Becoming a Registered Nurse
Nursing Students
A Career in Nursing: There’s more to it than what you see on Grey’s Anatomy and ER
Message from CNA chief executive officer, Lucille Auffrey
March 2007
Dear prospective nurses,
If you are considering a career, you should be aware of the possibilities offered in nursing. According to Sally Brown, former front-line nurse and current CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, nursing is an excellent training ground and springboard to a world of opportunities both within and outside the health system to influence policy and the well-being of Canadians. Becoming a registered nurse is a rewarding journey that opens doors to many varied, dynamic career choices.
Nurses are a vital component of the health system and of the overall economy. Nurses lead research and development initiatives. Nurses have a strong presence in Canada’s military. Nurses are also catalysts in re-engineering the health system. For example, it was Lois Scott, RN, who co-developed and championed telehealth. Telehealth, from its roots in New Brunswick, has taken off so that Canadians no matter where they live can access expert health advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through nurse-staffed telephone services. Here’s a fact: a survey of telehealth users in New Brunswick in 2006 showed that 56 per cent of those surveyed would have gone to the emergency department had the service not been available to them.
And true to its pioneering history, nursing continues to chart the course in optimizing the health of all Canadians. This means counselling and advocacy aimed at preventing diseases and illness. It means working with governments and urban designers to reduce environmental hazards. It means collaborating with police officers, firefighters and others involved in emergency planning to ensure that, at the time of an epidemic or a natural disaster, the expertise and infrastructure are there to deal with people with physical and mental health problems.
We recognize the value of working in teams to provide the best care possible to patients. Teams of nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, physicians, physiotherapists and others are delivering health services in clinics, long-term care facilities, hospitals and people’s homes.
Nurses have a long history of involvement in broad social issues, like homelessness and healthy child development. Take Cathy Crowe, a street nurse in downtown Toronto and active advocate in the area of homelessness for over 15 years. Cathy has said that she wants to “inspire and engage Canadians from all walks of life, to empathize and respond to the injustice of homelessness in their community and motivate them to become involved in calling for the solution – a national housing program.” This is just one example out of thousands of nurses who bring a strong voice to issues that matter to Canadians.
Nursing today offers countless career opportunities. I invite you to read our Future Face of Nursing Profiles, which showcase nurses in a variety of settings and roles. I hope these inspirational nurses will entice you to think about how a nursing degree can open doors in your future.
Sincerely,
Lucille Auffrey, RN, MN
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Nurses Association
