Central Ohio AORN November Newsletter
Posted about 2 months ago by Rebekah Morrison
This announcement has 2 attachments:
Hello Central Ohio AORN members,
The fall season is fully in stride. Fields harvested, trees showing their colors, that cool morning air, and of course Buckeye football. Fall has always been my favorite time of year for many reasons. For me, nothing compares to a flannel shirt and a walk in the woods to recharge the soul. It can, however, be a very busy time of year as kids are in school and the holidays are fast approaching. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment. Please remember to take the time for some self-care. Work it into your schedule and breathe. It could be as simple as sitting on the back porch with a cup of coffee, a blanket, and a book. A little stress relief will make your entire outlook much more positive.
We have some great events coming up this fall with AORN of Central Ohio. On November 18th Ethicon will be presenting on “Patient Bleeding Management”. This will take place at the Ear and Eye Institute, OSU on 915 Olentangy River Rd. You do not have to be a member to come. Join us for education, food, and collaborating with other Operating Room Nurses from all over central Ohio and beyond. The program will include:
• The Burden of Bleeding
• High risk Bleeding Patients
• The Cost of Transfusions
• Blood Conservation Methods
Then on December 9th we will be having the annual Holiday Party at Cardinal Health. This is always one of the highlights of the year. A great dinner, education, and much more for this fantastic event. More information will be coming out for this RSVP gathering. Once again, you do not have to be a member to join in the festivities.
AORN Expo will be here before we know it. This year’s theme is “Lighting the Pathway”. It will be in New Orleans on April 11-14, 2026. So, make plans now!
Have a wonderful Fall season and see you at the meeting!
Steve Cole - Treasurer
Legislative Corner
Kay Ball, PhD, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAORN, FAAN
November 2025
Who Will Be Our Next Ohio Governor?
Since Ohio Governor DeWine cannot run for re-election in 2026 due to term limits (he will have served two-4 year terms as Governor), we’ll have to elect a new Governor in November 2026. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was the expected Republican candidate but he was appointed Senator by Gov. DeWine to replace Sen. J.D. Vance who was elected as Vice President. Some candidates have already made known their intentions to run for Governor while others are still “testing the waters” to see if they have any chance of winning this election. The contenders bring different levels of experience in politics and a great diversity of backgrounds. So, as nurses, we must understand each candidate’s qualifications, knowledge, experience, and passion, especially in healthcare.
Here’s the rundown on candidates as of the writing of this Legislative Corner.
Democrat:
Dr. Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, says she feels like she has a bond with Ohioans.This is because she played a critical role helping Ohioans navigate the COVID-19 pandemic during the spring of 2020. Acton is from Bexley and is 58 years old. She rose to popularity during the response to the first months of COVID-19. She also worked for the Columbus Foundation and as an Ohio State University public health professor. She is running because she doesn’t like the direction the state is going and has heard from many Ohioans that changes are needed. She is the only Democrat entering the race but former Congressman Tim Ryan is getting closer to making a decision to run.
Tim Ryan, 50, served in the US House of Representatives from 2013-2023 and then lost the Senate race against J.D. Vance. Ryan has had about 25 years in politics and now works in the private sector focusing on new technologies and business development. For his entire life, he has lived in Howland, Ohio, (Mahoning Valley), but now lives in Dublin, Ohio. As Chief Global Business Development Officer for Zoetic Global, he said he was moving to the Columbus area where the company opened a new carbon credit headquarters. To date, Ryan hasn’t decided to run for governor but he thinks he “could do a really good job” since he understands Ohio issues so well.
Republican:
Vivek Ramaswamy, a wealthy entrepreneur and former Trump appointed co-chair of the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), is a Cincinnati native and now lives in Upper Arlington, Ohio. He was the founder (2014) of Roivant Sciences, a pharmaceutical company. He ran for US President in 2024. Ramaswamy focuses on education and advocates for school choice programs. He has been endorsed by President Trump and the Ohio GOP even though he’s never held a public office. He currently has a huge lead in fundraising over Dr. Amy Acton.
Heather Hill, is a former President of Morgan County School Board, and was the first person of color to be elected in Morgan County. She was secretary for the Black Caucus of the Ohio School Board Association. In 2023, Gov. DeWine appointed Hill to serve on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission. Hill withdrew herself as a Republican candidate for Governor but still may run but as an Independent.
Current Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel decided not to run for Governor since the Ohio Republican party has already endorsed Ramaswamy. Also Attorney General Dave Yost, who was a Republican candidate for Governor, has dropped out the the race.
Independent:
Tim Grady, 28, is running again (for the 2nd time) for the Ohio governor’s seat. Grady is an Activist and OSU graduate student, focusing on new economic thinking and systematic political change as today’s toxic politics keep good candidates from running. Grady has served as the chair of the Ohio Chapter of the Forward Party (founded by former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang).
So pay attention to the candidates for Governor starting now. The November 2026 election will be here before we know it!
FYI we will not be meeting in November. Hope to see you tomorrow night and/or in December.