Foundation News

Certified nurses beat matching gift challenge

Three-year campaign raises $95,000 to support perioperative nursing

The Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI) called on AORN members to support certified nurses for their commitment to the profession and patient safety. To honor these professionals, CCI committed to match all donations made by a certified nurse or in honor of certified nurse to the AORN Foundation up to $10,000 through the month of March.

“Members succeeded in meeting the challenge. More than 500 nurses contributed $27,000 to the campaign to be matched by CCI for a total of $37,000.” announced AORN Foundation Director Twilla Barlow. “The AORN Foundation would like to extend a sincere thank you to members and CCI for their generous support.”

CCI first called on certified nurses for support in March 2011 with a $5,000 matching gift. The campaign received resounding support, each year growing in donor participation. Inspired by the response, CCI doubled their donation in 2013. The three-year campaign has raised $95,000 to support educational programs for perioperative nurses and patient safety initiatives.

The AORN Foundation provides support for the certification of perioperative nurses, professional development programs, academic scholarships, and learning tools, such as tool kits, webinars, speakers, and seminar series. Learn more about the AORN Foundation and find opportunities to give.

2012-2013 academic scholars announced  

The AORN Foundation is pleased to announce the scholarship recipients for the 2012-2013 academic year.

See listing of scholarship recipients.

The Foundation awarded $187,000 to 56 students across the country. Funding was designated to students enrolled in nursing programs, like John McCall who has worked in the operating room for eight years starting as an orderly, later advancing to an operating room technician, and is now in his last year at a four-year nursing program.

“My fourth and last term is coming up, and I will capstone in perioperative nursing where I will focus my studies on the surgical nurse and the role they play in the patient's journey” said McCall.

Scholarships were also awarded to registered nurses who are pursuing an advanced degree in perioperative nursing. Different from McCall, scholarship recipient Christine Herr, RN, CNOR, has been a perioperative nurse for 38 years. She recently returned to school to receive her BSN and has a long-term goal of obtaining her MSN and teaching.

McCall's and Herr's stories are similar to the other nursing students and RNs who received financial support from the Foundation to continue their educations. Their scholarships would not have been possible without the support of individual and corporate donors.

The AORN Foundation scholarships have been awarded on an annual basis for more than a decade to applicants based on criteria established by the AORN Scholarship Committee. By funding these scholarships, the AORN Foundation promotes nursing education and helps prepare the next generation of perioperative nurses. Learn more about the Foundation Scholarship Program. 
 

Donors endow academic scholarships: establish perioperative legacy

Individuals and groups wanting to leave a permanent legacy have found endowed gifts to be an impactful option. The Texas Council of Operating Room Nurses (TCORN) and Millie and Wyman Stackhouse recently endowed academic scholarships through the AORN Foundation for nursing students and registered nurses pursuing advanced degrees in perioperative nursing.

Endowed scholarships are a gift of a lifetime. A portion of the invested income is awarded to scholarship recipients annually, and the remainder is reinvested in the original principal.   

At the 2012 AORN Congress, the Texas Council of Operating Room Nurses (TCORN) endowed an academic scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded annually to student nurses or registered nurses pursing advanced degrees in the state of Texas.

Millie and Wyman Stackhouse endowed a scholarship through their estate. Learn more about planned giving.

The AORN Foundation thankfully acknowledges the following endowed scholarship donors: 

• 3M Health Care Endowment
• AORN e-Chapter Endowment
• AORN Golden Gavel Endowment
• Brenda C. Ulmer Endowment endowed by Valleylab
• Buffalo Filter Endowment
• Competency & Credentialing Institute Endowment
• Covidien Endowment
• Dennis R. Scanlan, Jr. Memorial Endowment
• Dr. Jane C. Rothrock RNFA Endowment
• Judith Pfister/Julia Kneedler Endowment
• Kimberly-Clark Healthcare Endowment
• Louisiana State Council of OR Chapters Endowment
• Michael D.Corley Memorial Endowment endowed by the Exhibitors' Advisory Committee
• Natalie Walker Endowment
• Owens and Minor Endowment by AORN of Richmond
• Patricia C. Seifert Perioperative Nursing Internship Endowment
• President George H.W. Bush Endowment endowed by AORN of Greater Houston
• Ruth P. Shumaker Endowment
• Stackhouse Endowment
• Texas Council of Operating Room Nurses Endowment
• William A. Clarke Endowment  

Learn more about establishing an endowed scholarship.