5) I have the impression that Officers and Board members are reluctant to comment individually, when issues are raised in online forums, for fear their comments will be considered as representing or perhaps misrepresenting the Boards’ position. Please share your perspective
Lynn Reede – Very few of our members are able to attend Board meetings and they are not yet streamed. Public forums are valuable arenas to dialogue, monitor and communicate with passionate members. It would be so valuable to also engage those who are silent.
The challenge and opportunity for me is learning to communicate the clear message with adequate detail for perspective and understanding. Perception can rule the day and perception may not be accurate. I have communicated in on-line forums and will continue to do so. I am learning the balance of being a Board member and not being a “member” when I speak. It is a very serious responsibility. When we leave the Board room, our responsibility is to speak as one as we communicate the issue, to do otherwise is to undermine the strength of the Board’s ability to collaborate for best solution. It is tough to communicate in sound bites without the detail behind it.
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Dan Simonson – I have commented on this many times, and I feel very strongly
about it. I am not running for office to represent the AANA Board of Directors. I am running to represent the AANA members. When I have opinions, I will express them clearly – even if they differ from the official position of the AANA Board. However, I will also state clearly that while I may differ, I will support the decision of the Board.
As a citizen of the United States, I am confronted with the dilemma of supporting decisions, rules, and laws I do not agree with all of the time – and in the name of democracy and the rule of law, I resolve that conflict easily. However, even though I observe those rules and laws, I do not have to pretend I agree with them- and I can even argue persuasively to change them. The result is not chaos, it is freedom and democracy.
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This is the end of our AANA Candidate Questions. Thank you to all AANA Candidates for offering your time and expertise on our behalf. To all non-candidates, the LEAST we can do for these leaders amongst us is to VOTE ! Take some time, review their positions, talk to your colleagues and then VOTE for whomever you believe best represents the nurse anesthesia profession.
If WE don’t vote we don’t have a voice !
