By Cynthia Yates, Registered Nurse
National Nurses Week is recognized from May 8 to 14 in honour of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12th. The theme for 2023 is “Our Nurses. Our Future”. Nurses are the largest group of health-care professionals in Canada. This theme recognizes the fundamental role that nurses play in a patient’s health-care journey.
Nurses understand firsthand the health-care needs now and can lead the necessary transformations into the future. They are fundamental in the development and advancement of policy change for meaningful and effective systems in delivery of health-care services for a population. Living and working in a rural area such as Creston provides many challenges for delivery of health-care services compared to larger centres. Local nurses who provide care for the citizens of the Creston Valley are continuously adapting to the ongoing changes and challenges of the health-care system. Whether nurses work in facility, community, or remotely they are continuously advocating for the individuals and families they care for.
A shortage of nurses has identified the need for diversity in the future of nursing. Here in Creston, the nursing void at times has been filled with travelling agency nurses from across Canada. They have proved to be fundamental to the local shortage by minimizing disruptions in delivery of health-care services. Nursing students are also always a welcome addition to the team as they fulfill their required educational practices in their respective programs. The hope is they will remain, or return, to Creston for regular employment once their education is complete in the future.
Working as a registered nurse in the Creston Valley, I have witnessed the challenges of providing nursing care in the present-day, health-care system. Many local nurses, myself included, work in multiple areas to help bridge the nursing gaps. Nursing colleagues have taken the initiative to further their education and solidify new skills to work in different nursing capacities. The future of nursing in a rural area is about continuously preparing and finding new ways of adapting to ongoing change. Our nurses are vital to the future of a healthy population. This week is an opportunity to thank those nurses for all they do, and the sacrifices they endure to help others.
On a personal level, this article is meant to highlight all the amazing nurses I know and work alongside here in Creston. I am thankful every day for their ongoing inspiration and camaraderie in a challenging, yet rewarding, profession! This week… thank a nurse. Visit cna-aiic.ca/HeyNurse to learn more or use #HeyNurse on social media.
