Greetings SNIG members
As I write today it is a beautiful snowy day in London Ontario. I work in a psychiatric facility as a casual staff nurse and work wherever I'm needed. I have been an RN for a very long time and planning to retire in April. It is with mixed feelings I think of retirement as I enjoy my work and have many connections with patients and staff. Much of my identity is being a working person and a Registered Nurse. I will renew my licence for the foreseeable future and continue to volunteer with RNAO and attend assemblies and AGM. I have loved my years at RNAO. I have been active in my Local Chapter and also for several years with SNIG. I am a member of Retirement Nurses Interest group as well, so there still is a place for me.
* Queen's Park Day is coming up February . This is a day when RNAO members are prepped about issues that RNAO deems important and then members meet with their MPP and discuss these issues and advocate for changes. Members also see politics in action when we go to Queens Park and observe the politicians in question period. Later we have lunch and listen to presentations from political leaders of all parties.
* RNAO AGM is June 12, 2020. All RNAO members can attend. There is no cost and it is a great day to learn what your professional organization is doing to make progressive changes for nurses and for Ontario peoples health. You can register on RNAO website. RNAO will cover most expenses if you are a formal representative for your chapter or Interest Group. Its a wonderful learning day and a way to connect with nurses and organizations and to energize and motivate yourself as a nurse.
* Watch for notifications of SNIG AGM. I expect it will be in Toronto June 13 as we generally plan it after the RNAO AGM.
* Every year for several years SNIG executive have met in Kingston for our Think Tank day. It is a time to meet face to face and plan our themes and activities for the coming year. This year we are planning to meet in May. Final date not yet finalized. Please contact SNIG (Chair Una Ferguson unaf@rogers.com) if you would like to be a part of our executive. Other executive members are Paula Manuel from Mississauga, Una and Manon Belanger from Ottawa, Emily Hinton and Cadence Gillis from Kingston Lhamo Dolkar from Toronto, and Sam Perikala from St Catherines and myself Brenda Hutton from London.
* I am a member of Mental Health Nursing Interest Group and recently attended their AGM in London. I heard a presentation from two innovative young nurses who work for ACT teams in Brampton. They were very concerned that members of their South Asian community were not seeking or getting the mental health care they need. Maneet Chahal and Jasmeet Chagger have formed SOCH Mental Health which provides mental health education for their community. They produce You Tube videos and have found they are helping people from all over the world. They hope that SOCH will become their full time work eventually but their community education/discussion sessions are free to participants and they want to continue this grassroots work. Check out their website and YouTube videos. It is amazing the positive influence these nurses are having.
Best Wishes and thank you for the important and often difficult work that you do as Registered Nurses in the front lines. Hope to see some of you at AGM. Drop in at SNIG info table and introduce yourself
Brenda Hutton
Financial ENO
Staff Nurse Interest Group, RNAO