Evolution of ORNAC Standards of Practice, Competencies and Certification “Perseverance to Professional Excellence”

Authors

  • Gloria Stephens
  • Muriel Shewchuk

Abstract

As early as the early 1900s Operating Room Nurses were recognized as the first hospital ‘specialty’ with their team concept of scrub and circulating roles. Carolyn Hamilton, OR Supervisor at John Hopkins Hospital, devised this concept of the OR nursing specialty and it was later accepted across the United States and in Canada. Education programs were developed to provide the knowledge, skills, and specifics for functioning in an operating room. The OR nursing role had officially been ‘born’ and continued to grow.

Author Biographies

Gloria Stephens

Gloria Stephens, RN, was an operating room nurse for over forty years. She joined the National Committee for Operating Room Nurses in 1970 and was a member until 1980. She also took on the role of secretary during this time and was the coordinator of the 4th National Committee Meeting (Montreal, 1974) and the 1976 National Conference (Vancouver). Gloria was an original member of the ORNAC Standards Committee and the Chair for the Technical and Competencies section. She was the coordinator of the 10th National Conference (Vancouver, 1988) and went on to serve as the ORNAC President from 1990-1993. During this time Gloria started the first ORNAC Research, Education committees and initiated the ‘Expanded Role of the Operating Room Nurse’ which became the RN 1st Assistant and Assistant to the Anaesthetist. She remained actively involved with ORNAC until 1996 and has donated each year $1000 for the Gloria Stephens Education Bursary. She was the first to receive the Isabelle Adams Award for excellence. Gloria’s career included; Public Health, VON and surgical ward nursing and mostly known for the OR Program that she conducted at St. Paul’s hospital, Vancouver. Gloria is currently retired and lives in Halifax, NS.

Muriel Shewchuk

Muriel Shewchuck, RN, BScN, CPN(C), spent over 50 years in the operating room including as a charge nurse, educator, manager, assistant director, director, and consultant. She was, from 1983-1993, a member of several ORNAC Board and Executive Committees. Her involvement with ORNAC included the role as the first Chair of the ORNAC Awards Committee, Chair of the first ORNAC Conference (Jasper, 1984), and Chair of the 1991 ORNAC Conference (Banff). Muriel was also one of the founding members of the ORNAC Standards Committee and remained involved with that committee for 10 years. She was a founding member, and Co-Chair, of Canadian Operating Room Leadership (CORL) Network and was the first CORL representative on the ORNAC Board during which time she made numerous contributions to this Journal (CORL Pearls of Wisdom). Following ‘retirement’ Muriel worked as a part-time consultant in Calgary, AB. Her final contribution to ORNAC was a presentation, along with Gloria Stephens, at the 2017 ORNAC National Conference. Muriel passed away shortly after this conference and is greatly missed by many who’s lives she touched.

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Published

2017-12-01

How to Cite

Stephens, G., & Shewchuk, M. (2017). Evolution of ORNAC Standards of Practice, Competencies and Certification “Perseverance to Professional Excellence”. Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada Journal, 35(4), 70–74. Retrieved from https://ornacjournal.ca/index.php/ornac/article/view/12121

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 4 (2017): December/decembre 2017

Section

ORNAC Network