1962
ICI House and St Vincent's Hospital
Lecture theatre ICU House
Margaret Brown, Chairman
(Scrub nurse for surgeon)
1963
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Merlyn Myer Hall
Projection into the future: 10 years hence
• Opened by Mr Grayton
Brown FRACS, Chairman
Road Traffic Authority
• 200 delegates, including
interstate
• Panel of 5 discussed nurse
education in the
operating suite
• Fees 4/- non members
• Program printed courtesy
Johnson & Johnson
1964
St Vincent's Hospital
Brenan Hall
John Citizen in the operating suite
• Patient progress from
reception; pre-operative
care; sterilisation and
prevention of infection;
anaesthetic care;
operating room set up
and operative
procedures; clean up
following an infected
case; recovery room and
intensive care.
Mirriel Jeffries, Chairman ( PHH)
1965
Repatriation General Hospital
St John’s Lecture Theatre
Communication or conflict
• Opened by Brigadier
Chiltern, CBE, DSO,
Chairman, Repatriation
Commission
• 400 delegates
• Poster presentation
• Fees 7/- for non members
• Trade exhibit of
instruments & supplies
Dorothea Burnett, Chairman (Repat)
1966
Repatriation General Hospital
Is the theatre sister essential?
• Opened by Jane Muntz
OBE, Nursing Advisor,
Minister for Health
• 400 delegates including
interstate
• $200.00 profit and $$
donated to College of
Nursing to buy
textbooks for operating
room nursing course
1967
Repatriation General Hospital
Making the theatre work
• Opened by Mr B Rank,
President RACS
• 300 delegates including
interstate and country
• Fees $2 for members, $3
for non members
• Papers on
– packaging & sterilisation
– teaching the student nurse
• Demonstration of theatre
technique
Mary Barry,
Chairman (Geelong)
1968
University of Melbourne
Prince Philip Theatre
(in Architecture building)
Smiles not tears
• Opened by Ellice Lang,
Retiring President, RVCN
• Focus on safety &
efficiency
• Fees $2 full day, $1 half
day for members
• $3.50 for lunch, morning
and afternoon teas
Marge Bennetts, Chairman (Austin)
1969
University of Melbourne
Prince Philip Theatre
Anticipation - participation - progress
• Opened by Miss E Johnson, Nursing Executive
Officer, Hospitals & Charities Commission
• Over 300 delegates , including New Zealand
• Focus on looking to the future and preparing
to achieve goals
• Four papers presented by nurses
1970
University of Melbourne
Old Arts Building
Consequences of speed
• Opened by Mary Evans,
President, RVCN
• Papers on trauma and
importance of speed in
initial treatment;
compound fractures;
contaminated wounds,
resuscitation and
rehabilitation
1971
Camberwell Civic Centre
Prostheses in surgery
• Space for 43 trade
exhibitors with separate
morning & afternoon tea
rooms
• Keynote speaker Betty
Thomas, Immediate past
President AORN
• Surgical Dynamics
provided pre-luncheon
sherry and soft drinks
1972
Camberwell Civic Centre
Patient centred care
• Keynote speaker Janet
Lay, Theatre
Coordinator, Prince
Henry & Prince of Wales
Hospital, Sydney
• Pre-conference
exhibitor cocktail party
for members
Sr. Mary Felix, Chairman
(St Vincent’s)
1973
Camberwell Civic Centre
Circulatory, chest & cardiac surgery
• Opened by Miss P
Armstrong, Secretary
RVCN
• Fees $4 full conference,
$2 per session; Lunch $4
• Program & pre dinner
drinks sponsored by
Ethicon; morning &
afternoon teas sponsored
