Happy International Nurses Day and Nursing Week, to all the Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and nursing students in Region 11!
Today, May 12th, marks International Nurses Day, when nurses and the nursing profession is commemorated globally. May 12 also marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the foundational philosopher of modern nursing.
Celebrating National Nursing Week (May 10 – 16, 2021) is looking a little different this year – we are unable to join together in person for traditional dinners or events, and are instead working diligently to support our residents, clients, students, workplaces, and communities.
Today, most of us are celebrating by doing what we do best – being nurses and sharing our knowledge, skills, and abilities to best serve our communities and those most vulnerable.
The theme of Nursing Week this year is #WeAnswerTheCall, and it could not ring truer throughout 2020-2021. This theme was developed by the Canadian Nurses Association to showcase the many roles nurses play in a patient’s healthcare journey.
Throughout this past year, we have all embraced new roles in our personal and professional lives, recognizing that nurses in our northern communities wear many hats within and outside of the workplace. Each and every one of you has stepped up to the challenge. You have gone the extra mile time and time again and given much of yourselves to serve others – demonstrating the compassion, selflessness, dedication, and strength of nurses. You have been the shoulder for not only your clients, students, and communities – but also your colleagues, friends, and families.
Nurses truly do it all – not just during a pandemic, despite that our work has definitely been highlighted on the global stage over the past year. The power of nursing is stronger than ever.
As you continue to Answer the Call as nurses and pillars within your communities, I ask each of you to reflect, take even a moment for self-care, and also look out for your colleagues as best you can during these times. As nurses in Algoma, Sudbury, Nipissing, Kirkland Lake Temiskaming, and Porcupine chapters, we form a nursing family across northern Ontario that is unique and resilient.
We wish you all the best as you celebrate this Nursing Week – safely in the workplace, and virtually with friends, colleagues, and family.
Kindest regards,
Liliana Bressan, Region 11 Representative & Region 11 Chapter Presidents