Black nurses
I have always been drawn to caring for people. Before I became a nurse, I had performed first aid on so many occasions that when my kids saw an accident, they would ask: “Are we stopping to help, mom?” When I finally became a nurse, I felt like I found my place in the world. Going to work did not feel like a job.
One of the things that makes me so proud to be a member of RNAO is the influence and impact we have when it comes to getting time with our elected representatives. Think about it for a moment. What other organization has the political clout that we have raising nursing and health issues?
This column marks my first official message to you as president. I am extremely proud and feel blessed to represent you. RNAO is an important organization, and my personal pledge to you is to bring my leadership, my energy and my commitment to continue advancing our important work.
Persistence, growth and connections assist Jocelyn Hezekiah in her 43-year nursing career.
Abiola Akinremi’s passion for humanitarian work started when she was a teenager. Having lived in Canada since the age of six, she returned to her birth country of Nigeria to attend high school and says the experience made her realize how fortunate she was to have grown up in a country with an abundance of resources available to her.
RNAO’s Black Nurses Task Force (BNTF) released a report on Feb. 8 that addresses the systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination that exists in nursing.