Highlights from RNAO’s 2004 AGM • Dispelling the myths of geriatric nursing • New PhD program for RNs May/June 2004 Registered Nurse JOURNAL HOMES FIRST Hope and housing for the homeless Registered Nurse JOURNAL VOLUME 16, NO. 3, MAY/JUNE 2004 FEATURES 25 HOMES FIRST 10 By Anila Sunnak Homes First Society shares plans for an innovative housing project that offers hope for the chronically homeless. AGM 2004: SPECIAL SECTION 14 With more than 700 participants, presentations from nursing and political leaders, and even a few jugglers, the AGM was a telling example of the resilience of nurses, and a reflection of the strides of the association over the past year. NURSING WEEK AWARENESS 22 CAMPAIGN RNAO’s newest public awareness campaign, comprised of four separate posters, highlights the urgent need to improve elder health and elder care in our communities. THE LINEUP A CAREER IN GERIATRIC NURSING EDITOR’S NOTE 4 23 By Jennifer Hammers, RN, MScN Nursing student, Jennifer Hammers, dispels PRESIDENT’S VIEW 5 the myths of geriatric nursing, and shares her MAILBAG 6 reasons for choosing a specialty that receives less attention than it deserves. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DISPATCH 7 NURSING IN THE NEWS 8 RN PROFILE 24 By Jill Shaw POLICY AT WORK 26 There’s nothing like the start of baseball CALENDAR 27 season to spark that summer spirit. Thanks to RNs like Teresa Molloy, baseball Cover photograph: William Ciccocioppo patrons take comfort in knowing she’s there to provide care during the game. NEW PhD PROGRAM IN OTTAWA 25 By Anila Sunnak University of Ottawa becomes the newest in only a small handful of Ontario universities to offer RNs an opportunity at higher education, and a PhD degree in nursing. The journal of the Editor’s Note REGISTERED NURSES ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO 438 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto ON M5G 2K8 Phone: 416-599-1925 Toll-Free: 1-800-268-7199 Fax: 416-599-1926 Web site: http://www.rnao.org E-mail: [email protected] Letters to the editor: [email protected] EDITORIAL STAFF Lesley Frey, Acting Publisher Kimberley Kearsey, Acting Managing Editor A celebration like no other Jill Shaw, Editorial Assistant EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Patricia Stiles, Chair Kathy Dawe, Joseph Gajasan, Rebecca Hagey, Ann Lukits, André Picard, Rani Srivastava, In this issue of Registered Nurse Journal we dedicate eight Carol Yandreski pages to the 2004 AGM. In the magazine world, that’s a gener- DESIGN, ART DIRECTION, PRODUCTION Tammy Hunter/Ireland+Associates ous allotment for any feature. This year’s event, however, was ADVERTISING such a resounding success that there was simply no way to cover Registered Nurses Association of Ontario it in fewer pages. Phone: 416-599-1925, ext. 211 Fax: 416-599-1926 With over 700 nurses from across the province registered for SUBSCRIPTIONS the three-day event, confirmations from nurse leaders, politicians The Registered Nurse Journal is a benefit to members of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. Paid sub- and humanitarians that they would be honoured to speak, and breakout rooms for nurs- scriptions from others are welcome. Subscription rate (six es to receive complementary therapies from the Complementary Therapies Nurses issues): Canada $36 per year. Outside Canada: $42 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 10239. Interest Group (CTNIG),to reflect at the labyrinth set up by the Parish Nursing Interest Agreement No. 4006768, ISSN 1484-0863. Printed with Group (PNIG), or to view historic artifacts set up by a number of curators in memory vegetable-based inks on recycled paper (50% recycled and 20% post-consumer fibre) on acid-free paper. of 100 years of organized nursing, eight pages almost seems insufficient. The Registered Nurse Journal is published six And, frankly, it is. times a year by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. The views or opinions expressed in the editorials, Sadly, there was simply not enough room to include in this issue everything that articles or advertisements are those of the authors/adver- took place over the span of those three days in April.We’ve brought you what we can tisers and do not necessarily represent the policies of RNAO or the Editorial Advisory Committee. RNAO in pictures and updates, and we hope our renewed approach to this year’s resolutions assumes no responsibility or liability for damages arising will give you the best perspective on the direction of the association in the coming year. from any error or omission or from the use of any infor- mation or advice contained in the Registered Nurse Perhaps the cancellation of the 2003 AGM due to SARS is one reason for this Journal including editorials, studies, reports, letters and advertisements. All articles and photos accepted for publi- year’s enthusiastic and exceptionally productive, focused and proud crowd. Perhaps it cation become the property of the Registered Nurse is