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Kay Ball

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Kay Ball, PhD, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAAN
Kay Ball is an Adjunct Professor of Nursing at Otterbein University, Westerville, OH, where she retired from being Full professor of nursing in August 2019, and a perioperative nurse consultant working with perioperative nurses, professional organizations, healthcare facilities, industry, and legislative groups. Kay has served as the Laser Program Director for Mount Carmel Health and Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Kay also has had many years of experience in managing an operating room suite and a PACU unit.
Kay received an A.D.N. (1974) from Columbus Technical Institute in Columbus, OH (received 1998 Alumnae of the Year Award), a B.S.N. (1983) from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio (received 1997 Distinguished Alumnae Award), and an M.S.A. (1987) (focusing on healthcare administration) from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI. She received a PhD in Health Related Sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA in 2009. Kay has maintained certification in the operating room (CNOR) since 1981 and is CMLSO (certified medical laser safety officer) since 2017. In 1997, Kay was honored to be inducted as a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). Kay is the recipient of the 2003 AORN Award for Excellence (the highest honor to be given by AORN) and the 2003 Ohio Nurses Association’s Excellence in Political Action Award. Kay is also the recipient of the 2004 ANA Barbara Thoman Curtis Award which is the highest political excellence award to be given by the American Nurses Association. Kay also was awarded the AORN Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Research Award at the 2010 AORN Congress, the AORN Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing (2003) and the Jerry G. Peers Distinguished Service Award (2020).
Kay served as the 1992-93 President of the national Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and the President of the AORN Foundation (2000-2001). Kay is also a member of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (Board of Directors 1993-96, recipient of the 1998 ASLMS Award for Nursing Excellence and the 2010 ASLMS Best Clinical Nursing/Allied Health Abstract Award), Ohio Nurses Association (past chair of the Health Policy Council and Political Contributing Entity), MidOhio District Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, American Society of Peri Anesthesia Nurses, Society for Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, and the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Kay served as the 1993 and 1994 Vice-Chair of the ANA Nursing Organization Liaison Forum that represents over 75 specialty nursing organizations. During this time, Kay worked for a 3-month assignment at the White House during the tumultuous healthcare reform activities. She was elected to Chair the new Ohio Nursing Summit (1995-97) which is a state-level NOLF. In 2007, Kay was appointed to represent ANA on the National Quality Forum - Surgery and Anesthesia Technical Advisory Panel of the National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Hospital Care.
Kay has authored the books, Lasers: The Perioperative Challenge, 1st and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions (after the 1st edition, Kay planned and assisted with the first laser surgery on a dolphin at Sea World), and Endoscopic Surgery which is part of Mosby’s Perioperative Nursing Series. She also has written the chapter on lasers and other surgical cutting and coagulation tools in Alexander’s Care of the Patient in Surgery, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th & 17th editions, and has authored many other chapters in professional texts. Kay served as the Editor-in-Chief of Today’s Surgical Nurse (1994-9) and has authored many articles and editorials on health care related topics for many organizational and professional journals. Kay lectures on laser, surgical, healthcare, and nursing issues throughout the United States, and has lectured internationally in Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, France, England, United Arab Emirates, and Japan. She has lectured on a variety of topics for the USA military nurses and physicians on four different occasions in Germany.