Federation supports AANA; rejects self-study The Federation of Nursing Specialty Or. ganizations and ANA (American Nurses‘ Association) voted to support in principle the American Association of Nurse Anes- thetists (AANA) in its petition for continuing recognition as the accrediting body for schools and programs of nurse anesthesia.

This action was taken at a meeting of the Federation in Atlanta in January. The meeting was attended by AORN President Patricia Rogers and President-elect Sylvia Doyle.

In other action having direct effect on the future of the organization, the Federa- tion rejected a proposal presented by Jerome P Lysaught to establish an ad hoc committee to study the purposes and goals of the Federation. Lysaught, professor of education, medical education, and preven- tive medicine at the University of Rochester, i s former director of the National Commis- sion for the Study of Nursing and Nursing Education.

A letter in support of AANA was drafted and sent to John Proffitt, director. of ac- creditation and institutions eligibility, Of-

A letter i s drafted in support of AANA petition for confinued recognition as accrediting agency.

fice of Postsecondary Education, Office of Education, US Department of Health, Ed- ucation, and Welfare (HEW).

The letter was a result of a plea by AANA for support in its fight against the physician-anesthesiologist challenge to the Association’s accreditation authority and capability as recognized by the Office of Education.

Ira Gunn, project manager of AANA, told the Federation that the challenge to AANA‘s accreditation had implications for the whole of nursing. “Credentialing mech- anism i s one way of controlling a group. If medicine can control nursing credentialing through accreditation of nursing educa- tional programs, then physicians will be in a position of controlling nursing,” she said. “The nurse anesthetist‘s vulnerability i s nursing’s vulnerability.”

She pointed out that nurse anesthetists administer 50% of the anesthesia in the nation today. In many areas they function without an anesthesiologist’s consultation or supervision. One criteria of an accredited program is that the nurse anesthetist must be capable of functioning without an anes- thesiologist.

AANA has been recognized nationally as the accrediting agency for nurse anes- thesia programs since 1955. Ms Gunn ex- plained that each agency must petition

AORN Journal, March 1975, Vol 21, N o 4 601

AORN President-elect Sylvia Doyle (standing) and Prc-ident Patricia Rogers (right) assist Ira Gunn, AANA project manager, in drafting letter to HEW.

HEW every four years for continuing recog- nition and that other agencies can chal- lenge any accrediting agency.

Ms Gunn reported there would be a meeting in March at HEW and asked the group's support. Although the Federation does not consider itself a decision-making organization, most members felt they could support in principle the AANA position. Two organizations abstained.

In a move affecting its basic philosophy, the Federation rejected Lysaught's proposal to undertake a formal study of the Federa- tion "in order to make continuing progress toward the lofty aims originally enunci- ated." He proposed a five-member ad hac committee to study the objectives and or- ganization of the Federation and develop a five-year plan. The proposal designated Dr Lysaught as consultant and advisor to the committee. The estimated $25,000 for the six-month study, he said, would come from industry and a foundation.

The proposal aroused resentment from several members but interested some who have felt frustrated by what they see as in- action by the Federation.

Looking back at the historical beginnings of the Federation, which was initiated by ANA in 1972, ANA President Rosamond Gabrielson said, "We wanted to communi- cate what was happening in ANA and co- operate and collaborate with the specialty organizations.''

She recalled that at the second meeting in January 1973 at San Clemente "there was an intent that this would be a super organization, but the Federation did not want to go in that direction."

Critical of the proposal, Ms Gabrielson said that it was untenable that it had been presented with no advance notice to the Federation. Federation guidelines state that agenda items must be submitted six weeks prior to the meeting. The proposal had not been submitted prior to the meeting, and it had not been discussed specifically with any of the members. Ms Gabrielson moved that the proposal be rejected.

Less controversial was discussion on cer- tification, continuing education, and nurs- ing standards which took up much of the day-and-a-half meeting.

Speaking on ANA's program for cer- tification for excellence in practice, Pearl Dunkley, ANA deputy executive director, reported that certification i s being devel- oped on two levels; one for the generalist and a second for the specialist who i s pre- pared at the graduate level. To date, 99 nurses have been certified, and ANA has spent $1.2 million over a six-year period to develop the program.

The medicaVsurgical nursing examina- tion i s expected to be given in January 1976. The morning part of the exam will be multiple choice questions on general med- ical/surgical content. In the afternoon, modules will be offered in cardiopulmonary, renal metabolic, neuro muscular orthopedic, and general medicaVsurgical nursing.

602 AORN Journal, March 1975, Vol 21, N o 4

Mrs Rogers reported on AORN's con- tinuing cooperation with ANA to develop a module on OR nursing for the medical/ surgical exam. She will give a full report on this activity at the AORN Congress House of Delegates meeting, and it will be published in the post-Congress Journal.

Each organization reported on its con- tinuing education activities which include meetings, workshops, postgraduate courses, and refresher courses for practitioners who have been out of practice for three years.

Speaking on ANA's activities, Dr Dunkley referred to the resolution passed by the ANA House of Delegates in June that the Board of Directors immediately begin ac- creditation of continuing education pro- grams and also initiate a feasibility study on accrediting basic and graduate educa- tion programs.

She told the Federation that the ANA Commission on Education has held two con- ferences to study accreditation of basic and graduate study. Most recently, ANA, the National League for Nursing (NLN), the American Association of Colleges of Nurs- ing, and other interested organizations met in New Orleans.

The conferees recommended a study on the whole of credentialing including ac- creditation, certification, licensing, and all other credentialing processes with the hope that there would be cohesiveness within the nursing profession on credentialing. ANA and NLN would be joint sponsors of the study and nursing specialty organizations, and others would be invited to participate as cooperative organizations. The proposal i s now being studied by the ANA Commis- sion on Education and will be submitted to the ANA Board of Directors.

Dr Dunkley told the Federation that ANA has continued to move with all due speed on accreditation of continuing education. Under a proposed model for accrediting continuing education in nursing, ANA re- gional accrediting committees would ap-

prove organizations such as AORN, state nursing associations, the military and vet- erans administration to approve their own programs.

Implementation of standards of nursing practice are a priority for ANA, according to Dr Dunkley.

Mrs Rogers reported that AORN has de- veloped Standards of Nursing Practice: Operating Room in collaboration with ANA.

During 1975, AORN will present national seminars on the audit process to help op- erating room nurses implement the stand- ards.

The next meeting of the Federation, hosted by AANA will be in June in Chicago.

Elinor S Schrader

Regional insfifufe in Bos+on in May "Tell i t as it is-the human side of operating room nursing," will be the theme of the AORN regional institute in Boston on May 9 and 10.

at the Prudential Center, the institute will be presented by Massachusetts AORN Chapter 1. The program will deal with self-actualization and motivation as related to OR nursing.

To be held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel

Toronfo nurses +o convene The Operating Room Nurses of Greater Toronto will hold i t s ninth conference on April 21 -23 at the Skyline Hotel, Toronto, Canada.

624 Tedwyn Dr, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5A 1K2.

Inquiries may be sent to Dixie O'Sullivan,

604 AORN Journal, March 1975, Vol 21, No 4