Are We Ready? the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa Raises Questions About Preparedness Here at Home
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 JOURNAL Are we ready? The Ebola outbreak in West Africa raises questions about preparedness here at home. 90 years of RNAO • Improving care through technology • Medical tourism update a Recognize the outstanding achievements of nurses. Nominate a colleague, yourself, or your organization for recognition at RNAO’s 2015 AGM: Leadership Award in Nursing Administration Leadership Award in Nursing Education (Academic) Leadership Award in Nursing Education (Sta Development) Leadership Award in Nursing Research Leadership Award in Political Action Leadership Award in BPG Implementation Chapter of the Year Award Interest Group of the Year Award RNAO Promotion in a Nursing Program Award Leadership Award in Student Mentorship Student of Distinction Award Lifetime Achievement Award (formerly Honorary Life Member) Honoured Friend of Nursing (formerly Honorary Member) Award of Merit RNAO in the Workplace Award HUB Fellowship Recognition Awards Recognition President’s Award for Leadership in Clinical Nursing Practice The deadline for nominations is January 7, 2015. For nomination forms and details visit www.RNAO.ca/awards OVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 N OL. 26, NO. 6, V contents 18 FEATUREs 12 COVER STORY Preparing for Ebola Assurances that Ebola is unlikely to arrive in canada are not good enough for nurses who worry that they are vulnerable to this deadly disease. By Daniel Punch 18 Celebrating RNAO’s 90th anniversary Test your knowledge of RNAO history with our anniversary crossword, and reflect back on nine decades of influence and impact. By Kimberley Kearsey 20 Advancing care Technology is helping nurses to improve care at home, reduce pressure ulcers and enhance communication in acute care. By Melissa Di Costanzo 12 30 ThE LiNEUp 4 Editor’s Note 5 PRESIDENt’s VIEW 6 CEO DISPATCH 7 RN PROFILE 8 NURSING IN THE NEWS 11 NURSING NOTES 17 POLICY AT WORK 30 IN THE END COVER PHOTO: JEFF KIRK REGISTERED NURSE JOURNAL 3 The journal of the REGISTERED NURSES’ EdiTOR’s NOTE KimbERLEy KEARsEy ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO (RNAO) 158 Pearl Street Toronto ON, M5H 1L3 Phone: 416-599-1925 Toll-Free: 1-800-268-7199 Fax: 416-599-1926 Website: www.RNAO.ca Email: [email protected] Letters to the editor: [email protected] EDITORIAL STAFF Marion Zych, Publisher Kimberley Kearsey, Managing Editor Melissa Di Costanzo, Writer True sacrifice leads to change Daniel Punch, Editorial Assistant EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Chris Aagaard, Shelly Archibald, Marianne Cochrane, Rebecca Harbridge, Paula Manuel, Melanie McEwan, Sandy Oliver s A journAlist i hAve A collection ART DIRECTION & DESIGN A , ability to face difficulty with Fresh Art & Design Inc. of unforgettable interviews determination. And that’s a trait ADVERTISING that i’ve stored in my memory i have seen in other nurses, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario Phone: 416-599-1925 because they’ve touched me in a particularly early in my career Fax: 416-599-1926 way that others have not. during at RNAO, when the sARs out- SUBSCRIPTIONS my time at RNAO, i’ve had the break happened in 2003. Registered Nurse Journal, ISSN 1484-0863, is a benefit to members of the RNAO. Paid subscriptions privilege of interviewing two in this issue, you will read are welcome. Full subscription prices for one year military nurses: betty brown about the Ebola outbreak in (six issues), including taxes: Canada $38 (HST); Outside Canada: $45. Printed with vegetable-based in 2005 and Eileen butson in West Africa (page 12), and inks on recycled paper (50 per cent recycled and 2014. both served in the second nurses’ refusal to accept uncer- 20 per cent post-consumer fibre) on acid-free paper. World War, and both left a tainty around preparedness Registered Nurse Journal is published six times a year by RNAO. The views or opinions expressed in lasting impression on me. plans. For me, this story con- the editorials, articles or advertisements are those in this issue, you will meet jures up memories of the of the authors/advertisers and do not necessarily represent the policies of RNAO or the Editorial butson, a retired hamilton strength that became nurses’ th Advisory Committee. RNAO assumes no responsibility RN who is celebrating her 90 trademark during sARs. Fear- or liability for damages arising from any error or omission or from the use of any information or (RNAO will do the same in lessness – along with a fit-tested advice contained in the Registered Nurse Journal 2015). she shares some mem- N95 – was an expectation including editorials, studies, reports, letters and advertisements. All articles and photos accepted ories of her growth as a nurse during the outbreaks. for publication become the property of RNAO. around the same time RNAO A decade later, nurses are still Indexed in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. was growing as an association expected to be fearless, but in CANADIAN POSTMASTER (page 18). her recollections other ways. For those at the fore- Undeliverable copies and change of address to: of war will leave you feeling front of innovation in health RNAO, 158 Pearl Street, Toronto ON, M5H 1L3. