ORNAP- in gratitude, I serve

It’s been a while.

Almost a year ago, I was elected for a position in ORNAP-NMC (Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines- Northern Mindanao Chapter), a professional organization for theater/ perioperative nurses. There were people from my hospital, NMMC (Northern Mindanao Medical Center) who tossed me up for that position, and I will be forever grateful for them for they believed in me and it opened doors of opportunity for me. However, there were some who doubted me as well, but I could not blame them because they have their standards.

This organization has been an outlet for me to serve without being paid. I joined medical missions. I have served my fellow nurses through offering them nursing updates and conventions aimed at escalating professional standards. In turn, this has enriched me with experience and perspective.

I can remember when I was still in my BSN, my groupmates and I were joking on how we envisioned ourselves to be after graduation, one said- I will be a Supervisor, the other said I will be the Dean, one said I will be the Chief Nurse, I stopped and think then I said I wanted to be a Board of Nursing. They all stood in silence and said- Yes you can be! To this day, it remains to be a dream I’m just placing in the backseat and waiting to materialize.

August 31, 2013, together with my fellow officer, we greeted the arrival of PRC BON Betty Merritt in the airport. She will be our keynote speaker for the convention. It was one of the rare moments to be brushing elbows with a humble celebrity in her own right. That experience was even highlighted with engaging table talk over lunch in Panagatan, Opol, Misamis Oriental.

September 1, 2013 came, and after more than 2 months of preparation, ORNAP-NMC conducted its 8^th Annual Regional Convention and Scientific Meeting. We soared high dressed in our aviator inspired uniforms- the males are the pilots while the females are the flight crew. It was the best convention by far according to some feedback. But what really made it stood out among the past conventions was an inspiration and a challenge given to the ORNAP by the PRC BON Betty Merritt to us an organization- to create our own organizational roadmap aiming at creating a nursing specialty course making it distinct from other nursing professional organizations.

September 29, 2013, with the new set of officers for 2013-2014, conducted its Strategic Planning at Chali Beach Resort. This year opens with a whole line of activities for our stakeholders. And there is more to come.