Congratulations on finding your way to the ARNBC webpage! By cruising through the website and reading blogs you have already taken your curiosity from thought to action. I also took that step exploring ARNBC online a few years ago and now I find myself privileged to sit on the Board of Directors representing the diverse voices of nurses working in northern B.C. This blog is my story of taking action… Read More »My Journey with ARNBC, by Linda Axen, RN
Verna Marie Huffman Splane OC, Diploma in Nursing (Nicholls Hosp, Peterborough), Diploma in Public Health Nursing (Toronto), BSc (Columbia), MPH (Michigan), LLD (Hon, Queen’s), LLD (Hon, St. Francis Xavier), LLD (Hon, UBC), DSc (Hon, Toronto), Fellow of the American Public Health Assoc. November 23, 1914 — January 10, 2015 The word giant has been tossed around by many of us this past week in reference to the life, career and… Read More »Verna Huffman Splane: Our gentle giant - “Look up, look waaaay up”, by Michael Villeneuve, RN
This year again the BC Ministry of Health has mandated that all healthcare providers must receive the influenza vaccine and if they choose not to, they must wear a mask for the duration of flu season whilst providing patient care. I applaud this decision and am frustrated by some of my colleagues who argue against science and common sense. Let’s examine some of the arguments. Point 1: Flu kills. It… Read More »B.C.’s Flu Shot Policy for Healthcare Providers: it just makes sense, by Hannah Varto, NP
Have you ever had one of those days where you said to yourself “If I had the opportunity to go to Ottawa, I’d tell those politicians how to fix our health care system”? Well, that is just what happened for five nurses from B.C. who were part of the Canadian Nurses Association annual “day on the hill” lobby opportunity on November 25th, 2014. These nurses included two current CNA board… Read More »Canadian Nurses Association Lobby Day on Parliament Hill: Insights on Nursing as a Political Act
I run into a consistent portrait every time I head to the bank in Courtenay. A person in borrowed clothing with a head bowed in shame asks, “Can you spare some change?” I wonder, “How can a person like me… a citizen in a democratic society filled with opportunity who eats three meals a day and can afford tuition to start a career, not spare some time to consider what… Read More »Spare Some Change? by Jess Shannon, BSN Student
Recent commentaries by oncology health professionals, patients, journalists and the Minister of Health about the state of cancer care in British Columbia (BC) have revealed significant challenges to delivering timely, high quality cancer care in that province. It is likely that these challenges are actually felt across the country, and are not unique to B.C. Oncology health professionals, including nurses are working to their maximum with the vision to deliver… Read More »How nurses can contribute to transforming cancer care systems, by Tracy Truant, RN and Sally Thorne, RN
ARNBC does not generally print blogposts from anonymous sources. Ideally nurses could state their opinion on virtually any topic, without repercussions. However, the following blog was submitted by a nurse who feels so threatened in her workplace that she does not feel it would be safe to identify herself publicly. Bullying is a topic that we know impacts many nurses and we feel strongly that it is important to publish this piece… Read More »Do You Know if YOU are the Bully?
Each year the College of Registered Nurses of BC (CRNBC) presents Awards of Excellence to highlight the achievements of noteworthy Registered Nurses in British Columbia. One of these awards is for excellence in advocacy. According to CRNBC, the advocacy award is given to “registered nurses who have made outstanding efforts in advocating for health benefits to a specific group” (CRNBC, 2013). I was humbled and honoured to receive this award… Read More »Advocacy is the Core of Nursing, by Suki Grewal, RN
The recent decision to close several of the main primary care clinics in Vancouver Coastal Health has brought to the forefront grave concerns for not only the public but those of us in higher levels of education who are teaching the principles of primary health care and population health. The UBC School of Nursing has had a long standing partnership with Pine Clinic where our nursing students at both the… Read More »Pine for PINE!!! by Joanne Ricci, RN, MScN
May 12, 2014 was a memorable day for nursing in British Columbia. For the first time in history, a group of 20 nurses travelled to the Legislature to launch nursing week. This was a celebratory event, bringing the family of nursing together to share our stories, and demonstrating our desire to work together with government and each other in a collaborative manner. Our group represented the whole nursing family -… Read More »Advocacy and Unity in Action, by Pam Burton, RN
