This webinar in the Let’s Talk about Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Nursing series was held on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021.

Topic: The power of mentorship in nursing education

Objectives:

RNAO sent the following letter on February 10 to Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Health Christine Elliott to convey our thoughts and priorities regarding the rollout. We also expressed our concerns regarding the premature lifting of the lockdown.

We’ve begun a new year with even more determination to address the challenges brought forward by the relentless COVID-19 virus. RNAO continues its central role in the media, speaking about key issues and continuing our advocacy efforts to mobilize change and help bring an end to this pandemic. This is a summary of our January interventions.

We are nearly a year into a pandemic of historic consequence for people's health, and nurses are being deeply impacted. Through this survey initiated by RNAO, we would like to learn additional ways we can support nurses and nursing students and advocate on your behalf during this trying period. We also want to hear from you about whether and how this pandemic has changed your health, your work, your attitude to your work and your future in nursing.

RNAO also offers its deepest condolences to RNAO member NP Sarah Bremner and her son Brandon – who lost their husband and father Jereld Bremner, and their son and brother Donny Bremner – due to a tragic snowmobiling accident. RNAO also extends heartfelt sympathies to RPN Brie Cudahy who lost her husband Bill Fournier in a tragic snowmobiling accident.

RNAO grieves the loss of Stefanie Van Nguyen, a young RN committed to the nursing profession.

On January 27, 2020, I sent my first novel coronavirus report. Fast-forward a year, and…. we still have months to go, and perhaps even longer. The key factors that will greatly influence the days, weeks, months and perhaps years ahead depend mainly on two priorities. The first is how strongly the Ontario government implements policies aimed at controlling the virus. The second is how fast and effectively vaccination rollouts happen in Ontario, Canada and globally.

Nurses call on Premier Doug Ford to act swiftly to suffocate community spread of COVID-19 – now more than ever – given the rapidly spreading new strains. As with the vaccines, delay in taking bold action to support vulnerable populations that can’t afford to self-isolate is costing lives and putting our health system and its health-care workers at undue burden – physically and emotionally.  

RNAO held a webinar in the Let’s Talk about Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Nursing series on Monday, January 18, 2021. Topic: Building a mentorship movement for Black nurses

RNAO has been a leading voice since the end of the first wave in summer 2020 calling on the Ontario government to engage measures to pre-empt and prevent the unavoidable second wave in the fall. We provide an update on the current context and RNAO's reaction to the latest measures implemented in the province. RNAO describes these measures as not enough, too little, too late and – since we are in an intensifying tragedy – calculated recklessness.