Traditionally, Nurses鈥� Week messages are full of images of smiling, caring nurses who are referred to as the 鈥渕ost trusted鈥� health professionals. This year, I challenge you to find out more about the work that professional nurses do every day in settings that range from acute-care hospitals to remote and Indigenous communities.
Professional nurses do important work that promotes, protects and preserves the health of Canadians. Let鈥檚 celebrate National Nurses鈥� Week this week by making the knowledge and skills that underpin nursing work visible.
Almost everyone knows a professional nurse, so I offer the following questions to guide your explorations.
Ask a professional nurse:
1. About the work she/he does that keeps people safe during hospitalization and/or medical treatment.
2. About how he/she advocates for people and communities to receive needed health services.
3. About the complexities of educating nursing students to provide nursing care and the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours required.
4. About the need to maintain environments for care that support professional nursing practice and to provide the resources nurses need for this important work.
Be sure to find out the nurse鈥檚 full name and credentials and about the professional education that has prepared this nurse for this complex, knowledge-intensive and highly skilled work. Despite many challenges, nurses remain committed to improving health and health care for Canadians and for people around the world.
Karen MacKinnon, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Nursing
University of Victoria
