CCI Board President - Michelle Byrne, RN, PhD, CNOR
I look forward to serving CCI as your president to continue to contribute to future initiatives promoting competency and credentialing in nursing. Nursing knowledge and practice is changing at a rapid pace, and it is important for CCI to anticipate future needs of perioperative professionals supporting resources for safe patient care. As an academic educator and board certified perioperative nurse, assessment and competency are embedded in my philosophy of nursing and teaching. I have worked with CCI for many years on various research initiatives including the new evidence based portfolio as an option for recertification.
In addition, my participation in the innovative Think Tanks that addressed patient safety and health care competency has broadened my knowledge of these issues while facilitating future interdisciplinary work groups. I will represent certified perioperative nurses at the ABNS research summit as well as at the National Nursing Quality and Safety Alliance. Nurses must collaborate with each other to make a difference in the complex arena of health care.
I have truly appreciated working with colleagues at CCI, as this organization has proven to be proactive rather than reactive. It is a pleasure to serve and work with colleagues in all the various endeavors of this organization. I hope all nurses value certification as a way to increase their knowledge, skills and abilities to promote excellence in their day to day practice.
CCI President-Elect - Larry L. Asplin, RN, MS, CNOR, RT(R)
From my very first committee work as an Item Reviewer for CCI, I knew that I'd found an avenue for my passion --- to enhance a life-long career that includes the provision of quality, safe patient care within the surgical environment. Such care of the mind, body and spirit of the patients we serve can best be enhanced through distinct educational endeavors with subsequent certification, and to be directly involved with fulfilling the mission of CCI towards the promotion of safe, quality care is truly the highlight of my career.
It was and continues to be a wonderful honor to be elected and serve on the Board of CCI, where my commitment to the ongoing development of testing parameters for all levels of education, from entry level to advanced degrees within the Perioperative arena of care, will be important. Ongoing competency assessment is instrumental in providing the necessary evidence-based education and subsequent proof that knowledge towards safe patient care is the basis of every healthcare practitioner. This continuum of safe, quality Perioperative care is multifaceted, requiring consistent assessment in competency to provide the care that we ourselves would demand. I am honored to be a part of such an assessment process in outstanding patient care parameters.
I strongly encourage others to submit a willingness-to-serve form --- the learning process and friendships gained will serve you well into the future!
CCI Secretary-Treasurer - Dawn Yost, RDH, RN, BSN, CNOR
During my career, I have had many mentors. They have taught me the value of being passionate about the health care profession and about setting goals. The passion comes from striving to be the best you can be in your chosen field and to accept challenges as opportunities to gain knowledge, to increase skill and to move outside your comfort zone. Setting goals helps establishes a guideline, gives direction, and provides a road map to travel into your future.
Being involved at a national level began for me many years ago, when one of my mentors was visiting my hospital and we were discussing our work lives and professional careers. She suggested that I complete a “willingness to serve” form with CCI (then NCB-PNI) and for me, that opened a new road to travel. This road has led me to complete more “willingness to serve forms” and helped me to grow and learn with each committee I have had the opportunity to serve.
I am exceeding honored and privileged to have this opportunity to serve on the CCI Board to enhance the role modeling through insightful leadership and promote comprehensive perioperative competencies that promote safe, quality patient care in the perioperative environment.
I challenge each and every one of you to seek the endless opportunities that await you and yearly complete the “willingness to serve” forms. The roads open to travel are many and each road you travel will provide unlimited opportunities and exciting challenges for you!
CCI CRNFA Test Development Liaison - Nancy L.M. Lilliott, RN, MSN, NP, CNOR, CRNFA
I credit studying for my CNOR exam in the late 1980s as a turning point in my nursing career. Frankly the preparation I required woke up my brain and inspired me to continue on with my education. Two years after taking the first CRNFA exam in 1993, I sent a Willingness-To-Serve form to CBPN and was selected to be an item writer for the CRNFA exam. Since them I have served on other committees involved with the CRNFA exam. Each experience with peers on the committees, CBPN board members and CBPN staff has been a very positive one. It is obvious that this group is dedicated and committed to excellence in the credentialing process of all perioperative nurses.
I am honored to have been elected to CCI’s Board of Directors to serve as your representative. I know that life-long learning is part of the certification process. And certified nurses reflect this life-long learning in their practice with patients. “This commitment to every patient every day makes the difference” and is truly a win-win situation for everyone.
I encourage you to consider volunteering to contribute your special skills on CCI’s various committees. It promises to be a fun, stimulating and valuable exposure to the credentialing process.
CCI Board Membe - Joyce A. Cox, RN, MSN, CNOR, CRNFA, CNP
As the newest board member, I want to thank you for electing me to serve. As I prepared to go to Congress 2009 in Chicago, I was overtaken with excitement as I was anticipating my orientation to CCI’s Board of Directors. Not knowing what to expect, I dutifully read my manual from cover to cover before the meeting. I must say, my initial experience with this board showed me that hard work AND fun can be used in the same sentence.
I have served on other boards where many words were spoken, but little was accomplished. At my orientation, it became obvious that my future with this CCI board will be both rewarding and productive.
I look forward to continued growth and learning as we ultimately strive to ensure safe patient care. I am thrilled that I took the risk and filled out that initial willingness-to-serve form so many years ago!
Just remember what famous hockey player, Wayne Gretzky said…..”You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.