by Davis & Geck
Marea Fennell,
Chairman
(St Vincent’s)
1974
Camberwell Civic Centre
The road to casualty
• Keynote speaker, Dr
Peter Bush, Director
Casualty, RMH
• 330 delegates
• Fees $6, lunch $3 &
members cocktail
party $1.75
• 45 trade exhibitors
1975
Camberwell Civic Centre
All chips & chisels ( no bone unturned)
• Keynote speaker
Elizabeth Franks, Queen
Elizabeth Hospital,
Adelaide & sponsored
by Davis & Geck
• 309 delegates & 45
trade exhibits
• Surgical Dynamics
sponsored the luncheon
wine
Lyn Root, Chairman (RWH)
1976
Camberwell Civic Centre
Progress in a woman’s world
• Opened by Betty
Lawson, Matron, RWH
• Topics related to
gynaecology & infertility
• Fees $10, lunch $6,
morning or afternoon
tea $3
• Presentations by nurses
proved very popular
1977
Camberwell Civic Centre
Surgery in renal failure
• Opened by Mr R Ansell,
Administrator of
Australian Kidney
Foundation
• Topics addressed dialysis,
kidney donation &
transplantation
• Fees $12 for full day
• 45 trade exhibitors
Pauline Bennett, Chairman
(Maroondah)
1978
Camberwell Civic Centre
Plastic & reconstructive surgery
• Opened by June
Stewart, President,
Directors of Nursing
Association
• Topics addressed
congenital defects, skin
cancer & trauma
including microsurgery
• 344 delegates paid $12
for conference
Education
session
Lunch
Morning tea
1979
Camberwell Civic Centre
ENT surgery & Anaesthetics
• Opened by Rae Anstee,
DON, Austin Hospital
– Spoke about the largely
unnoticed dedication
required to be an
operating room nurse &
importance of
professional
membership
Note: the Six C’s – colour, circulation, chest
movement, carbon dioxide, cough and
consciousness
1980
Camberwell Civic Centre
Colorectal surgery
• Opened by Sir Edward
Hughes, FRACS, Professor
Surgery, Alfred
• Fees $15 full day; $7 half
day
• Trade exhibit stand $150
• Satchels were filled for
delegates
• Dinner dance held on
completion with 140
attending
Lorraine Rome, Secretary for 16
years (right) at the registration
desk with Leonie Lorenz, Ass
Treasurer
First coloured brochure
& use of new logo
1981
Camberwell Civic Centre
Neurosurgery
• Opened by Judith
Cooney, Federal
Secretary, RANF
• Papers covered trauma
& intracranial lesions
• 370 delegates & 53
trade exhibits
• Proceedings made
available on tape
Chloe Forsyth,
Chairman (RMH)
Front cover of first
conference booklet
1982
Camberwell Civic Centre
Keeping pace with the 80s
• 21st Annual conference
• Keynote address Miss
June Allen, DON, Alfred
& inaugural President of
the Group
• Papers covered
computers in the OR &
pacemakers
• Satchels featured ORNG
logo & 21st key
1983
Camberwell Civic Centre
Burns & Orthopaedics
• Keynote speaker Miss
Elaine Orr, DON, RCH
• 390 delegates & 53
trade exhibits
• Fees $26 for conference
& cocktail party
• Five nursing papers
• Happy hour concluded
the conference
Jacquie Dalzell, Chairman (Austin)
& Elaine Orr
1984
Camberwell Civic Centre
Vascular surgery & Safe Practices in the OR
• Keynote speaker Miss
Mona Menzies, Chief
Nursing Officer, VNC
• 442 delegates ‘squeezed’
into civic centre
• Fees $30 full day; $12 half
day
• Trade exhibits cost $250
• Last conference at
Camberwell after 14 years
Marea Fennell, Chairman
(St Vincent’s)
1985
Southern Cross Hotel
New parts for old
• Keynote speaker Dr Larry
Osborne, EO, Repatriation
General Hospital
