World Conference

Staff makes planning trip

On a planning trip to Lausanne, Switzerland, AORN staff members made arrangements for the second World Conference of Operating Room Nurses.

The Conference will be Aug 12 to 15,1980 at the Palais de Beaulieu in Lausanne.

On the 12-day planning trip were Michael D Corley, assistant executive directoribusiness; Caroline Rogers, director of membership; Julia A Kneedler, assistant director of education; and Sylvia Rottman, administrative assist- antlmeeting services.

Meeting with members of the Swiss Nurses Association, the AORN planning group talked with them about the Conference and found out the program interests of Swiss operating room nurses. The Swiss Nurses Association is made up of twelve geographical sections. There are no separate specialty organizations.

Staff met with Edna Chevalley, president of the Vaud-Valais section; Irene Huser, secre- tary of the Swiss Nurses Association; and

three OR nurses, Gabrielle Neeser, Nina Stir- nimann, and Ruth Sutter.

The Swiss nurses expressed interest in programs on small hospitals, orientation or training, and philosophy and dedication of nursing. Special problems they encounter in Switzerland include trauma from accidents and thyroidectomies-both suggested as top- ics. The nurses gave Kneedler, who is plan- ning the program, names of potential speak- ers.

In Geneva, Kneedler and Caroline Rogers met with Annette Bourret, information officer for the International Council of Nurses. From her they learned about the organization of nursing in Europe and Switzerland. A conver- sation with Marjorie Duvillard, president of the Geneva section of the Swiss Nurses Associa- tion, provided information about the continuing education needs of Swiss nurses. She said that Swiss nurses are concerned with new concepts of nurses as well as personal de-

At a meeting with Swiss nurses in Lausanne, Caroline Rogers (right) tells Nina Stirnimann (left) and Gabrielle Neeser about plans for the Conference

1144 AORN Journal, December 1979, Vol30, N o 6

Floodlit at night, the Palais de Beaulieu will be the site

of the Second World Conference of Operating

Room Nurses.

velopment. In Lausanne, the Headquarters group spent

two full days in the Convention Center making arrangements for the meeting, which is ex- pected to attract over 2,000 nurses. Meeting with local people, the staff arranged for regis- tration workers as well as personnel to handle the exhibits. Arrangements for translation of the program sessions were also made.

Facilities for the programs, luncheons, and administrative officers were selected. There will be limited shuttle bus service from hotels.

Rottman checked on most of the 27 hotels that will be providing rooms for the Convention. She reports that she solved the question of why Swiss hotels, especially deluxe, do not

The Enrico C will be the cruise ship for AORN travelers who willgo through the Adriatic from Venice to Athens.

always provide washcloths or soap. She was told that Europeans consider these items very personal and prefer to bring their own. Some Europeans have soap made for them. Towels, however, are provided and they are big. Al- though some rooms are not as spacious as those in this country, Rottman reports that they are extremely clean.

Kneedler and Rogers went on to Venice by train to inspect the Enrico C, the cruise ship for the post-Conference tour. Currently under re- furbishing, the ship, which can carry 900 per- sons, provides three pools and several enter- tainment areas. A public lounge area has been set aside for education programs to be offered on the cruise.

The post-Conference tour, Aug 16-26, in- cludes a seven-day cruise of the Adriatic from Venice, Italy, to Athens, Greece.

Special travel arrangements for AORN members and their families are available. For registration coupons and more information on the World Conference and tours, see the November AORN Journal or write to Meeting Services, AORN Headquarters, 101 70 E Mis- sissippi Ave, Denver, Colo 80231.

AORN Journal, December 1979, Vol30, No 6 1145