CCI Board Member - Nancy Ann DiCicco, RN, MSN, CNOR
It is with great pleasure for me to accept the position on the Board of Directors for CCI. I am honored and very proud to have been elected to serve. This obviously will be the highlight of my nursing career. I will take this responsibility seriously because I know and believe in the importance and value of certification of perioperative nurses. Originally I sought certification because I love a challenge and felt that I needed to grow both personally and professionally. As a CNOR I have a commitment to my career providing the best and safest quality patient care according to the AORN standards of practice, which supports professional credibility and accountability. I value my certification. It is definitely rewarding and has improved my self-worth. I have gained respect and recognition from other professionals and peers as well as the hospital administration.
Because healthcare is constantly changing, the certification process also needs to continue to change, grow and advance in order for perioperative nurses to continue to provide safe quality care to our patients. I look forward to the opportunity of participating in our professional credentialing process, meeting the challenges of this new adventure, expanding my own knowledge, supporting a high level of perioperative standards and contributing to the mission of CCI.
By submitting a willingness-to-serve form, you can also become a part of your perioperative peer network, which is striving for perfection of our nursing profession through standardization of credentials and competencies.
CCI Board Member - Kathryn Schroeter, RN, PhD, CNOR
While on a trip to Disneyworld, I entered the American Pavilion at Epcot Center and was drawn to a quotation on the wall by author and philosopher, Ayn Rand, who said, "Throughout the centuries, there were men (and women) who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision."
In today's global society, to take those first steps down those new roads, requires a vision that can focus from various perspectives. A multifaceted "vision" is important to understand the perspectives of our certificants and our patients in order to ensure that their needs and concerns will be addressed adequately.
I think that the CCI Board represents a point of view that must be open to see all that there is in the big picture and not ignore our key focus on patient care. Our vision as professional perioperative nurses must reflect, ultimately, and always, on our patients - for what we do…we do for them.
Audre Lorde, an American poet, wrote that "Our visions begin with our desires". As perioperative nurses, we desire to provide care for our patients, we desire that surgical patients have access to perioperative nurses for their care, and we desire our place in the future of nursing. I believe that certification is one means to this end.
But desire and vision are not enough…it takes action and advocacy to make our vision a reality. Our future begins here and now, with the voices and the vision of those chosen to represent our profession, our practice, and underlying it all--our patients. I feel very privileged to have this opportunity to use my voice and vision for our present and future.
CCI CNOR Test Development Liaison - Pamela D. Gorgone, RN, BSN, CNOR
My interest in Certification came as a result of my desire to provide my patients with the best care possible and to be able to validate my competency to do this through a credential. My decision to become involved with the Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI) was to extend this commitment to influence the quality and safe care of all patients in the perioperative setting. The work at CCI facilitates this goal through education, research and the validation of the perioperative nurse competency through certification.
My initial experience with CCI was as a member of the Test Item Review Committee. Serving on this committee I realized as a practicing perioperative nurse I had experiences that could contribute to CCI’s mission. The next year I filled out a willingness to serve form to be considered for the Board of Directors. I was very honored and proud to have been elected to the board and have utilized this opportunity to fulfill the goals I have spoken of as well as all CCI represents.
Having completed my first year on the Board my experience has far surpassed my expectations. The members of the Board are diverse and accomplished professionals, each one bringing to the table valuable tools and experiences to lead CCI in a direction to ensure growth and success for its constituents. In addition we are supported by an equally valuable and dedicated full time staff that facilitates our ability to do the job. I am extremely proud to be part of this very dedicated group and share their commitment to CCI’s mission and vision of safe quality patient care.
As the world of health care and our economy presents new and ongoing challenges it is even more important that we as professionals become involved and have our voices be heard to ensure the highest level of care for our patients. CCI has given me this opportunity, maybe you will take the next step and fill out a willingness to serve form – you never know where it may lead!!
CCI Public Member - Drew Sones
I completed my first year as the Public Member of your Board with my attendance at the AORN Congress in Chicago. I would like to take a few moments to reflect on my experiences this past year. It started with Board Orientation at the CCI headquarters in Denver where I arrived in a snow storm but left in sunshine. The weather aptly mimicked my feelings as I began my tenure on your Board – I felt cloudy and unsure of my public role and my knowledge of CCI was rudimentary at best. However, after the orientation I felt as if those early clouds and my low visibility of CCI had lifted and my new dawning with CCI was shining through.
Then as I studied my Board reports and attended my first meetings, I began to realize how competent and involved each of the Board members as well as the CCI staff were in meeting the Mission and Vision of CCI through providing an up to date, relevant and credible product to you, our partners, in improving patient safety and quality through learning, doing and testing to prove your competency and care for your patients.
I did make a few rookie mistakes* during my first year but these were balanced by a real sense of contributing to the Board discussions and decisions. CCI’s strategic plan and initiatives like the Business to Business outreach and the use of web based learning and communication tools as well as developing research efforts to increase the knowledge base on competency and quality care have all been developed by your Board and staff to maintain CCI”s position as the preeminent expert in competency and certification. I have certainly enjoyed my first year with our Board and look forward with genuine excitement in completing the initiatives before us.
* My biggest rookie mistake was in attending some of the workshop sessions at the Congress and putting off attending the Exhibit Show until I ran out of time and never got there. Oh well I look forward to next year’s Congress in Denver and I will not make that rookie mistake again.
