IFPN NewsletterIssue 1January 2003 Click here to download PDF version --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to a new style of newsletterHappy New Year to you all!The International Federation of Perioperative Nurses will post a newsletter on its website which may be downloaded and circulated within Perioperative communities, every two months.
We would be delighted to receive items of news from members and others, which are of interest to colleagues around the globe. Due to space limitations, these items should be short with reference to perhaps a national website for further details. If we are overwhelmed with items for inclusion, we shall consider how we may use the new website itself, to include longer pieces.
In the past, the Council of National Representatives meetings had an important agenda item in which members brought for discussion, issues of major nursing or perioperative concern in their countries. Much mutual support was gained from these discussions and subsequent information shared by other members.
World Congress, Hong Kong 2003August 17- 22
We are looking forward tremendously to the opportunities for sharing and gaining new knowledge from the conference.
IFPN will be shortly be planning the topics for the International Forum and Networking Sessions and would welcome suggestions for interesting subjects.
Extraordinary CNR meetingAn extra meeting of CNR will be held during the AORN Congress in Chicago. Date of the meeting is Tuesday, 25 March 2003, venue to be arranged. If you are expecting to be at the Congress, are not a member of IFPN but would like to attend the meeting to discover more, for the venue, please e mail ( in advance) or leave a message for Kate Woodhead or Sheila Allen at Congress message centre (At Congress).
4 Centre ResearchResearchers (IFPN members) in New Zealand, South Africa, UK and USA are currently undertaking the data gathering to investigate workplace relationships in the Perioperative setting.
We had hoped to present at the Conference of the International Council of Nurses in June 2003 but we have to be content with reporting findings in their journal.
A paper will be delivered at the European Operating room Nurses Conference in April 2003 in Crete to identify global comparisons and contrasting themes.
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New IFPN MemberZambia was warmly welcomed to membership of IFPN at the CNR meeting held in Harrogate, UK in October. The organization in Zambia has recently re-formed including a new constitution and many new members. ZOTNIG ( Zambian Theatre Nurses Interest Group) held its first AGM and voted Florence Chivembe as Chairperson and the rest of the Steering Group into substantive posts. Kate Woodhead had been teaching in Zambia during that week and was delighted to be welcomed together with colleague, Lesley Fudge as ZOTNIGs first overseas members!
IFPN GuidelinesFinally, the guidelines are at the printers and should soon be available as a down load from the website!
Available soon will be: Surgical Hand Scrubbing in the Perioperative Setting
General Hand Washing in the Perioperative Setting and
Skin Preparation of the surgical patient.
These have been published with the generous support of an educational grant from Regent.
Further guidelines are being prepared currently.
New Board elected in October 2002President - Kate Woodhead ( NATN)
Vice President - Brenda Ulmer ( AORN)
Secretary - Sheila Allen (AORN)
Treasurer - Mary Knight (ORNAC)
Board Member - Villie Pietersee (SATS)
Board Member - Susie Welch ( PFNZ)
Board Member - Kim McClennan Robbins
(ORNAC)
New Board members will meet for their first meeting in Chicago, USA.
Thanks for hard work and commitment were given to previous Board Members finishing their terms of office.
ICN AffiliationRegular news briefings related to ICN activities are emailed monthly to CNR members. It is the intention that IFPN should make comments and feedback to ICN any issues highlighted, which are relevant to Perioperative care.
CNR members are asked therefore to feedback to IFPN Board Members any thoughts that they may have following the briefings.
It is also planned that issues discussed at the International Forum in Hong Kong will be feedback to ICN.
The value of the ICN affiliation will be built upon and communication channels opened for continuous dialogue.
CNR members will shortly be sent minutes from the last meeting. A biennial survey to be completed by mid March and returned to ICN will ask for major Perioperative issues globally to be highlighted and also IFPNs concerns over the next few years. CNR assistance will be called for to supply information to ICN.
Website redevelopmentA shadow website is being developed to refresh the current IFPN website. Later in 2003 the new website will go live and will make global communication far easier. Access to minutes and documents will be available from www.ifpn.org.uk in a secure area. Newsletters will be posted and archived on the site.