• Papers covered,
intraocular lenses, breast
reconstruction & kidney
transplantation
• 66 trade exhibits @ $500
per stand
• 420 delegates paid $40
for full conference
1986
Victoria hosted ACORN Conference
Mara Fennell, Justice Kirby, Jacqui Dalzell
Prince Henry’s Hospital and other delegates
1986 conference dinner
ACORN Board. Judith Cornell front right
L-R Back: Andrea Brien (Western) Michelle
Cullen, Pamela Waite (Cabrini) Jenny Dyason,
Mary Newton (Vic Clinic)
L-R Front: Carmel Gagliardi, Marian Kilvert,
Winsome Salway, Brain Newton
1987
Southern Cross Hotel
New faces- a new outlook on life
• 25th Conference
• Opening address Miss
Lucy Jo Atkinson, Editor,
Point of View
• Papers covered cochlear
implants & craniofacial
surgery
• 340 delegates & 63
exhibitors
• Five educational grants @
$400 awarded
(Western Hospital)
1988
Southern Cross Hotel
All in a day’s work
• Opening Mr John
Clareborough, OBE,
FRACS
• Theme focused on day
surgery
• Fees $55 for members;
$60 for non members
• 450 delegates & trade
exhibitor paid $660 for a
stand
Claire Collins, Chairman (RCH)
1989
Southern Cross Hotel
Organ transplantation
• Keynote speaker Mr
Nicholas Tonti-Filippini,
Director of Bioethics, St
Vincent's Hospital
• Davis & Geck, Ansell,
Johnson & Johnson &
Stelmara sponsored name
badges, satchels, pens &
pads, and printings costs
1990
Southern Cross Hotel
Laser surgery & neurosurgery
• Keynote speaker Ms Peg
Higginbottom, Manager,
Nursing Advisory Unit,
DOH
• 600 delegates & 65 trade
exhibits
• Fees $65 for members;
$75 for non members
• New evaluation form
captured data that led to
revision of conference
format
1991
Southern Cross Hotel
ENT & Orthopaedics
• Keynote speaker Ms Chris
Game, Director of
Education , RCNA
• Research papers
presented
• Plenary & concurrent
sessions held, including
workshops
• Surgicare, Fisher & Paykel,
CIG, & Medtel provided
equipment for workshops
• Windcheaters with the
new logo for sale
1992
World Congress Centre
The world is your oyster
• 30th conference
• Keynote speaker Megan
Jane Johnson, Nurse
Ethicist, RMIT
• Fees $120 for members;
$150 for non members
• 580 delegates; 75 trade
• Call for abstracts in ANJ
• Open forum & debate re
single use items
Leonie Lorenz, Chairman
(Repat)
1993
World Congress Centre
Victoria before the world- a spectrum of caring
• Keynote speaker Penny
Smalley, Laser Consultant
• Research papers, forums
& workshops
• VSPAAN presented a
session
• 500 delegates
• Fee to attend cocktail
party
• Speakers & committee
used identifying ribbons
1994
World Congress Centre
The art & science of perioperative nursing
• Keynote speaker Barbara
Horner, Consultant in
Education & Training
• Fees $160 members;
$180 non members; $25
cocktail party; $27 lunch
• 550 delegates & 80 trade
exhibits
• Clive Alsop hosted a
hypothetical on partner
presence during
caesarean section
1995
World Congress Centre
A new lamp is burning
• Keynote speaker Catherine Taylor,
Head of School of Nursing, Deakin
University
• Theme depicted changes in
health care models & the need
for perioperative nurses to
preserve their identity
• Open forum depicted a law court
& nurse & expert witness being
cross examined
• Graduate certificate students
presented on caring for ourselves
& our patients
New A4 size brochure
1996
World Congress Centre
Look what do you see?
