Is it Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary, NAON? Either way it is a time to celebrate. 2020 marks the 40th year since the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) was founded. Since its inception, NAON has been the professional association for orthopaedic nurses worldwide. With members from all over the globe, NAON continues to be a voice for orthopaedic patients and sets the standards for orthopaedic practice and excellence.
As orthopaedic nurses we benefit from the wealth of knowledge that is shared through various NAON resources including continuing education opportunities via local and national meetings, webinars, publications, and the Orthopaedic Nursing journal.
Networking with colleagues, whether it be in person or over the phone, NAON members benefit from others in our specialty to help solve clinical problems. I know I have looked up NAON members over the years who were working in my particular area to discuss a practice problem. I even called a NAON nurse in Alabama who worked at the same hospital where my nephew, who was hundreds of miles away from family, had been taken for emergency abdominal surgery. That nurse went right to his bedside to assure all of us that things were in control.
Another initiative NAON has undertaken is the development and dissemination of NAON Position Statements. This is vitally important for the organization and the public well-being. NAON leaders have developed evidence-based position statements on various topics including the Orthopaedic Nurse Navigator, the Opioid Epidemic, Promoting Musculoskeletal Health Through Physical Activity for All Children and Adolescents and in this issue of Orthopaedic Nursing, the NAON Position Statement is: Safe Transportation of Children with Orthopaedic Conditions. These statements emphasize the important issues that affect practice and often public safety. NAON contributes to society by taking a stand on important issues of our time. The editors of Orthopaedic Nursing will continue to publish these very important documents following peer review.
Through the years there have been changes in the healthcare environment that has pushed the need for innovative thinking and reaction to the changing times. The elected leadership of NAON and the administrative teams have continued to keep the association relevant and have maintained NAON as the recognized resource for orthopaedic nurses. It seems that Congress 2020 would be the time to celebrate our professional organization. Let's plan to party in Pittsburgh in June and Celebrate Good Times!