Guidelines for Eorna Congres Organisation

GUIDELINES

FOR

NORNA

CONGRESS.

20100501
INTRODUCTION

These guidelines for The NORDIC Operating Room Nurses Association’s Congress, hereafter called NORNACongress, are a document for every Organising Committee and Scientific Committee, hereafter called OC and SC, who will organise the NORNACongress.

It contains all the rules, guidelines, and activities concerning the NORNACongress.

NORNA can make changes to these guidelines, which are to be reviewed after each congress.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT NORNA

1.1A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION.

Connecting some history, we can tell that NORNA was established in 1993, to take care of the Nordic operationgroom-nurses `common interest – exactly what our profession is – operatingroom-nursing.

NORNA is a professional association, which is going to take care of the individual nurse`s interest inside perioperative nursing, founded on evidence-based nursing and experiences.

The board-meeting are twodays meeting, and they are held in turn between the 5 nordic countries. One of the meeting ( february ) is the so-called working-meeting, and the second ( november ) is the so-called decision-meeting.

The purpose with the existence of NORNA is :

# to know each others education – and workingconditions

# to be updated to what`s going on related to the evidence – based research in every single Nordic country.

The vision of NORNA is to be a very strong professional organ, which speeks for the Nordic operatingroomnurses`s topic, and during, and during the co-operation can experienc the connection between the development of what´s going on in the society, but also across the Nordic borderlines, compared to the development generally in the healthcare – system.

What are we doing / discussing when we are at the board – meetings ??

When this board has existed, we have worked with:

Seniorpolitics – where it can be mentioned, that Sweden is making a research-study, which shows how the operating – room – nurse manage their work challenges after the age of 55.

We have worked with revision of action – plans and workingaims for the common co –operation in NORNA. We think that we have made it more realisticand more obtainable, and the outcome is : ” By-laws for the operatingroom – nurses`s co-operation in the Nordic countries ”. They have been translated into English, and it´s possible to find them on the NORNA hostcountry`s webside.

We have worked with / discussed the importance and and the value of the scientific meeting, which take place once a year in Helsingfors. We have asked oursellves, who in reality get the optimal profit of the scientific meetings ?

The NORNA – board has come to the agreement, that the scientific meeting in Helsingfors continue as usual, and it has been Sweden, who has had the final responsibility compared to the conclusion of the meetings.

We have worked with development – and exchange – programmes, which benefit could be good for the basic operatingroom – nurse across the borderlines. The idea is, that you as a basic nurse has the opportunity to visit one of the 5 nordic countries to get inspiration, but also could bring her or his own experiences.

We always work on planning and arrangement for the nordic congreses, which take place every 3. Year.

1.2THE NORNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

The members of NORNA board are representatives by two operating nurses from each of the Nordic countries.

The host-country will be responsibility and working with the congress.

1.4NORNA BOARD MEETINGS

The NORNA Board meets twice yearly.

The meetings take place in spring and in autumn.

2. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONGRESS

2.1THE FIRST NORNA Congress

The first Nordic Congress for Operating Room Nurses wasin 2005held in Uppsala, Sweden.

2.2THE SECOND NORNACongress

The second Nordic Congress for Operating Room Nurses was in 2008 held in Stavanger, Norway.

2.3THE THIRD NORNACongress

The third Nordic Congress for Operating Room Nurses will in 2011 be held in Reykjavik, Iceland.The congress theme will be Hygiene.

2.4THE FOURTH NORNACongress

The fourth Nordic Congress for Operating Room Nurses will in 2014 be held in Finland.

2.5THE FIFTH NORNA Congress

The fifthNordic Congress for Operating Room Nurses will in 2017 be held in Danmark.

2.6FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES OF NORNACongress

The host-country will be responsibility for the financial aim and function of each congress.

2.7 OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NORNAC

The official language of the congress is English.

3. GUIDELINES SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ( SC )

3.1DUTIES OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

• to organise NORNACongress every threeyears amongst the member countries

to promote NORNA and the congress must be organise and update on the host-country`s web-site.

