National Nursing Week | Durham College

The month of May marks the special time of year when nurses are recognized for their dedication and hard work in our communities.

In honour of National Nursing Week (May 9 to 15), Durham College took part in the Registered Nurses of Ontario (RNAO) Durham/Northumberland annual Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) breakfast at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Science on May 13.

Each year nurses, nurse practitioners, parish nurses and community nurses from throughout the region come together with local MPPs to discuss issues in the nursing community and share their perspectives. It’s also an opportunity for MPPs to share their thoughts on the nursing sector.

The event kicked off at 8 a.m. with a mix and mingle breakfast followed by guests breaking off into discussion groups to address specific questions. Topics of discussion included strengthening social determinants; equal and healthy communities; building sustainable green communities; enhancing Medicare; improving access to nursing services; building nursing careers in Ontario; embracing democracy; and strengthening the public sector.

Lorraine Carrington and Tessa Davy, co-presidents of RNAO and organizers of the event, couldn’t have been more pleased with its success. “We’re here today advocating for health care,” said Carrington. “It’s also an opportunity to celebrate diversity in nursing and its contribution to health care across Ontario.”

Local MPPs in attendance included Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa); John O’Toole (Durham); Jerry Ouellette (Oshawa) and Rick Johnson (Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock). Each representative sat with individual groups to discuss key issues and concerns of the nursing industry in the province.

Carrington said the breakfast is also a wonderful opportunity for nurses to network among each other and government officials. “Not only is it about addressing the issues, it’s about working together,” she said. “Nursing has a great voice and policy around health care and focuses largely on what’s happening in our system.”