Active vs associate AORN membership
The status of active or associate membership in AORN continues to be confusing. It is important that the two categories be clearly understood so that members will be classified correctly and chapters will have maximum delegate representation at Congress. An understanding also offers potential for chapter growth through recruitment of associate members. For comparison, the following definitions are taken from the National Bylaws of AORN: Active 1. A registered professional nurse who is actively engaged in operating room nursing, either full or part time, working in a supervisory, teaching, or general staff capacity in the operating room area. 2. A registered professional nurse who is an active member and wishes to engage in formal nursing education and/or operating room research, either full or part time, may retain active status upon recommendation from the local chapter, approved by the national credentials committee, and subject to annual review. Associate 1. A registered professional nurse who is inactive in nursing, but who was an operating room nurse immediately prior to becoming inactive. 2. A registered professional nuse engaged in an allied field of nursing who has special skills or knowledge relative to operating room nursing. Active status is based on job description. It
should not be confused in any way with active participation in AORN activities whether it be on the local or national level. Chapter members may have active or associate status depending on their individual job description. The same categories of status are true for members-at-large.A popular misconception is that members-at-large are associate members. AORN National Bylaws stipulate that a nurse living or working in an area where there is a local chapter must hold membership in a chapter convenient to the member. A nurse living in an area where there is no local AORN chapter is classified as a member-at-large.There is one exception: military personnel who are subject to frequent transfers have the option of joining a chapter if there is one in the area in which they are stationed or they may request member-at-largestatus. Who is eligible for active status? Regardless of the title a nurse may have, any job description that denotes involvement with operating room nursing, whether it be scrubbing, circulating, teaching, supervising, directing inservice education in the operating area, or environmental control in the OR, qualifies that nurse for active status. The bylaws further state that a nurse working in these areas full time or part time is eligible for active status. A specific time limitation describing part time is not made because of the variables involved. The credentials committee decides how much time is part time and makes a ruling on individual cases. A letter to Headquarters will obtain a ruling for any chapter or individual nurse who has
AORN Journal, October 1975, V o l 2 2 , No 4
567
questions about the eligibility of a particular part-time position. In addition to operating room employment, other positions qualify for active status. Many hospitals have a special services department where procedures are performed requiring strict aseptic practice, for example, insertion of cardiac catheters or pacemakers. Nurses who work in these departments and scrub or circulate for special procedures are eligible for active status.These special rooms may or may not be in the OR suite. In addition, more nurses are being employed as members of the infection control committee or epidemiologists. By virtue of their job descriptions, they are as involved in nursing in the OR as most OR supervisors; that is, they do not scrub or circulate per se but must be thoroughly knowledgeable of all facets of OR nursing. They, too, may claim active status. Check your job description. Many nurses, whose position title does not indicate OR nursing, scrub and circulate as part of their job description. For example, a nurse working in the labor and delivery room scrubs or circulates because it is the policy of that hospital to perform the cesarean sections in the OB department delivery rooms. Also, hospitals are increasingly reassigning vaginal surgery and minor gynecologic surgery to the delivery room suites to relieve the OR schedule. These nurses are entitled to active status. Many hospitals utilize the recovery room staff as backup for relief in the OR for lunch, vacation, and on call. These nurses, primarily employed staff for the recovery room, would qualify for active status in AORN because of their part-time commitment in the OR area. Some hospitals require their recovery room or intensive care unit staffs or both to rotate in the operating room for one week out of six; these nurses are eligible for active status. Many hospitals have active emergency rooms with staffs capable of maintaining minor surgery schedules for out-patients. Nurses employed in emergency rooms with such activities written into their job descriptions qualify for active status. In small rural hospitals, it is common practice for the nurse anesthetist to scrub or circulate in the OR when not required to give anesthesia. She then becomes eligible for active status.
