in online discussions. In addition, there is now a general discussion forum to answer questions. SIG users are encouraged to visit different forums to pose questions for your expert peers. By signing up for a specific SIG, users are notified when new information is entered in the discussion forum.
These four SIG areas are incorporated into the planning of the 2012 Congress sessions and are in line with the Congress posters and Congress session tracks. Ideas for "hot topics" for each SIG were solicited from the membership. The "hottest topics" will be presented via a panel discussion at the SIG sessions at Congress, promising to enhance our understanding of how these "hot topics" are addressed throughout the country. Plan to attend the SIG sessions at NAON's 32nd Annual Congress in New Orleans!
News of the SIG energizing project was first announced at NAON's 31st Annual Congress in Baltimore, MD, in May 2011. E-mail blasts and articles in the NAON News have kept the members informed. Bev Morris, RN, CNP, MBA, NAON Director, and Jan Foecke, MS, RN, ONC, NAON Director of Programs, have been instrumental in effecting the progress made in the SIG. They, along with the SIG leaders, are truly engaged in energizing the SIG.
The four SIG are one of the best resources that NAON has to offer! They are the vehicles to which you can access the best and brightest of NAON's members. Choose one, two, three, or all four. Engage your fellow NAON members in an exchange of ideas, best practices, and the latest in research.
Happy International Orthopaedic Nurses Day to all my fellow orthopaedic nurses as we celebrate the diverse of areas of practice that make up orthopaedic nursing!