resilience workshops for the past two years. Morley shared his research and expertise on post-traumatic stress and psychologically healthy workplaces, and told delegates that resilience is a practice, and to be proactive about accessing a range of therapies that are available to help nurses safely do the work they do. The afternoon saw delegates welcome Dr. Roberta Bondar, best recognized as Canada’s first woman in space after travelling on a 1992 Space Shuttle mission. Bondar shared her career story which began with her studies and research in neurobiology and her later work with NASA heading an international space medicine research team tasked with finding new connections between astronauts recovering from space flight and neurological illness on Earth, such as stroke and Parkinson’s disease. An accomplished photographer, Bondar reflected on her more recent passion for capturing images of Canadian nature and landscapes, and shared images from several of her published books. She encouraged delegates to keep learning from their mistakes and find inspiration in the success of others.
MOVING FORWARD
Duteil closed Convention 2017 by calling on delegates to look after themselves and each other in the year ahead, and to prioritize personal resiliency while focusing on moving forward. “Let’s pick people up when they are down,” she said. “Let’s support each other, our families and our communities during difficult times.” •
WORKING FOR INDIGENOUS EQUITY BCNU’s Aboriginal Leadership Circle met during convention to share ways to connect and support Aboriginal nurses and further outreach efforts in their communities.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Back row (standing l-r): Glynis Wilson (BCNU staff), Lori Pearson (BCNU Council Liaison), North East region’s Leona Clark, West Kootenay region’s Erin Roulette, Simon Fraser region’s Lisa Noel, Simon Fraser region’s Sherry Ridsdale, Pacific Rim region’s Charlene Copley South Fraser Valley region’s Allison Stockbrocks and RIVA region’s Michael Scott. Front row (l-r): Thompson North Okanagan region’s June Shackley, ALC chair Diane Lingren, JB the First Lady and Okanangan-Similkameen region’s Miranda Haupt.
MEN IN NURSING MEET BCNU’s Men in Nursing (MIN) network met over lunch on the second day of convention to discuss priorities for the next round of collective bargaining, including how to build on the paternity leave success achieved in the previous round. The need to counter stereotypes encountered by male nurses as a minority within the profession was also discussed. MIN also recommitted to participate in this year’s Movember fundraiser, with a view to using it to both raise money and grow awareness of men’s health needs and overcoming men’s reluctance to talk about their health.
NETWORKING (l-r) West Kootenay region chair and MIN Council Liaison Lorne Burkart, Pacific Rim region’s Lee Frederick, North West region’s Jas Gill, and MIN network chair Walter Lumamba.
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