2017 has come and gone, and for many of us-2018 is being met with open arms. I will not dwell on the past but want to commend all of you for what our organization has accomplished over the past year, the progress we have made, and the open-mindedness our membership has been to the changing tides. These changes have been rewarding but made for a year of challenges. Some of our greatest accomplishments have been changing our name to reflect a global mind-set; our transition into a more digital and social organization; boosting the presence of our annual fall meeting; intentionally including our aesthetic nurses in our core values and mission; and underscoring our critical role in the overall patient experience and well-being.
Like I said: I am wonderfully astonished at all we have accomplished as a nursing specialty society. I feel grateful to be surrounded by colleagues who continue to compel our specialty forward, who strive to reach industry relevance, and who tackle professional challenges with intentional purpose and resolve. Furthermore, I applaud all our colleagues who have committed their professional dedication to the distinction of our specialty and have voluntarily stepped up to the proverbial plate to take our society to the next level of excellence. It takes both personal and professional commitment to lead and make a difference, and we sincerely thank those ISPAN members who have opted to become more engaged in our society in which to propel our nursing specialty forward.
As a succinct overview, I would like to collectively highlight what we jumped into over the last 12 months. And, with that thought in mind, I believe that it is fitting to provide a metaphor as ISPAN goes forward: we are amid a multiphase plastic procedure, and 2018 will be our year to shape and contour.
Strides accomplished, as well as endeavors for 2018:
* Modernizing our organization: Deny it as we may, social media platforms are the way all companies, experts, media, and consumers/patients are getting information. To position us as the experts in our field, we need to be more engaged-as an organization, and with one another. The ISPAN is on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@ISPAN1975), and Instagram (ispan1975). You can also follow @ISPANPresident on Twitter. These various social media platforms will help you keep an eye on industry trends and in some instances-personal thoughts. Look us up and "like, friend, and follow" as we would love to "like, friend, and follow" YOU, too!!
* Fall meeting: I cannot emphasize how important and enriching the annual 3-day educational ISPAN-The Meeting is to us all. The 2018 Scientific Sessions Planning Committee is already at work planning innovative education to keep the trend of "more hands-on" learning sessions a priority. The ISPAN's goal is to garner speakers that will rejuvenate your passion for the science and art of plastic and aesthetic nursing, as well as learning pearls for optimal patient safety and care. We want you to want to be there. We have made the meeting more social and tech-friendly and will certainly continue that trend. We would love to hear your ideas and feedback to ensure that our attendance continues growing (and that you have FUN while you are there!).
* Thinking globally: The United States is certainly not the only plastic and aesthetic innovator in the world. While the United States leads the charge in plastic and aesthetic procedures, countries such as Brazil, Japan, Greece, and South Korea are not too far behind. In fact, a whole host of other countries are closely following the upward trend of plastic surgery and aesthetic enhancement. Seeking and supporting our global partners will make our industry more knowledgeable, relevant, and effective, not only for industry professionals but also for patients. We sincerely hope to see more international attendees at our 2018 Chicago ISPAN-The Meeting. As a matter of fact, we are always open to new ideas and would like to hear your thoughts on ways we can keep increasing our engagement around the world.
* Inclusion: By changing our name, we intentionally wanted to welcome plastic and aesthetic nurses not only from our own back yards but also from around the world. It is the ISPAN's goal to see our mission and vision of being the definitive voice for plastic and aesthetic nurses come to fruition. Over the past year, we warmly welcomed and continue to welcome our international plastic and aesthetic nursing colleagues. We have invited them to join the ISPAN community and excitedly welcome their participation on our committees.
* ISPAN committees: This past year saw much growth in committee work. From the membership committee to the clinical practice committee-member value and engagement were highlighted. Through dialogue, discussion, and research, ISPAN's professional position statements were developed and declared on the ISPAN Web site. And as mentioned previously, ISPAN's social media presence and expanded platform are all largely due to all of the committee members' dedication to increasing ISPAN's relevance.
* Mentorship: Throughout the past year, we referred to the importance of mentorship. We concluded that if it were not for the motivation and inspiration of mentors, it would be our team members or our patients and their families who would ultimately pay the price for our lack of confidence or job satisfaction. Mentoring should be the cornerstone of our profession, where we, as experienced plastic and aesthetic nurses, are involved in the give and take of information-knowledge, guidance-support, and teaching-learning with another, less experienced nursing colleague. We also surmised that mentorship cannot be seen or touched. It is simply a powerful and wonderful enriching experience, which can be best described by those who choose to experience and practice it. We further recognized that we, as seasoned plastic and aesthetic nursing professionals, should pay it forward and empower, inspire, and engage the next generation of our specialty nurses.
* Thoughts and reflection: As seasoned nurses with busy and sometimes chaotic schedules, I often think that we can sometimes lose sight of why it is we do what we do. I regularly bring to mind that there is a difference between seeing patients and meeting their goals versus making a difference in their lives and in the lives of their families. We all have the power to touch our patients' lives and improve them for the better. But when politics, schedules, day-to-day frustrations, demands, and challenges get in the way-our patients will in some way or another suffer.
As nurses, we never fully know what patients or their families are thinking. Therefore, empathy, compassion, and respect are important to remember-especially in times of distress. Remember to treat patients and their families as your own. Never treat patients as though they are just a number on a chart. Communicate clearly and compassionately with them, and remember that "listening" is 50% of open and interpersonal communication.
Beyond communicating with patients, communicate with your fellow nurses. You are playing on the same team, so do not be afraid to ask questions, help a colleague, seek sound solutions together, and be open to learning from others. Beyond patients, our professional success is measured by empowering others.
As the ISPAN continues to move forward in 2018, I encourage you all to take some time and revisit what inspires you, what keeps you driven, and what you want out of our organization. After all, the difference between an ordinary society and an extraordinary society is simply that little "extra" something!
Georgia Elmassian, MSN, MA, APRN, CPSN, CFLE
President, ISPAN