Matt Lowe, MDiv, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ONC sat down with Olivia J Wolf and Kim Wilder to discuss the current challenges, transitions and opportunities they see in orthopaedic nursing and orthopaedic nurse leadership. Olivia J Wolf, MBA, CPC is a healthcare executive, public speaker and physician advocate who sits on the board of directors for the American Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (AAOE) and is the host of The Stuck(ish) Podcast. Kim Wilder, MSN, RN, ONC, is an administrator for the Baptist Health Surgery Center in Lexington, KY. She has an extensive background in all aspects of orthopaedic nursing, is a featured presenter for NAON at various conferences and serves on the NAON Education Committee. They highlight the unique opportunity for orthopaedic nursing leadership to return purpose to the profession and the important role that associations such as AAOE and NAON play in building invaluable relationships with others in the orthopaedic nursing profession.

Matt Lowe, MDiv, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ONC, sat down onsite at NAON’s 44th Annual Congress in Louisville, Kentucky, with two first-time Congress attendees to discuss their journey in the field of orthopaedic nursing. Kellyann Kosma, DNP, APRN, NP-C, is the advanced practice program manager at Hartford Healthcare Bone & Joint Institute, and she discusses her experience as a podium and poster presenter at Congress. Amanda Hill, BSN, ONC, RN, the total joint registered nurse coordinator at Windy Hill Total Joint Center, talks about the impact that joining NAON has had on her career, enabling her to network while sharing the knowledge and passion of orthopaedic nursing with others.

Matt Lowe, MDiv, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, ONC sat down with Dr. Mary O’Connor to discuss the impact that social determinants and individual behavior choices can have on musculoskeletal disparities in our nation. Mary is an orthopaedic surgeon with over 23 years of experience at Mayo Clinic and Yale University School of Medicine and is Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Vori Health. As the chair of the board of Directors for Movement is Life, a multidisciplinary coalition with a mission to decrease musculoskeletal health disparities among women and underserved individuals, she shares about the success of their community-based program, Operation Change which focuses on early intervention, education, behavior change and advocacy.