IFPN Presidents Message January 2022
Dear IFPN Colleagues,
I am delighted to complete this journey with you as the outgoing International Federation of Perioperative Nursing (IFPN) president. I want to thank my IFPN colleagues, Sarah Bird and Patrick Voight for the hard work and commitment to their respective roles on the executive board over the past challenging and difficult years for our profession.
I am delighted to congratulate and welcome Patrick Voight as the IFPN incoming president, under whose leadership the work of IFPN can continue to make a difference across the world in support of the international perioperative nursing community.
I know you will be pleased and delighted to also welcome the newly elected IFPN executive team who will be supporting Patrick from January 2022, when I hand over the baton of responsibility. Welcome to Meryem Yavuz van Giersbergen (TSORA) as Secretary, and May Karam (EORNA) as Treasurer. I wish you every success and hope that you can collectively forge great relationships and team working.
I can honestly say that it has been a total pleasure for me to have worked with Patrick and Sarah on behalf of IFPN. I believe that a functional and agreeable executive team, supported by the membership can achieve anything they set out to do. I know that Patrick, Sarah, and I have been successful in our numerous endeavours, and in delivering on the strategic objectives of IFPN, despite the many obstacles, most specifically of course with Covid 19.
When I became IFPN president, I wrote that:
‘We can never underestimate the importance of continuing and maintaining the established global relationships, together with forging new contacts so that IFPN can be sustained and successful, in the support and advancement of global perioperative nursing, patient safety and quality care’.
continues to be my perspective and my commitment in whatever way I can assist in the future. Collectively, I believe that we need to continue to build on a foundation that provides engagement with the membership, greater partnership with industry; and explores every potential for mutual learning and a shared expertise and experience.
I am grateful to 3M, whose representatives will be known to you wherever you are in the world. 3M have supported the federation with a grant, enabling us to commission a review of existing policy
and procedure. A number of policies have already been completed and are available on the website.
As a network of nations, we as the leaders of associations in the world of perioperative healthcare, have the capacity to shape, advance, influence and learn from each other, which will ultimately best serve our patients and advance our profession. I continue to see this as a clear professional, ethical and economic responsibility incumbent on our leadership.
IFPN is regarded as the umbrella network that unites the global perioperative nursing community. We work on behalf of the member organisations to ensure that the perioperative voice is made, exerting international strategic influence and exchange through peer-to-peer professional support. The Federation has an affiliate relationship with the International Council of Nursing (ICN) and is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an authoritative voice on perioperative and surgical practice and other nursing matters. I have been privileged to share the perioperative perspective with Annette
Kennedy when she was ICN President, and I am certain that Patrick will continue the debate with the newly elected successor.
In the changing and challenging healthcare landscape of the 21st-century, it has never been more important for member countries to have the opportunity to share collectively; and, develop a workable plan to ensure the needs of each perioperative organisation are catered for, and the voice of the international perioperative community is registered and heard at the top strategic levels.
My friends and colleagues, collectively, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience that form the backbone of our associations. These relationships are crucial to IFPN , and need to be maintained, developed and extended to ensure that our vision and strategy remains dynamic and current; and to be positioned at all times and in all situations to respond to national and international issues as they arise.
As I say goodbye, I want to assure you of my continued commitment and support for IFPN. Please feel free to continue to contact me personally if I can be of any assistance or indeed just to say hello. It has been a difficult few years, and my biggest disappointment is that I did not get to see many of you in person. However, having said that I am grateful for Zoom and WhatsApp.
By no means least, but in conclusion, I must acknowledge the importance of the patient at the centre of every activity and strategy, which can never be forgotten. It is my strongly held belief that and as long as we keep the perioperative patient at the forefront of every decision and every action, then the future of IFPN will be promoted, enhanced and secured.
The last word goes to the UK Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) whose unwavering and constant support enabled me to take on and sustain the responsibility of IFPN president. I am grateful to AfPP and to all of you my international colleagues for your confidence in me and for your friendship and support.
I wish you all a happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year in 2022. With my very best wishes,
Mona Guckian Fisher
Registered Nurse RGN, LLM, BSc (HONS), OHND, Dip.HSWW, CMIOSH, Dip.Periop Nursing, Dip.Couns.
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