• to achieve a good relationship between NORNA and the industry

• to lead and inform the creation of the complete scientific programme for the congress
• to ensure the guidelines for handling abstracts are reviewed and agreed for each NORNAC
• to endeavour to ensure a scientific programme of the highest quality
• to ensure that an appropriate process for the evaluation of the scientific programme is established for each NORNACongress and is under the supervision of the Scientific Committee
• to ensure there is equitable access to submit abstracts form all member countries

3.3COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEES

Members of different Committees are proposed by the host-country.

3.4MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE / HOST COUNTRY

• It recommended that the host-country got a professional congress organiser ( pco) to take care of the arrangement.

3.5REPORT

• The host-country reports in meetings to the NORNA Boardabout the working of the congress.

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3.6DUTIES OF THE PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISER (PCO)

Organisation of the congress will to be carried out with the help of a PCO, if possible adhering to the host country’s policy.

NORNAC makes an official contract with the PCO about duties before, during and after the congress about the following:

• financial overview with budget monitoring, accounting and invoicing
• reservation, price and contracts negotiations for congress facilities
• workload and organisation of necessary personnel
• hotel-reservations
• delegate handling
• planning and co-ordination of social activities
• sponsoring and exhibition management
• abstract handling
• PR, co-ordination of printed matters
• Time schedule.

A Chartered Accountant will do the final financial review.

3.7DUTIES OF THE NORNA MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

Every NORNA memberscountry has the duty to promote the congress at their national website and magazine.

4. CRITERIA FOR THE VENUE OF THE NORNACongress

The host-country will choose the city and venue for the congress.

The venue must:

• be easy to reach for all “deltagere”
• have adequate capacity in the main auditorium (approx. ? persons) plus necessary,
• have rooms for parallel sessions and work-shops,
• have adequate hotel-capacity (approx. ? rooms),
• have sufficient area for exhibition (approx. ? m2),
• have sufficient area for poster presentations,
• have necessary technical facilities.

5. TIME SCHEDULE FOR CONGRESS APPLICATIONS

Each member country can come forward with a proposal for the city, congress centre, hotel-accommodation and budget. The tenders from interested countries must be presented at the spring meeting of the NORNA Board. The decision will be made at the autumn meeting of the Board 3years prior to the congress

During the Congress the place, date and city of the next congress will be announced.

There will be a congress every third year. At least 2 congresses ahead must be known.

The time schedule is written in appendix 1.

6. COMPOSITION OF THE CONGRESS PROGRAMME

• The scientific programme must include an opening session with a presentation of the member associations of NORNA.
• The scientific program must include a closing session, in which the next congress will be announced.
• The congress will last for a minimum of two days.
• There will be a social program that will include a Gala-Night.
• The main-sponsors can have a workshop as a part of their package, organised by the main-sponsors in co-operation with the PCO (facilities, time schedule, financial details, etc.) and the SC (contents of the workshop).
• The scientific program will include a break of at least 2 hours for lunch and two breaks of half an hour per full day.
• There will be possible to have a session included in the program, for non-NORNA member countries called as International Perspective Session.
• Posters will be included in the programme.

7. FINANCIAL POLICY

The congress must be completely financially independent. There will be a budget for all business activities.

The income from congress will contribute to the host-country.

Official NORNA Board members (2 per country) will pay the registration and Gala Dinner ticket for the congress. The selected speakers and poster presenters will pay half price of the registration fee. Invited speakers will have free registration.

8. EXHIBITION POLICY

The main sponsors will have the first choice of exhibition space.

All main sponsors will be given the opportunity to organise a workshop.

There will be a full report of the exhibition after the congress.

9. PUBLICATIONS, MAILING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS POLICY

The first announcement brochure will be printed 24 months before the congress.

The call for papers should be printed 24 months before the congress.

The preliminary program will be on the host-country`s web-site minimum 8 months before the congress.

The web-site must include all necessary information about the congress, and must also include an on-line registration form.

The industry invitation will be distributed approximately 18 months before the congress.

10. EVALUATION

Evaluation forms will be distributed during the congress, concerning:

• oral presentations
• poster-presentations
• general congress facilities such as time schedules, lunch hours, exhibition etc.

Certificates of attendance will be given. These certificates will be original, and signed by the board of the host-country.

