2019 Health Care Stewards Conference The annual health care conference hosts Stewards from addiction treatment centres, retirement homes, community health, long-term care facilities, emergency services, and more. The opening of this year’s conference coincided with the start of Nurses’ Week, which recognizes the dedication of our Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs). Every year, we feature photos of our nurses on our Facebook and Instagram pages – be sure to check them out. Canadians are proud of our public health care system. It’s not perfect, but it’s for every one of us – and it’s a cornerstone of our identity. Nurses are there for us and our loved ones from the beginning of life to the end, and all along the way. They care for our families and loved ones through difficult times, and often do so while understaffed and overworked. President Haggerty opened the conference and welcomed all the delegates. He spoke briefly about the need to stay active in politics at all levels to make sure our government hears the voices of working people and families. Patients and staff suffer when the government makes funding cuts to our health care system. Over the last several years, our Health Care Stewards have taken part in a number of training sessions about diversity, 8
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and Personality Dimensions adds yet another skill set in this area. Once participants identify their own traits, it becomes easier to understand what motivates others, which can be especially helpful when dealing with patients and families in our health care facilities. In addition, some Stewards (pictured on the cover & right page here) volunteered their time on the Sunday before the conference to take part in a session about Health Care and LGBTQQI2S inclusion. The course, facilitated by EGALE Canada, focused on how health care workers can ensure their facilities are welcoming, inclusive, and safe for all patients and clients, and their families. From understanding LGBTQQI2S language and identities, to reviewing some real life scenarios, the course used activities and in-depth discussion to focus on what identity means and how we can implement best practices to respect the identities of others. Both the pre-conference workshop and the Personality Dimensions training focused on how individuals can work toward enhanced communication and interaction with others through self-reflection and constant learning. Thank you to all the Stewards who took part in this year’s conference for sharing your personal experiences and for listening to others with respect. The conference was a great success because of your participation and dedication.
You can find more photos online at myunion.ca