570
A director of nurses in the same hospital might be required to be the RN during surgical procedures in addition to her usual duties as nursing service director. This active participation in OR duties makes her eligible for active status. In each of these situations, it is important that the applicant for membership clearly indicate on the membership application that, in addition to the usual job r e quirements under her title, she also has specific OR duties. This can be done simply by writing “+OR’ after the code that describes the title of her position. The following list of titles may be used as a guide for establishing status eligibility for AORN membership: Active status (coded 1) OR supervisor, OR director, OR nursing coordinator assistant OR supervisor, OR director, OR nursing coordinator OR head nurse, assistant OR head nurse, OR team leader, charge nurse OR staff nurse (scrub or circulator) OR clinical instructor (whether teaching RNs, student nurses, or surgical technicians) OR inservice education (whether teaching RNs, student nurses, or medical students) private scrub nurse administrative OR supervisor medical-surgicalinstructor in OR nursing director and assistant director of OR nursing services infection control team member epidemiologist surgical assistant Associate status (coded 2) nurse anesthetist (unless they do dual performances such as scrubbing or circulating, then they are active) recovery room nurse (unless they relieve in OR as needed, then they are active) emergency room nurse (in cases where minor surgery is done as a scheduled procedure routine, they are active) OB labor and delivery nurse (unless cesarean sections and/or vaginal surgery are done in the delivery room, then they are active) industrial nurse, nurses working for surgical supply companies director of nursing service (if they take OR
AORN Journal, October 1975, Vol22, N o 4
call or cover in OR as needed in small hospitals, they are active) assistant director of nursing service RN hospital administrators and assistant RN hospital administrators Nurses in surgical care or surgical rehabilitation units ICU or coronary care units central supply Where RR-ER-OB nurse anesthetists do actual work in the OR as well must be clearly noted on the application or dues notice. Ifthere are other titles currently being used not included in the above list, the credentials committee will rule on the status. Simply submit a brief job description of the position to the committee. What does associate status mean? A finite interpretation of the definition of associate status in the AORN bylaws should further clarify all aspects of the status. Members who qualify for associate status have all the rights and privileges of active status except two: holding an elective office and serving as a delegate to the annual Congress. They do have the right to vote, make motions, and enter into discussion during business meetings on the local level; they may chair and serve on local committees and serve on national committees. These two exceptions to their privileges in no way hinder their active participation in all local chapter activities. In fact, they have much to contribute to the chapter by sharing their expertise with all chapter members to round out the educational advantages of chapter membership. Dues for associate members are the same as for active members. Why have an associate status category at all? The AORN Board believes it is important for all nurses working in the areas that fall into the associate status categories to be knowledgeable about surgery and surgical procedures, aseptic technique and infection control, etc., if they have any involvement with an operative patient. To give the best possible health care to the total patient, a nurse must keep current with the latest advances and technology relative to surgery. Therefore, AORN has much to offer these nurses educationally through the organization. At the same time, AORN feels that as an association primarily geared to ac-
complish the stated goals in the bylaws, the policy making and ’governing body of the association, (the elected officials) must be nurses whose nursing activities are within the perimeters of OR nursing. An organization whose leaders have been out of touch with the realities and practicalities involved with the goals and objectives of that organization will not be strong. As chapter members, associate members are eligible to vote for delegates to represent them at the House of Delegates meetings. They have the responsibility to make their wishes and needs known to the chapter delegate who in tum has the responsibility to take this information to the National AORN Board of Directors at the business sessions during Congress. How a chapter’s delegates vote on the floor of the House of Delegates should be a reflection of the wishes of all members of the chapter. Treasurer’s responsibility. A primary function of every local chapter treasurer is initialing all new member applications before submitting these applications to Headquarters for processing. The National Bylaws stipulate under Article Ill-Membership and DuesSection 5-8-2, “The completed membership application is initialed by the local treasurer and forwarded by her with the member’s local and national dues to Headquarters.” The reason the treasurer initials the application after the member has completed the form is so the treasurer may venfy that the applicant is a registered professional nurse and also to be cognizant of the proper status to which the applicant is entitled. In situations where there may be some ambiguity, it is incumbent on the local treasurer to make a notation on the application that will aid the clerical staff at Headquarters in properly coding the new member. Proper coding for status will eliminate possible future problems for the chapter. Incorrect coding could result in erroneous computation of eligible delegates for the chapter. Individuals may also be denied the right to be a candidate for office if they are incorrectly coded. Clarifying the status coding of members should assist recruitment on the local level and promote greater harmony among the chapter members.
