The town meeting slides are up on the AAOHN website.

Key Points:

1. Vote by Feb 1 on AAOHN web sire, 70th annual convention is in Nashville, TN this year, let AAOHN know if you are staying at the convention site hotel. There are a variety of awards, essay contest, scholarships and grants available through the AAOHN web page.
2. Membership is up over 4600 with a goal of 10% increase this year  ( be sure to renew-online is fastest- and encourage your members to renew).
3. AAOHN is much healthier than they were three years ago with  a lot of work by Kay Campbell, Exec Director.
4. The AAOHN mag has a new look and a new name “ Workplace Health and Safety”.  Look for it in your mailbox.

From the President’s Desk

“The thing about a hero is even when it doesn’t look like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, he’s going to keep digging, he’s going to keep trying to do right and make up for what’s gone before, just because that’s who he is.”
- Joss Whedon

Dear Chapter Leaders,

We Call Them Heroes.

During the past two years the AAOHN Board of Directors has recognized individuals, chapters, and companies who have supported AAOHN through monetary donations, providing emotional support in the difficult times and— through perseverance, have raised the standard of excellence in our organization.

We call them heroes, recognizing their contributions and expressing appreciation for their assistance in our efforts to adhere to AAOHN’s mission and vision.

Within the past eighteen months Annette Byrd has surpassed expectations in her endeavors to support AAOHN members and the Board of Directors. Annette came to AAOHN with a wealth of expertise, which is shared with us on a daily basis. Employed to work part time, Annette has contributed countless hours of her own time to ensure that all projects and initiatives are steadily moving forward. She is currently serving as Staff Liaison to the following AAOHN committees: Advocacy, Career, Chapter Services, Communications (subcommittees: Website, Newsletter, Social Media), Grants, International, Marketing, Membership, Practice, Sponsorship, Webinar, and the LPN/LVN Task Force. Last, and not least, she is available to answer countless questions related to Occupational Health.

Annette earned a Nursing Diploma from University of Tennessee, Knoxville and   Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Guilford College, Greensboro, NC. She earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. Her professional experience is diverse and extensive.

AAOHN and the Board of Directors are deeply grateful to an individual who is a tremendous asset to AAOHN, is committed to excellence, and whose professionalism is second to none. Thank you, Annette.

Catherine M Pepler, MBA, BS, RN, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN
AAOHN President

The 2011-2012 election for the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) is underway. Deadline to cast ballot is February 1, 2012.

The online voting module, which is located within the Members Only section of the AAOHN website, will enable you to review candidate information and cast your ballot online. To vote, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the AAOHN website – www.aaohn.org
2. Log in to the Members Only section. (To have your log-in information sent to you via e-mail, click “Lost Username?” or “Lost Password?” within the log-in section.)
3. Once you are logged in, click on “Elections & Voting,” located in the Members Only section (located in the left-hand navigation menu).
4. You will have the option to either view the candidate statements or to access the official ballot and cast your vote.

Further instructions are provided on the election page. Please note: you must make a selection for every position on the ballot. If you do not wish to vote for a certain position, simply select “Abstain” for that position. Once your vote has been cast, you will no longer be able to view the ballot. All ballots must be cast by February 1, 2012.

We believe you will find that voting online will save you time. If you are unable to vote online, you may request a paper ballot be sent to you by contacting Shelah Fletcher at the AAOHN National Office 1-800-241-8014 or via e-mail: shelah.fletcher@dancyamc.com.

Deadline to submit nominations extended to November 10

The AAOHN Election Committee is looking for AAOHN members who are interested in moving into a position of leadership at the national level. The AAOHN Board of Directors sets the direction for AAOHN activities and is looking for members that are ready, willing, and able to be a part of this work. This year the Election Committee is looking for candidates for the following positions:

Director – Southeast Region
Director – Northeast Region
Director – North Central Region
Director – South Central/Southwest Region
Director – Mountain/Western Region

Description of Role
Board members direct the business and financial affairs of the association, establish policy, approve the formation of chapters as well as establish bylaws requirements for, define geographic boundaries of regions and chapters, foster the growth and development of the association, and engage in strategic planning. Board members serve as liaisons to AAOHN committees. Attendance at scheduled virtual board meetings is required; there are approximately 11 per year. Limited travel may be required and expenses are reimbursed as set by AAOHN policy. This is a three-year commitment, with the term beginning at the close of the Annual Business Meeting to be held during the 2012 Annual Conference in April.

Qualifications
A candidate must be a current member of AAOHN (Active, Life, or Retired membership categories are eligible to hold office). Nomination does not guarantee that a person’s name will appear on the final slate.

Click here to download the Call for Nominations and submit today!!

Deadline to submit consent to serve form: November 10, 2011.
Contact AAOHN National Office
7794 Grow Drive, Pensacola, FL 32514
Phone: (800) 241-8014 | Fax: (850) 484-8762
www.aaohn.org | aaohn@dancyamc.com

for the AAOHN 2012 National Conference
Deadline: February 15, 2012

The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN) is pleased to announce that the poster abstract submission deadline for the National Annual Conference 2012 has been extended to February 15, 2012. We welcome abstracts for posters from occupational health nurses and others on topics within the areas of case management, clinical practice, consulting, corporate, education & training, government/military, health & wellness, legislative/regulatory, safety/environmental, and research.

Guidelines for Submission: All abstracts must be submitted electronically at the following address:

https://www.aaohn.org/component/option,com_abstracts/Itemid,462/

Submission date: Poster abstracts must be submitted by February 15, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. (Central Daylight Time). Abstracts that do not adhere to the guidelines and/or are received after the due date and time will not be reviewed.

Selection Criteria: Abstracts will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

·             clarity of description of the content and presentation methods
·             importance, depth, focus, level of audience interest
·             feasibility of application to a variety of settings
·             presenter’s professional background and speaking experience
·             absence of commercial content
·             originality of topic/presentation (has not been presented at other occupational health nursing programs
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. functions to provide evidence-based information related to occupational health nursing. Material presented at the annual convention, available on the website, or provided in any printed materials must be of professional quality; the material must also be evidence based, and demonstrate an absence of proprietary or prejudicial/biased commentary. Anecdotal observations should be limited in their scope and not presented as proven fact. It is inappropriate to endorse or imply endorsement of any specific product or service.

For further information or questions please contact Leslie long, Assistant Director Conventions, leslie.long@aaohn.org or 800-241-8014.