President's Message 

Each year, VARN offers several amazing conferences around Virginia, attempting to highlight unique and innovative services! This year to increase attendees participating in this summer's conference and apply effective strategies to building relationships with physicians, we are co-sponsoring 2009 Workers' Compensation Symposium on August 10, 2009 and August 11, 2009 with Orthopaedic & Spine Center and Virginia Association Rehab Professionals. The primary goal of this conference is to connect and network with rehabilitation professionals, employers, physicians, and therapists to enhance our team approach and learn new medical information that provides extraordinary excellent treatment for the Workers Comp patient and local employers. Please log on to www.osc-ortho.com or call (757) 596-1444 or register.
Jeanne Gant (VARN/ State Farm), Jennie Hill (VARN/ State Farm), Shannon Woods (Marketing Liaison/ OSC), and myself have collaborated on the topics, met with the physicians, and assisted with CEUs. VARP has assisted with Vendors and CEUs. Last year, as most local rehab professionals are aware, Shannon Woods organized the first - 2008 Workers' Compensation Symposium on August 12, 2008 at the Marriot Hotel - City Center in Newport News, VA. This year, it remains at the same location, only we have added a pre- conference cocktail party with a panel for IME debate. Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to join us in this event the evening before. The following conference day, Dr. Boyd Haynes will address "The Blame Game - Old vs. New, Chronic vs. Acute, Traumatic vs. Degenerative Conditions or Injuries", and Dr. Jeffrey Carlson will speak on "Disc - Dissecting its Serious Complications - Segmental Disc Disease". Oh by the way, just check out their new office building with "drive up" window to pick up or drop off "whatever"..................................................!

Susan Wirt (VARN/ Wirt and Assoc.), has spent hours collaborating with the Board and developing our new web site representing Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, programs, membership, and sponsorships. Our commitment as a Board this year is to reach out and build the organization membership!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are committed to reaching our members and guests by email, conserving by offering discs vs paper presentations (go green!), and offering 2 quality programs a year. Let us know what you think!!! Post your jobs, presentations, and products!

Okay, this year ARN's conference is in Albuquerque, New Mexico from October 21, 2009 until October 24, 2009. The goal of the Annual Conference is to increase awareness of new trends in rehabilitation health care and to discuss the state-of-the-art approaches to improving patient care and outcomes. I will be there. Please join me and the professionals in the organization that make a difference. The posters, opening ceremony, and awards, will impress you. I promise. They are extraordinary.

Thank you for being on our website, and for your consideration to join us at every opportunity!!!!!!!!!!! Cindi

Cindi Gordon-Willson, RN, MSN, CRRN, CDMS, CCM, CRP
President VARN