Caroline Rogers, RN Director of Membership
AORN Journal, October 1975, V o l 2 2 , N o 4
571
The status of active or associate membership in AORN continues to be confusing. It is important that the two categories be clearly understood so that members will be classified correctly and chapters will have maximum delegate representation at Congress. An understanding also offers potential for chapter growth through recruitment of associate members. For comparison, the following definitions are taken from the National Bylaws of AORN: Active 1. A registered professional nurse who is actively engaged in operating room nursing, either full or part time, working in a supervisory, teaching, or general staff capacity in the operating room area. 2. A registered professional nurse who is an active member and wishes to engage in formal nursing education and/or operating room research, either full or part time, may retain active status upon recommendation from the local chapter, approved by the national credentials committee, and subject to annual review. Associate 1. A registered professional nurse who is inactive in nursing, but who was an operating room nurse immediately prior to becoming inactive. 2. A registered professional nuse engaged in an allied field of nursing who has special skills or knowledge relative to operating room nursing. Active status is based on job description. It
should not be confused in any way with active participation in AORN activities whether it be on the local or national level. Chapter members may have active or associate status depending on their individual job description. The same categories of status are true for members-at-large.A popular misconception is that members-at-large are associate members. AORN National Bylaws stipulate that a nurse living or working in an area where there is a local chapter must hold membership in a chapter convenient to the member. A nurse living in an area where there is no local AORN chapter is classified as a member-at-large.There is one exception: military personnel who are subject to frequent transfers have the option of joining a chapter if there is one in the area in which they are stationed or they may request member-at-largestatus. Who is eligible for active status? Regardless of the title a nurse may have, any job description that denotes involvement with operating room nursing, whether it be scrubbing, circulating, teaching, supervising, directing inservice education in the operating area, or environmental control in the OR, qualifies that nurse for active status. The bylaws further state that a nurse working in these areas full time or part time is eligible for active status. A specific time limitation describing part time is not made because of the variables involved. The credentials committee decides how much time is part time and makes a ruling on individual cases. A letter to Headquarters will obtain a ruling for any chapter or individual nurse who has
AORN Journal, October 1975, V o l 2 2 , No 4
567
questions about the eligibility of a particular part-time position. In addition to operating room employment, other positions qualify for active status. Many hospitals have a special services department where procedures are performed requiring strict aseptic practice, for example, insertion of cardiac catheters or pacemakers. Nurses who work in these departments and scrub or circulate for special procedures are eligible for active status.These special rooms may or may not be in the OR suite. In addition, more nurses are being employed as members of the infection control committee or epidemiologists. By virtue of their job descriptions, they are as involved in nursing in the OR as most OR supervisors; that is, they do not scrub or circulate per se but must be thoroughly knowledgeable of all facets of OR nursing. They, too, may claim active status. Check your job description. Many nurses, whose position title does not indicate OR nursing, scrub and circulate as part of their job description. For example, a nurse working in the labor and delivery room scrubs or circulates because it is the policy of that hospital to perform the cesarean sections in the OB department delivery rooms. Also, hospitals are increasingly reassigning vaginal surgery and minor gynecologic surgery to the delivery room suites to relieve the OR schedule. These nurses are entitled to active status. Many hospitals utilize the recovery room staff as backup for relief in the OR for lunch, vacation, and on call. These nurses, primarily employed staff for the recovery room, would qualify for active status in AORN because of their part-time commitment in the OR area. Some hospitals require their recovery room or intensive care unit staffs or both to rotate in the operating room for one week out of six; these nurses are eligible for active status. Many hospitals have active emergency rooms with staffs capable of maintaining minor surgery schedules for out-patients. Nurses employed in emergency rooms with such activities written into their job descriptions qualify for active status. In small rural hospitals, it is common practice for the nurse anesthetist to scrub or circulate in the OR when not required to give anesthesia. She then becomes eligible for active status.
