Carpe Diem is one of my favorite Latin phrases. Seize the day [horizontal ellipsis] Capture the moment [horizontal ellipsis] Take advantage of the opportunity. I like it because it has so many applications both personally and professionally. As members of the profession of nursing, each of us needs to seize every opportunity, individually and collectively, to raise awareness to the value and importance of who we are and what we do. While marketing was not one of the required courses in our nursing education, it is nevertheless a skill that each of us needs to develop. We gave up our caps, white uniforms, hose, and clinic shoes, and as a result, practically anyone who walks into a patient's room and renders care is considered a nurse - unless you are a male, and then you are a doctor# As nurses, we must seize the opportunity to proclaim who we are and what we do.
One of NAON's strategic plan goals is to raise recognition and awareness of NAON and orthopaedic nursing as the authority on musculoskeletal and orthopaedic care. NAON's vision for the future is one in which orthopaedic nurses are responsible for the highest level of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal nursing practice and care. To fulfill that vision, your executive board has been concentrating on developing strategies aimed at raising global recognition of both NAON and orthopaedic nurses. The following are a few examples of our efforts.
Recognizing the need for expert advice in objectively evaluating our association's marketing needs and capabilities, this Fall the Executive Board voted to allocate funds to engage a formal marketing analysis. An executive board task force has developed a request for proposals, several firms have responded, and the selection will be discussed at the Spring board meeting.
NAON seized the opportunity to participate in the Hip Fracture Consensus meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. NAON is one of two nursing organizations invited to participate in this historic meeting, both as a member of the steering committee and as a participating association. We are excited about having one of our past presidents, Karen Faler, serve as a faculty member to provide the nursing perspective at this important meeting in May.
Recently, two former United States Presidents underwent orthopaedic procedures. George Bush underwent hip replacement surgery, and Ronald Reagan suffered a fractured hip. Seizing this opportunity to convey well wishes, raise awareness, and share information on the role that orthopaedic nurses play in caring for patients with orthopaedic injuries and conditions, NAON sent a letter and informational material to each former President. We received a personal response from President Bush in which he said:
"I appreciate the letter and brochures you sent [horizontal ellipsis] I had outstanding nurses [horizontal ellipsis] and I now have a special appreciation of your profession [horizontal ellipsis] Please convey my respectful best wishes to your entire membership [horizontal ellipsis] Sincerely, George Bush"
We are orthopaedic nurses, and I invite each of you to seize every opportunity to inform and educate. Proclaim the value and importance of who you are and what you do to patients, to families, to legislators, to the media, to insurers, and to colleagues. We are the best marketing agents orthopaedic nursing has [horizontal ellipsis] Carpe Diem!!