Certificates will be awarded to speakers, moderators and poster presenters.

There will also be an evaluation form for the exhibitors.

11. INSURANCE POLICY

The following statement must be included in the invitation program:

“NORNACongress accepts no liability for personal injuries sustained, or for the loss or damage of property belonging to Congress participants, either during or as a result of the Congress.”

12. GUIDELINES FOR WORKSHOPS

The duration, date and place of the workshop(s) will be decided by the host-country in collaboration with the involved parties. The program for the workshop should be presented to the SC.

All costs for organising the workshop will be for the company who organises.

The programme of the workshop may not interfere with the scientific programme of the congress, and must be approved by the SC.

A contact-person of the SC will be announced to the companies.

All presentations must be in English.

The workshops can be announced in the invitation program and the final program.

Companies applying for workshops must adhere to the same guidelines as laid down by the SC for speakers and presenters.

13. GUIDELINES FOR SPEAKERS AND MODERATORS

The speakers must speak clearly in English.

The moderator must be able to take a very short summarise of the lectures.

The first choice of moderators must be from the SC. Second choice of moderators must be from the host-country. The moderator must be able to lead the discussions after the lecture. The moderators will have the abstracts at an early stage to be able to undertake the necessary research for their task.

14. GUIDELINES FOR THE HANDLING OF ABSTRACTS

The abstract handling process is in three stages. It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit the abstract either electronically or on a computer disc to the national perioperative association for initial consideration.

It is the responsibility of each national association to consider each abstract and select those to go forward (Guidelines for abstract evaluation, Appendix 2). The national association must be confident, that the applicant selected has the ability to present their paper in English.

It is the responsibility of the nominated recipient to submit, on-line, their abstractto the members of the Scientific Committee.

It is the responsibility of the Scientific Committee to select and agree those, which are suitable for inclusion in the scientific programme.

It is the responsibility of the nominated recipient to inform the applicants about the outcome of the selection.

Abstracts will only be accepted if they fulfil the above criteria and received by the deadline.

15. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

Deadlines for registration are recommended to be as follows:

• regular price until 2 months before the congress
• high price from 2 month till start of congress

Registrations are only valid when the original registration form is completed and payment is made within the required time. The delegates will receive a letter of confirmation from the host-country within reasonable time after registration.

16. OC DUTIES DURING THE CONGRESS

The members of the OC will have specific functions during the congress. The OC meets every morning and as often as necessary.

17. NORNA BOARD MEMBERS DUTIES DURING THE CONGRESS

Duties for NORNA Board members will include:

• Manning of the NORNA stand
• Promotion of NORNA.

18. FINAL REPORT OF THE CONGRESS

After the congress, a final financial and activity report must be produced before the second board- meeting.

Contents of this report are:

• statistics
• financial statement
• list of names and addresses of the previous participants sorted by countries
• list of names and addresses of all exhibitors
• list of names, addresses and items/activities of all sponsors

A Chartered Accountant will be engaged by the OC to check the final result.

If, for some reason, the host-country are unable to deliver the final report within the deadline, a preliminary report has to be distributed, with a solid explanation for the delay.

There will be an evaluation meeting after the congress for the host-country.

Approved by the NORNA Board in February 2010, in Oslo, Norway.

To be reviewed after the 3th NORNA Congress

APPENDIX 1:TIME SCHEDULE NORNA CONGRESS

APPENDIX 2:GUIDELINES FOR ABSTRACT EVALUATION ON NATIONAL LEVEL

The criteria:

Does the abstract follow the guidelines given for preparation of abstract?

Does the title of the presentation explain the contents of the abstract?

Does the language of the abstract indicate that the author can present the paper in understandable English?

Does the abstract reflect the Congress theme?

Does the abstract have objectives for the Congress participant?

Does the abstract indicate personal opinion, which advances peri-operative nurse thinking in North Countries ?

Will the subject be of use to the Congress participants in their own work settings?

Will the presentation encourage peri-operative nurses to analyse current practice?

Will the presentation motivate peri-operative nurses to develop their practice?

Does the abstract reflect the Nordic "wide base" of the Congress participants?

NORNA Congress Guidelines

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