SUPER ATTENDANCE OF IHP-PA MEETING AT AORN EXPO BOSTON April 6, 2025

I am proud to share with our IHP-SA members that again, IHP-SA broke all attendance records for any Specialty Assembly meeting! 230 AORN members attended our IHP-SA meeting on April 6, 2025 Boston EXPO featuring Dr. Jordan Tischler, MD of Harvard Medical Center, on "Cannabis, what Nurses need to know from their patients before Surgery and more". People were standing against the walls, the floors, and 200 chairs!  We were honored to have the Editor in Chief, Laurie Saletnik, DNP, RN CNOR, sitting in the front row!!  After Dr. Tischler's hour-long presentation, IHP-SA leaders, Marilyn Gerber and Mimi Pfifer, exhibited our winning poster at the 2022  New Orleans EXPO: Labyrinth Walking explaining that this poster was achieved by three IHP-SA members located in 3 different states, planned and printed this winning poster, and were featured in June and July AORN Journal.  We shared this win not to brag but to inspire any IHP-SA member to contact us, and we will assist them with an Integrative idea.  I brought 200 samples of aromatherapy packets by our super IHP-SA supporters- Wyndmere, and  200 samples of Boiron's Arnica Gel. Wyndemere and Boiron were the first Integrative Exhibitors at any AORN EXPO in New Orleans 2012. We had samples of textbooks and literature on many Integrative modalities ie. Mandala coloring, Aromatherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting by using Lavender vs IV injections. Labyrinth finger walking, Music therapy,Bach Flowers,  MBSR meditation, books by OR Nurses in Vietnam,2  Gulf Wars, and COVID-19 Hospital.    

      IHP-SA sponsored a Serenity Room for many years at AORN EXPOs featuring 2 large 14-foot Labyrinths ( Classical  Chatres and Primitive styles ). These Labyrinths were donated to Cindy Vincentz RN,OR,CNOR at Trinity Hospital. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by an anonymous Veteran patient who took her shopping. He asked that they be used in memory of Veterans. AORN terminated the Serenity Room at AORN EXPOS. Cindy Vincentz, OR, CNOR, owns these Labyrinths, sends these two Labyrinths each year for the American Association of Holistic Nurses (AHNA) for their national conference.  IF ANY IHP-SA OR AORN RN is interested in borrowing these two Labyrinths,  please contact me: Marilyn Gerber, Chair of IHP-SA at marilyngerber@eatherlink.net or (717) 503-5280 cell.  You will have to pay for shipping.

    I  shared a  Memorial Poster project to honor the "314,000 Nurses who died of COVID-19, Violence or Suicide Worldwide". This project is a non-profit organization founded by Marilyn Gerber and Terrie Roberts, the recently retired CEO of the Integrative Holistic Nurses Association (IHNA).  I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE 230 ATTENDEES CLAP IN APPROVAL FOR EACH OF OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS!   

    We had over 2,300 IHP-SA members; however, when AORN walked away from all the Specialty Assemblies, we unfortunately lost the mailing list due to an IT failure.   We now have approximately 320 members.  We are seeking assistance from volunteers as well as members.  WE ARE PREPARED TO ASSIST ANY AORN MEMBER INTEGRATE OUR MANY INTEGRATIVE MODALITIES IN THEIR FACILITY.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE EXPERTS OR EVEN CERTIFIED IN INTEGRATIVE MODALITIES.      

    FYI, THE INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE MODALITIES  IN AORN'S  GUIDELINE BOOK  IS THE RESULT OF IHP-SA's DETERMINATION TO BE INCLUDED.  IT IS NOT PERFECT YET - IT HAS BEEN  A SLOW PROCESS WITH AORN!    

     FINALLY, our recent survey of over 50 integrative modalities indicated that our IHP-SA members and AORN IHP-SA lecture attendees want to know about AROMATHERAPY, SPIRITUALITY, HOMEOPATHY, MUSIC THERAPY,  CANNABIS.  WE WILL HONOR YOUR REQUEST AND DELIVER!   HOWEVER, I NEED ASSISTANCE AS TWO OF MY BOARD MEMBERS ARE RETIRING!   Marilyn Gerber, BS, MA/MBA, BSN. marilyngerber@earthlink. (717) 503-5208