Health policy and advocacy
In my first formal message as your president, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride as I am writing to fellow RNAO members. I am honoured and I am in awe of my responsibility to represent almost 52,000 RNs, NPs and nursing students. I was nervous when I approached the podium back in June for my first official presidential address.
This is my outgoing column, having ended my term as the 57th president of our formidable association in June. The past two years have been GRAND – a period of personal and professional growth, impact and representation – truly the highlight of my nursing career.
On May 28, we marched to Queen’s Park with a large and vocal group of care providers, families and concerned Ontarians to demand funding for supervised consumption services (SCS) sites across Ontario. Many of those involved were driven by first-hand personal and/or professional experiences that prove SCS saves lives.
Federal minister of health Mark Holland introduced Bill C-64, An Act respecting pharmacare, in the House of Commons on Feb. 29, 2024. This initial stage of national pharmacare – which RNAO has long advocated – will include coverage for contraception and diabetes medications, once provinces sign on to the plan.
I am proud of the fact that MPPs always answer the call to meet with RNAO members when we ask for their time. We should all take a moment to reflect on what this says about nurses and about RNAO’s influence. Put simply: our association matters.
Over the years, I have heard many funny anecdotes from members about the curious places they have found their RNAO pin. In the fridge. In the garden. Inside a potted plant. At the bottom of a purse used previously. And, of course, in the washing machine pinned to scrubs.
