Remembering Charlotte Noesgaard (1948-2021)
RNAO is profoundly saddened by the passing of nursing leader, past president and long-time member Charlotte Noesgaard on May 14.
As president of RNAO in the late 90s, Charlotte put a lot of time, attention and hard work into promoting the baccalaureate degree as a requirement for entry to practice. In 2000, her hard work was recognized as the government announced that new registered nurses (RN) would require a BScN beginning in 2005, highlighting the vast knowledge RNs require when entering practice in their role. Charlotte also served as a co-chair of the expert panel for RNAO’s 2016 BPG Practice Education in Nursing and provided her knowledge and insight to enhance practice education for nursing students.
In 2006, Charlotte was awarded RNAO’s Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her long-standing and formidable contributions to the association. As a stateswoman for RNAO, Charlotte graced every Annual General Meeting (AGM) with her infectious laugh and positive outlook serving as a parliamentarian for many years. The Waterloo Chapter of RNAO was her grassroots home and she always showed pride about the many initiatives the chapter was involved with.
Along with her work at RNAO, Charlotte was a passionate and valued professor at McMaster University’s School of Nursing. She spent one day each week accompanying students in their clinical placements in hospitals around Hamilton. Being a professor in both classroom and clinical settings was important to Charlotte who said it gave her the opportunity to “…engage students to be the type of nurse I would want to have looking after me or one of my family members.”
Charlotte will be dearly missed and will live in our hearts as a dedicated colleague, beloved friend, active RNAO leader, respected teacher and mentor who served the nursing community, fully and generously. RNAO extends its deepest condolences to Charlotte’s spouse Henrik Noesgaard, her children and extended family and friends.
To learn more about Charlotte and her accomplishments, please read our RN profile in the 2008 issue of RNJ (page 11) and the family’s obituary. Charlotte’s family and RNAO’s family have set up a scholarship on her memory. To contribute, please donate to The Charlotte Noesgaard Scholarship RNFOO online.