It's hard to believe November is here; 2007 has flown by so fast. November is the month to celebrate our field during Perioperative Nurse Week (Novem-ber 11 to 17). This special week supports the profession by educating the public about the perioperative nursing role.
As Editor-in-Chief of OR Nurse 2007, I find myself in a unique position to offer education in a public forum. But discussing the topic of perioperative nursing to our readers is "preaching to the choir." We perioperative nurses are clear on the role we play in patient care, with both our OR team members and each other. We have the opportunity to educate not only the public, but our nursing colleagues as well. This is a great time to reflect on how we present our profession. I'd venture to suggest that most of us are passionate about the service we provide. But can we articulate our role to others? How do we promote or market our profession to express the value we provide?
Becoming the OR brand
During Perioperative Nurse Week, we see perioperative nurses setting up booths in shopping malls, giving testimonials on the radio, and, as in my case, detailing our duties in journals and other media. But we also educate the public in less obvious ways.
By providing a service, we offer the public a unique perspective into a potential experience. Many times we have friends, family members, and others who know we work in surgery, that ask us to help them find surgeons, understand procedures, and explain the roles of the various team members in the OR. In addition, we share information with nursing students, high school students, and others who may be considering perioperative nursing as a profession.
These are situations where we can "market" our profession. We are sharing with the public the value our services provide. By marketing our services, we, as individuals, become associated with the profession. We become the "brand" for perioperative nursing. For this reason, it's important that we speak clearly about the expertise we provide, which may take some time to develop.
Some of us may not feel comfortable in promoting ourselves or our profession, and consider it bragging. However, it isn't bragging to tell others how our practice affects patient outcomes. Connecting our service to the provision of safety in the environment, being vigilant guardians of patient care, facilitating communication between disciplines, demonstrating knowledge of surgical techniques, and surgical asepsis are just a few of the ways we serve our patients. These are the skills and expertise we bring to the table.
Preparation, packaging, presentation
In Marketing Yourself Is a Core Competency, the author suggests preparation, packaging, and presentation as techniques in marketing ourselves.1
Taking the opportunity to examine our role and defining the unique talents we contribute to our patients will help us project a positive image of perioperative nursing. Developing our skills through further education, staying current on emerging technology, and creating and maintaining alliances with others in our profession demonstrates commitment to perioperative nursing. Using good interpersonal skills and showcasing our talents presents a professional impact to the public. Publication, volunteerism, and public speaking are other ways we can share and showcase our unique talents.
Having the passion and believing we're important is the first step toward marketing our profession. I invite you to share your talents with the public and each other. Perioperative Nurse Week is our time to showcase our skills and celebrate our contributions.
Elizabeth M. Thompson, RN, CNOR, MSN
Editor-in-Chief, Nursing Education Specialist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. [email protected]
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