570
A director of nurses in the same hospital might be required to be the RN during surgical procedures in addition to her usual duties as nursing service director. This active participation in OR duties makes her eligible for active status. In each of these situations, it is important that the applicant for membership clearly indicate on the membership application that, in addition to the usual job r e quirements under her title, she also has specific OR duties. This can be done simply by writing “+OR’ after the code that describes the title of her position. The following list of titles may be used as a guide for establishing status eligibility for AORN membership: Active status (coded 1) OR supervisor, OR director, OR nursing coordinator assistant OR supervisor, OR director, OR nursing coordinator OR head nurse, assistant OR head nurse, OR team leader, charge nurse OR staff nurse (scrub or circulator) OR clinical instructor (whether teaching RNs, student nurses, or surgical technicians) OR inservice education (whether teaching RNs, student nurses, or medical students) private scrub nurse administrative OR supervisor medical-surgicalinstructor in OR nursing director and assistant director of OR nursing services infection control team member epidemiologist surgical assistant Associate status (coded 2) nurse anesthetist (unless they do dual performances such as scrubbing or circulating, then they are active) recovery room nurse (unless they relieve in OR as needed, then they are active) emergency room nurse (in cases where minor surgery is done as a scheduled procedure routine, they are active) OB labor and delivery nurse (unless cesarean sections and/or vaginal surgery are done in the delivery room, then they are active) industrial nurse, nurses working for surgical supply companies director of nursing service (if they take OR
AORN Journal, October 1975, Vol22, N o 4
call or cover in OR as needed in small hospitals, they are active) assistant director of nursing service RN hospital administrators and assistant RN hospital administrators Nurses in surgical care or surgical rehabilitation units ICU or coronary care units central supply Where RR-ER-OB nurse anesthetists do actual work in the OR as well must be clearly noted on the application or dues notice. Ifthere are other titles currently being used not included in the above list, the credentials committee will rule on the status. Simply submit a brief job description of the position to the committee. What does associate status mean? A finite interpretation of the definition of associate status in the AORN bylaws should further clarify all aspects of the status. Members who qualify for associate status have all the rights and privileges of active status except two: holding an elective office and serving as a delegate to the annual Congress. They do have the right to vote, make motions, and enter into discussion during business meetings on the local level; they may chair and serve on local committees and serve on national committees. These two exceptions to their privileges in no way hinder their active participation in all local chapter activities. In fact, they have much to contribute to the chapter by sharing their expertise with all chapter members to round out the educational advantages of chapter membership. Dues for associate members are the same as for active members. Why have an associate status category at all? The AORN Board believes it is important for all nurses working in the areas that fall into the associate status categories to be knowledgeable about surgery and surgical procedures, aseptic technique and infection control, etc., if they have any involvement with an operative patient. To give the best possible health care to the total patient, a nurse must keep current with the latest advances and technology relative to surgery. Therefore, AORN has much to offer these nurses educationally through the organization. At the same time, AORN feels that as an association primarily geared to ac-
complish the stated goals in the bylaws, the policy making and ’governing body of the association, (the elected officials) must be nurses whose nursing activities are within the perimeters of OR nursing. An organization whose leaders have been out of touch with the realities and practicalities involved with the goals and objectives of that organization will not be strong. As chapter members, associate members are eligible to vote for delegates to represent them at the House of Delegates meetings. They have the responsibility to make their wishes and needs known to the chapter delegate who in tum has the responsibility to take this information to the National AORN Board of Directors at the business sessions during Congress. How a chapter’s delegates vote on the floor of the House of Delegates should be a reflection of the wishes of all members of the chapter. Treasurer’s responsibility. A primary function of every local chapter treasurer is initialing all new member applications before submitting these applications to Headquarters for processing. The National Bylaws stipulate under Article Ill-Membership and DuesSection 5-8-2, “The completed membership application is initialed by the local treasurer and forwarded by her with the member’s local and national dues to Headquarters.” The reason the treasurer initials the application after the member has completed the form is so the treasurer may venfy that the applicant is a registered professional nurse and also to be cognizant of the proper status to which the applicant is entitled. In situations where there may be some ambiguity, it is incumbent on the local treasurer to make a notation on the application that will aid the clerical staff at Headquarters in properly coding the new member. Proper coding for status will eliminate possible future problems for the chapter. Incorrect coding could result in erroneous computation of eligible delegates for the chapter. Individuals may also be denied the right to be a candidate for office if they are incorrectly coded. Clarifying the status coding of members should assist recruitment on the local level and promote greater harmony among the chapter members.
Caroline Rogers, RN Director of Membership
AORN Journal, October 1975, V o l 2 2 , N o 4
571
