National Nursing Week

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2019 3 MANITOBA LIBERAL CAUCUS MBLiberalCaucus.ca Dougald Lamont Judy Klassen Cindy Lamoureux Jon Gerrard MLA for Kewatinook MLA for St. Boniface MLA for River Heights MLA for Burrows Thank You Manitoba Nurses for your compassion and care. COLLEGE OF LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES OF MANITOBA Manitoba's licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have the broadest education and scope of practice in the country. "That level of education and scope of practice is not the same anywhere else in Canada, North America or the world," says Jennifer Breton, executive director of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses. "The LPNs in Manitoba take this to heart. They are professionals and they are leaders. They keep growing with the system in order to meet the needs of our population — and we're grateful for them." Becoming a practical nurse in Manitoba begins with a two- year diploma program offered at three different institutions: University College of the North (which has campuses in Flin Flon and Swan River), Université de Saint-Boniface and Assiniboine Community College. "Their focus is on the nursing sciences and the humanities, and they come out ready to hit the ground running. They are leaders and they work in all practice areas, so a clinical LPN could be in the emergency department or in long-term care or dialysis," Breton says. "We also have LPNs who work in administration as executive directors, facility managers and clinical leaders. We have LPNs in the education domain who may be educating health-care aides or other nurses, and we have LPNs who assist in research." Today, there are approximately 3,600 LPNs in Manitoba, along with about 400 students at any given time. "The College regulates students, graduates and licensed practical nurses in the best interest of the public. Part of the regulating is to approve the practical nursing education," Breton says. "We approve the entry-level program, but we also approve continuing education and areas such as the foot-care program. The foot-care program in Manitoba is the only one of its kind in Canada and we work with Assiniboine Community College to approve that program." At some point, most people have had their lives touched by a nurse, Breton adds. "It is a profession where you serve others. You work with people at their most vulnerable — and that's an honour. You walk away knowing that you helped somebody at the happiest parts of their life or maybe the worst moments of their life," she says. "It's a privilege to be involved and to help in some small way, so that makes it really rewarding. For someone who wants to serve society and serve humanity, nursing is a wonderful career." COLLEGE OF REGISTERED PSYCHIATRIC NURSES OF MANITOBA Registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) work in a multitude of settings, yet they maintain a holistic approach to health care wherever their practice leads them. "While registered psychiatric nurses are mainly concerned with mental health, we really are looking at people in a holistic way. Not only do we provide care to individuals and their families, we also go more broadly to provide care to groups and communities as well," says Isabelle Jarrin, president of the board of directors of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba. "We are looking at a person in their entirety, as one of the three regulated nursing professions in Manitoba." Currently, Manitoba is home to more than 1,000 RPNs. The education pathway in Manitoba begins with a bachelor of science in psychiatric nursing, available through Brandon University with sites in both Brandon and Winnipeg. Brandon University also offers a master of psychiatric nursing program. Traditional settings for RPNs include in-patient and out-patient mental health services. In addition, RPNs work in personal care homes and long-term care centres, as well as with clients who have developmental needs. Other RPNs can be found working in emergency departments or on geriatric teams with older adults. In Winnipeg, registered psychiatric nurses share their skills with My Health Teams, at Mount Carmel Clinic, at Klinic and with the sexual assault program. In collaboration with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the College has developed a toolkit to help when considering integrating an RPN into a non-traditional mental health setting. This recently updated document looks at whether having an RPN on staff would enhance the ability to serve the population. "RPNs can have administrative roles in both mental health and non-mental health settings," Jarrin says. "RPNs also work as part of a larger interdisciplinary health- care team that's looking at the entire health of individuals and the surrounding community. They work in areas that have a component of mental health and well-being as well as physical health and well-being." Each year, National Nursing Week provides a moment to pause and appreciate the work of nurses. "The College certainly appreciates all the efforts of RPNs, RNs and LPNs," Jarrin says. "We recognize and celebrate all the work that nurses do." ASSOCIATION OF REGISTERED NURSES OF MANITOBA Now three years strong, the Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (ARNM) continues to advocate for the advancement of nursing and the health of all people throughout the province. "With nurses being a majority component of the health-care workforce, we really need to be well represented at decision- making tables," says executive director Mary Smith. Membership is voluntary, and today more than 10,000 registered nurses are part of the ARNM. "We represent nurses across a variety of settings, so not just in clinical areas but also education, research, leadership and policy," Smith says. "We've been doing a lot of great work in the areas of professional development and advocacy, recognizing that there are many changes in our health-care system. Change is certainly something that nurses are very familiar with." When nurses become members of the ARNM, they also get membership with the Canadian Nurses Association. Any registered nurse can become an ARNM member, including nurse practitioners, graduate nurses, nursing students and former registered nurses. Membership might soon open up to include registered psychiatric nurses and licensed practical nurses. At the 2019 AGM, ARNM members unanimously passed a resolution to explore the possibility of expanding the membership structure to include the whole family of nursing. In addition, they agreed to collaborate with all designations of nurses to participate in the International Council of Nurses and World Health Organization campaign to raise the profile of nursing and to promote pride in the profession. They also aim to increase awareness about the impacts of social determinants of health as they relate to health inequities. In addition, the members approved bylaw changes so the ARNM can advance with a focus on inclusivity. The association will now offer an associate non-voting membership category for any health-care professional to access member benefits and professional development opportunities. "We're very excited. We're making history," Smith says. "There are some wonderful advances happening in the nursing profession and we're very proud of them." The National Nursing Week theme, Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health for All, is timely and appropriate, she adds. "We're strength-based, positive-focused and good inter- professional team players," Smith says. "We're very lucky in Manitoba that we have a very broad autonomous scope of practice to provide ethical, safe care. Across the country, Manitoba nurses are very well respected for that." ✚ cna-aiic.ca Your leadership makes a difference every day. Share your story @ canadanurses #VoiceToLead #IND2019 & #NationalNursingWeek NATIONAL NURSING WEEK MAY 6-12, 2019 Your leadership makes a difference every day. Share your story @ canadanurses #VoiceToLead #IND2019 & #NationalNursingWeek NATIONAL NURSING WEEK cna-aiic.ca The Université de Saint-Boniface's School of Nursing and Health Sciences was recently granted a national accreditation by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN), becoming the first nursing school in Manitoba to reach such a recognition of excellence.

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