a measure of the momentum building as the profession and your association Journal.Indexed in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. become stronger and stronger every year. Whatever the reason, I was proud to be a part of it.And I’m already looking for- RNAO OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS ward to next year’s event. Joan Lesmond, RN, BScN, MSN President ext. 204 Adeline Falk-Rafael, RN, PhD Immediate Past President ext. 202 Doris Grinspun, RN, MSN, PhD (Candidate) Executive Director ext. 206 Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MScN, PhD Director, Centre for Professional Nursing Excellence ext. 234 Kimberley Kearsey Nancy Campbell Acting Managing Editor Director, Finance and Administration ext. 229 Jacqueline Choiniere, RN, MA Director, Policy and Research ext. 215 Lesley Frey Acting Director, Communications ext. 209 Daniel Lau, MBA Director, Membership and Services ext. 218 GO ONLINE TODAY to sign the Medicare Protection Pledge to ensure all candidates in the federal election, and all public office holders, are held accountable for where they stand regarding not-for-profit health-care delivery. www.healthcoalition.ca/pledge www.rnao.org 4 May/June 2004 President’s View with Joan Lesmond Keeping public health top-of-mind Just before officially announced the creation of the Canada As my predecessor,Adelaine Falk-Rafael, assuming the role of Public Health Association, comprised of a so succinctly put it in her column entitled president, I repre- national network of centres across the coun- Understanding what keeps us healthy (Sept/Oct sented RNAO at a try that will act as locations for disease con- 2002 Registered Nurse Journal),“There is con- fundraising event in trol and emergency response. This is an sensus within the global health promotion To ronto called The exciting first step to better public health in community that at least 13 factors are pre- Coldest Night. Hosted our country, and one that RNAO believes requisites to health: peace; shelter; education; by the Homes First should raise awareness and help to tackle the food; income; a stable ecosystem; sustainable Foundation, which raises funds for one of challenging correlation between health and resources; social justice; equity; social securi- the city’s largest alternative providers of one- the social, economic and political determi- ty; social relations; empowerment of women; stop supportive, non-profit housing and sup- nants that influence it. and respect for human rights.” port services for the chronically homeless, We must continue to keep these health the event served as a venue to raise awareness determinants at the forefront of our discus- of the complicated health and housing chal- sions and debates at decision-making tables. lenges of this marginalized population. As your new president, I intend to con- It was an important event for me to “It’s my promise to tinually address these primary determinants attend given my passion and RNAO’s of health whenever I speak. I will ensure the commitment for ongoing promotion and the nurses of Ontario, issues of marginalized populations are raised improved awareness and advocacy on behalf at all forums, especially when talking to of all of Ontario’s marginalized citizens. and to the clients we politicians.With persistence and passion, we Events like this fundraiser, and stories like can challenge the status quo and ensure the cover feature in this issue of the Journal, all serve, that I will be accountability from our elected officials. remind people of the importance of recog- Health Canada’s recent study notes that nizing the correlation between social deter- a messenger for the in the past “the health sector has been reluc- minants of health, such as housing, and the tant to champion policies that improve social public health of all citizens. marginalized.” conditions because areas of social and eco- According to a recently released Health nomic policy largely fall outside the health Canada study entitled The Social Determinants department’s jurisdiction. There has been of Health: An Overview of the Implications for some reluctance to step on toes and to Policy and the Role of the Health Sector, “In These external influences on lifestyle and explore ways of collaborating across sectors.” terms of health of populations, it is well health inevitably affect the way nurses in all In my view,stepping on toes is vital if we known that disparities (i.e. the size of the gap health-care sectors do their jobs.They affect are to see change. or inequality in social and economic status nurses’ ability to consider broad issues when And this column is just the beginning. between groups within a given population) promoting health and preventing disease. It’s my promise to the nurses of Ontario, greatly affect the health status of the whole. They also influence the political and and to the clients we all serve, that I will be The larger the gap, the lower the health sta- advocacy agenda of RNAO.