Good morning. What we now know as the Infusion Nurses Society started 35 years ago, with a small group of infusion nurses who challenged the norm, looked at things in a different way, and never looked back. Thanks to them and the many leaders before me, our Society has evolved to become the global authority in infusion therapy and continues to set and maintain the standards for infusion care. This morning, it is with great pride and honor that I stand before you and humbly accept the presidency of the organization that I deeply cherish.
"Innovation: An Approach to Infusion Excellence" is the theme I have selected for my term. Reflected in my theme are 2 values of our organization, excellence and innovation. Excellence is the state of possessing high levels of good qualities that enable us to provide quality care to our patients. Excellence is a state we, as infusion nurses, have worked hard to achieve and will continue to maintain and exceed. Our commitment to infusion excellence is evidenced by our strong certification program through the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation. As a specialty nursing organization, we promote excellence in practice by professional accountability through the Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice.
Innovation is the change that creates a new dimension of performance and is what we do to get to that point of excellence. Much of what we practice today in our specialty is based on innovations that have occurred in the past and provided us with the standards of care we carry out on a daily basis. As changes in the healthcare industry affect us, as healthcare providers, it is imperative that our specialty keep pace with those changes and maintain infusion excellence through innovation. Innovation in technology, technique, thought, and process are approaches that are integral to our role as infusion specialists.
Technological innovation is an area familiar to us as infusion nurses and has played an important role in our practice. During the past few days of this annual meeting, we have seen presentations and industrial exhibits that provided us with new technologies, new information, and new products. These innovations are designed to assist us in providing excellent infusion care to our patients. New technology, new information, and new products yield superior results, best practices, and excellence. As technology becomes more sophisticated, some of us may become intimidated and withdraw from it. Let us learn instead to embrace it, not only as a means to improve the care we provide to our patients, but also as a method to advance and improve ourselves professionally. Advances in computer and Internet technology have opened up many new learning opportunities. As members of INS, we have access to many Web-based continuing education programs. I encourage each of you to take advantage of the innovative educational opportunities offered by our organization.
Innovation in technique is a companion to technological innovation. With new technology comes a new way of doing things. Change is difficult, and often our hesitation to adopt new ways of doing things is dismissed as technology failure. Let's not be quick to jump to that conclusion; instead, let's look at research that provides the evidence upon which we base our interventions and structure our clinical practice. INS is diligently working on research priorities that are of the greatest importance to our specialty and you, the members, who will have the opportunity to participate and apply the evidence to your practice.
Innovation is not limited to technology or technique but rather stretches out across many different areas. Innovation of process means approaching things in a more efficient and effective way. Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things. Understand the process of how and why things are done within our specialty as well as in your own workplace. Think of ways you can make a difference. Innovation of thought is the way we need to think. Changing the way we think may be uncomfortable for even the most talented individuals, but innovation of thought and process are critical components that lead to successful outcomes. Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come more effective action.
In our pursuit of infusion excellence, let's continue to network and get involved with our local chapters and at the national level. The local INS chapters continue to grow and maintain membership, thanks to the chapter leadership and support from the INS staff. I encourage you to continue your involvement with your local INS chapter and create an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership, knowledge, and expertise. One of my goals during my term is to promote chapter growth by increasing our support and visibility at the chapter level. To accomplish this, members of the INS Board of Directors will make themselves available to attend and participate in chapter functions.
At the national level, get involved and make a difference. Many opportunities await you; consider volunteering for the various INS committees and task forces or even running for office. Let's lead by example and continue to share our expertise, knowledge, and standards of practice with colleagues from other specialties in the United States and around the world, so they too can learn and advance the practice of infusion nursing.
I chose nursing as my career path, and infusion therapy is the passion I found within. Over the years, my experiences in infusion nursing, along with the learning opportunities and benefits I gained from my involvement with INS, have been extremely rewarding both personally and professionally. Now it's time to give back, and I look forward to serving as your president. Thank you to our CEO, Mary Alexander, to the INS Board of Directors, and to you, our members, for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime.
Peter Drucker, one of the leading authorities on innovation, has said: "The only thing we know about our future is that it will be different and the best way to predict our future is to create it." I invite you to join me over the next year, as we continue to define the standards of practice for infusion nursing by promoting infusion excellence and innovation through evidence-based practice that will continue to ensure patient safety and successful outcomes. I look forward to your continued commitment to INS, to the value each of you as an infusion nurse contributes to the healthcare industry and to our specialty. Together, let us use the opportunities and challenges that innovation brings as an approach to enhance infusion excellence and create a prosperous future for our profession and our specialty.
Thank you for joining us this morning. Enjoy the rest of the day and let us all be proud to be infusion nurses!!