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40006768. grateful for all that our troops care – those who are embracing RNAO OFFICERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT sacrifice on our behalf. technological advancements Vanessa Burkoski, RN, BScN, MScN, DHA Norma Nicholson (page 7) in nursing – fearlessness is as President, ext. 502 also knows a thing or two about important as the latest piece of Rhonda Seidman-Carlson, RN, MN Immediate Past-President, ext. 504 sacrifice and the impulse to pay equipment. Learn about tech- Doris Grinspun, RN, MSN, PhD, LLD(hon), O.ONT it forward. When you read about nologies that are changing care Chief Executive Officer, ext. 206 her childhood challenges, you for the better (page 20). Daniel Lau, MBA Director, Membership and Services, ext. 218 will marvel at her strength and For many of us, change – Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MScN, PhD perseverance. she has turned technological or otherwise – is Director, International Affairs and Best Practice Guidelines Centre, ext. 234 tragedy into triumph and has not easy. but, as you will read Marion Zych, BA, Journalism, BA, Political Science made a commitment to help in this issue, it’s those difficult Director, Communications, ext. 209 young people do the same. challenges that can lead to the Nancy Campbell, MBA Nicholson has an instinctive most rewarding results. RN Director, Finance and Administration, ext. 229 Louis-Charles Lavallée, CMC, MBA Director, Information Management and Technology, ext. 264 As a member, you are eligible to receive a digital copy of Registered Nurse Journal. You can choose RNJ IS NOW to receive only an electronic version of the magazine by emailing [email protected] and stating DIGITAL! your preference for a paperless version. If you haven’t received the magazine electronically, please let us know by contacting [email protected] 4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 pREsidENT’s viEW WiTh vANEssA bURKOsKi Innovative councils give nurses the chance to invest in their workplaces one of my goAls As president Lhsc. As a result of their work, Another idea was the adop- control over their practice envi- is to empower nurses, particu- more than 150 initiatives are at tion of whiteboards in select ronment, it also makes nurses larly those of you who work on various stages of implementa- units, resulting in a 45 per cent feel listened to and respected. the frontline, and encourage tion and evaluation. increase in accuracy. These And the hospital benefits too you to make the kind of here are just a few examples. boards provide all members of because we can implement changes you believe our system in the hospital’s icU, a group the team with an at-a-glance these so-called best practices needs. you are the key to of nurses decided to change the update about their patients. right across the organization, elevating the quality of care process to stock their supplies. i feel strongly about cQi fostering a culture of contin- provided to patients. you also They noticed their supply cart councils because they ensure uous improvement. have the ideas and the know- was overflowing with equip- that suggestions do not disap- Organizations that do not how to make those changes, ment. besides the obvious safety pear into a vacuum. Every idea engage their frontline nurses both within your own practice issues, sifting through the cart put forth in my workplace is are missing out on key conver- and within your work environ- to find the right item was time considered, assessed and then sations that could help them ments. such changes make our consuming. Their idea was to prioritized. The councils put a make their workplaces more health system more responsive, conduct an inventory and ask structure in place so good ideas functional and deliver the kind more effective, more efficient themselves “what do we really are not ignored, and units such of care they desire. and safer. Engaging and empowering One of the accomplish- RNs through this or a similar ments i take pride in as the “ the councils put A structure in model also helps nurses chief nursing executive at my enhance their professional workplace is the degree of free plAce so good ideAs Are not ignored, practice. in fact, some of the initiatives nurses have spear- thinking that has led nurses to And units such As icu medicine make London health sciences , , headed at Lhsc have become centre (Lhsc) a better hospital obstetrics, mentAl heAlth, And the focus of research papers. and a better workplace. Nurses who never imagined A few years ago, i imple- countless others function for the they would be involved in mented something called these projects – and certainly Continuous Quality Improve- benefit of pAtients As well As nurses.” not published on them – are ment (CQI) Councils.