Dear Palliative Care Nurses Interest Group Members,
On behalf of the executive, I am delighted to wish you a very Happy Nursing Week! This is a powerful opportunity to celebrate and recognize the extraordinary impact of hospice palliative care nurses—whether you lead at the bedside, in education, research, administration, or proudly wear more than one of these hats.
This year’s National Nursing Week theme, “The Power of Nurses to Transform Health,” could not resonate more strongly with palliative care nursing. Across every setting, palliative care nurses are catalysts for transformation. At the bedside, nurses profoundly shape the lived experience of patients, residents, and care partners through compassionate, holistic care. Clinical coaches and pain and symptom management consultants drive transformation through quality improvement, mentorship, and education. Nurse researchers expand what is possible by generating new knowledge, while nurse educators prepare the next generation—and strengthen the current one—to deliver exceptional care wherever they practice. Nurse administrators, in turn, transform systems by creating the conditions that allow nursing excellence to flourish.
Your PCNIG executive is energized by the year ahead and looks forward to continuing our work with the soon-to-be RNAO President, Sue Lebeau. We have had the opportunity to engage with Sue during her time as president-elect, and she clearly understands the urgent need for health system change and sustainable funding to improve access to hospice palliative care across settings and across the province.
In response to last year’s AGM resolution calling for wage and benefit parity between hospice and community-based palliative care services, RNAO continues to actively address wage disparities. In its recent pre-budget submission to the provincial government, RNAO highlighted that “RN wages in the palliative and hospice care sector are generally lower than in hospital settings; even within this sector, pay can vary considerably.” We remain steadfast in encouraging RNAO to advocate strongly on this critical issue.
We are also excited to share that PCNIG members will be consulted in the upcoming updates to two RNAO Palliative Care Best Practice Guidelines. This is a meaningful opportunity to ensure your voices and expertise shape best practices for years to come. To learn more and get involved, please join us for our next Knowledge Compass session on Tuesday, May 19, from 12–1 p.m. ET. Register via this web link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NwpX6pYQT32FfHweMDCI8g
The executive remains deeply committed to being responsive to the needs and priorities of PCNIG members. We welcome your insights at any time and hope you will continue to connect with us, whether at our monthly Knowledge Compass sessions or by reaching out via email.
Thank you for the transformative work you do every day, and again, Happy Nursing Week!
Warm regards,
Valerie Fiset on behalf of the PCNIG Executive Team