A Voice to Lead
National Nursing Week
National Nursing Week is Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12, 2019
The theme is Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Health for All.
It was developed by the International Council of Nurses (ICN).
According to ICN, A Voice to Lead reflects the fact that "every nurse has a story and every story has the potential to improve the health system and enable individuals and communities to achieve their highest attainable standard of health. From these insights comes the power for change." Health for All means "not just the availability of health services, but a complete state of physical and mental health that enables a person to lead a socially and economically productive life."
Poster and images Coming soon! Our National Nursing Week digital poster and social media images will help you spread the word.
These days, if you ask nurses what they think, you're likely to get some direct answers.
And that's a good thing. A very good thing.
The theme of Nursing Week - celebrated from May 6 to 12 this year - is "A Voice to Lead - Health for All." It's an apt theme for nurses everywhere, but perhaps especially so for those of us working in the WRHA, where comprehensive changes to the health care system have been significant, at times challenging, but necessary.
How important is your input and involvement in these changes? Simply put: invaluable. The successes we've had to date - and there have been many - have come in no small part to your voice and that of your colleagues. And almost without exception, that voice has been knowledgeable, constructive, and focused on what's in the best interests of the people we care for. The most important thing is that we've been moving forward - not always with one unified voice, perhaps, but forward nonetheless, with each of us doing our best to implement change to the best of our abilities and with the goal to improve the system.
The WRHA is well on the path to change - away from a system that limited your ability to provide the best care possible. The overall direction has been set, and the matter before all of us now is one of getting it done. There are thousands of smaller changes and improvements that are necessary and this is where I believe all nurses have the opportunity to contribute. We're making progress. I think that's worthy of recognition and celebration, and, just as importantly, I think it's worthy of our continued "best effort."
In that spirit, I offer a reminder that with all change comes opportunity. Those of you who find yourselves in new positions or locations have an opportunity to approach your work and work environment with a fresh perspective. It's a time when you can ask questions, embrace new approaches, and bring new ideas that can make a real and meaningful difference for the patients and clients we care for. Even those of us who remain in familiar environments have an opportunity to bring new ideas forward in positive and constructive fashion.
We are all change managers, and each of us has voice to lead. I encourage you to use yours wisely - and often - in support of our shared goals. I don't have to tell you that as nurses, we have a vital role to play. Working together with our colleagues in other professions, we have important and lasting contributions to make in successfully transforming the health care system to the benefit of the people we all serve.
As always, and on behalf of every person in Manitoba, thank you for your ongoing expertise, commitment and compassion.
Sincerely,
Lori Lamont