Dr. Kay Ball is a Professor of Nursing at Otterbein University in Westerville, OH. She also is a surgical consultant. She received her PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a Certified Nurse in the Operating Room along with a Certified Medical Laser Safety Office. Dr. Ball is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and will be inducted this April as a Fellow in the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. She was national President of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (1992-3) and President of the AORN Foundation (2000-2001). Dr. Ball has authored 4 editions of Lasers: The Perioperative Challenge along with many articles and chapters. She 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 represented nurses in specialty practice in Washington DC during the White House during the tumultuous healthcare reform activities. Later Kay helped create the Ohio Nurses Association “Alliance,” representing nursing organizations and agencies within the state.