• Theme reflected
advancement in
minimally invasive
surgery
• A debate on ‘any nurse
can be a perioperative
nurse’ facilitated by
John Jost, broadcaster
• 74 trade exhibitors
First glossy brochure
1997
World Congress Centre
Prepare to be noticed
• No workshops but two
surgical product
presentations on breast
biopsy system & flash
sterilisation monitoring
• Passport incentive
introduced
• ACORN President Carolyn
Webster gave closing
address
Michelle Cullen, Chairman (Box Hill)
1998
World Congress Centre
The future is within our reach
• Theme reflected desire
to create opportunities
& take responsibility
• 235 delegates and 68
trade attended
• Committee wore polo
shirts to distinguish
them
1999
Melb Convention Centre
Kaleidoscope
• Theme reflected a wide
variety of topics
– VRE
– Pre admission clinics
– Complimentary
therapies
– Sentinel node biopsy
– Management of teams
– CPD
Jorge Acevedo Rodriguez,
Chairman (Eye & Ear)
2000
Melb Convention Centre
Going for Gold
• Ass Prof Kate Burridge,
Linguist, spoke at
welcome breakfast
• Nicole Livingstone,
Olympic swimmer gave
keynote address
• Sir Murray Rivers QC
(satirist Bryan Dawes)
entertained at welcome
reception
• Victorian Nurse's Choir
sang at closing ceremony
2001
Melb Convention Centre
Sea Change
• Keynote address
Belinda Moyes,
Principal Nurse, Nurse
Policy Branch, DHS
• Plenary session panel
spoke on recruitment &
retention
• Cocktail reception at
Melbourne Aquarium
2002
Victoria hosted the ACORN Conference
• Inaugural Judith Cornell
Oration delivered by
Judith Cornell, AM as an
future event for
perioperative nurses to
share their vision for
the future
• A masquerade ball was
held for the 783
delegates and 100 trade
Marilyn Schroder, President (Mercy) with Betty
Schulz, incoming AORN President
2003
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Horses for courses: diversity in the OR
• New venue was
designed to cut costs
but delegates numbers
were down
• Stryker donated
$1500.00 best paper
prize won by Carollyn
Williams (Barwon
Health)
Lesley Gilbert, President (Freemasons)
2004
Docklands Stadium
Everyone's a winner: kicking goals for
perioperative nursing
• Keynote address Marcia
Griffin, business
entrepreneur
• Ian Cover, sport
commentator was MC
• Fees $375 for members,
$475 for non members
• Two workshops preceded
the conference, one at
RACS simulation centre
2005
Docklands Stadium
Flying the flag: tradition, innovation &
the future
• Keynote speaker Robyn
Moore, changing
perception through the
‘power of the word.’
• Closing speaker, Jane
Clifton, comedian
• Full registration $375.00
members, $475.00 non
members. Cocktail
reception $60.00
2006
Melb Convention Centre
Passing the baton
• Theme reflected
innovation in clinical
practice; research impact;
management strategies &
strategies for change
• Opening speaker Olga
Kanitsaki, RMIT University
• Keynote address by Col
Beverley Wright, Director
of Defence Force Nursing
2007
Melb Convention Centre
Perioperative nursing: a golden career
• Celebrated 50 years of the
Group
• Opened by Dr David de
Krester, Governor of Victoria
• Opening ceremony featured
Victoria Police Band, past
Presidents & Life members
• Keynote speaker Dr Ross
Walker, cardiologist
• A Gold & Black Ball
Judith Bridges,
President with Alan
Gentry, Multigate
2008
Melb Convention Centre
The future is you … the next evolution
• Keynote speaker Li
Cunxin ‘Mao’s Last
Dancer’
• Hypothetical: ‘The Big
Bang.’ Weekend,
skeleton staff, terrorism,
multiple trauma
• Debate: ‘The future of
the perioperative
nursing as we know it’
2009
The Sebel
The courage to care
• Venue change to reduce
costs
• Opening speaker
Belinda Moyes, Chief
Nurse, Vic
• Keynote address Peter
Davidson, RAV & the
rescue of 8 men during
1998 Sydney to Hobart
yacht race
• Launch of the History of
VPNG project
Nan Lundie, President (Latrobe Uni)
2010
The Sebel
Working together for success
• Opened by Adj Prof
Belinda Moyes, Principle
Nurse Advisor, DHS
• Keynote speaker Ass Prof
Linda Starr, Dean School
of Nursing Flinders
University
• Paper on separating
conjoined twins Trishna &
Krishna
• Interactive workshops
featured
2011
Flemington Racecourse
Building on our Strengths
• MC Sam McCool,
comedian
• Keynote address
Amanda Gore, speaker
to inspire creativity and
laughter
• Open forum discussed
standards of practice as
a template for quality
care and risk
management
Daniel Scholtes, President (Warragul)
2012
The Sebel
Everyday heroes: making a difference
• Opening address Prof Michael
Grigg, Vice President, RACS
• Keynote speakers
– Peter Hughes, Bali bombing
survivor on ‘Life beyond Bali’
– Avril Henry, ‘Working with
generations’
– Professor Peter Choong, Chair of
Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital on
‘Cancer surgery - what teamwork
is all about’
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