January 2023 NEWSLETTER

A Message From the Board

Welcome to 2023!

Here we are, 2023. So much has changed in our personal and work lives over the past three years. As we begin a new chapter, it is a time for new commitments and for looking forward to new and exciting opportunities.

As we start a new year, what a great time to encourage our colleagues to join our organization. AAOHN has so many benefits to membership.

• Access to our Workplace Health and Safety journal
• Access to continuing education
• Opportunity to purchase first class professional study guides and products
• Access to occupational health nurses across the country for networking and collaboration

AAOHN's 2023 National Conference will be held March 13 - 15 in San Antonio, Texas. This will be the first time since Jacksonville in 2019 that we will be together in person. Please don’t miss this opportunity to come together with occupational health professionals from across the country. Learn what others in the field are doing in their workplaces. Attend many continuing education presentations by experts in the field. Early registration ends January 27, 2023. For more information, visit the 2023 National Conference homepage. We look forward to seeing you there.

As we move forward into the future, consider becoming involved at your local or national level. There are many opportunities to volunteer on committees or run for office. This is an exciting time as we face many new opportunities and challenges that were not thought possible three years ago. Your Board is here to serve you and we look forward to working together as we strive to increase our occupational health footprint into the future.

Bill Thomack, BSN, RN, COHN-S

Director Mountain Western Region

From the AAOHN Foundation

Cheers to 2023! I hope you enjoyed making memories with your loved ones during the holiday season and also had the opportunity to relax and recharge. As recession talks remain active, many companies are choosing to make budget cuts in anticipation of what may lie ahead. Do you require some assistance to make a business case to attend the AAOHN conference? You can access the justification toolkit here.

Not only do I hope you get to attend the 2023 AAOHN Conference but I encourage you to also make plans to join us for the Foundation’s Fundraising event at The Alamo. You can do so while registering here. We will have the opportunity to retrace the footsteps of the past with a self-guided tour of the Alamo. Enjoy the entertainment of local mariachis while mingling and playing Texas-themed games with fellow occupational health friends and colleagues prior to the serving of a delicious BBQ dinner catered by local legend Don Strange. Dr. Seema Khosla will share her expertise in sleep medicine with an update on advances in sleep medicine and technology. It’s going to an event to remember! We will also continue the tradition of selling conference pins while in San Antonio.

As budgets tighten it is imperative that occupational health professionals utilize the Foundation’s grants and scholarships to assist in furthering their research and education goals and aspirations. Please take a moment to look at the scholarship and grants that are currently available through the Foundation on the AAOHN website. Applications deadline is January 27, 2023.

The Foundation is committed to meeting the challenges that 2023 is posed to bring. We will be focusing on our fundraising efforts and growing out our social media presence. We remain steadfast to the Foundation’s purpose: acting as both a vital source of funds and a stimulus for substantive work to solve today's worker health and safety issues. We do so with the support of our many benefactors. To our Fellows Circle, please take a moment and donate to the Foundation. Your donations are essential and a wonderful way to pay it forward to the occupational health professionals following the paths you have been blazing. While we call on our Fellows Circle for donations, you need not be one to donate. Please consider doing so today!

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2023! Cheers to another year of conquering challenges. Thank you once again for your tireless efforts. I look forward to meeting many of you in person at the AAOHN National Conference in March.

Most Sincerely,

Shelaine Miller, RN, COHN

Foundation Board of Trustees, Treasurer

Episode 7

Workplace Violence: Active Shooter Situations

In workplace settings, active shooter incidents are unpredictable and not entirely preventable, but there are steps to take to increase awareness and develop action plans. In the latest episode of the AAOHN podcast, host Jennylynn Balmer, MPA, BSN, RN, CSP, COHN-S, FAAOHN sits down with Georgia Reiner, MS, CPHRM, a risk anaylist with Aon/Affinity in their Healthcare division.

In her role with Nurses Service Organization, Georgia educates nursing professionals on risk safety in their practices. Tune in for tips as a nursing professional on how to detect signs of threatening behaviors and steps to act quickly to protect themselves and others.

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