Are you passionate about patient care? Applications to serve on a statutory committee are now open and Council elections are just around the corner. Wondering what it’s like being on Council or a committee?
Each fall, CNO seeks RPNs, RNs and NPs committed to safe nursing care to serve on committees and Council. We have heard from current members that serving is a significant commitment that is also personally and professionally rewarding.
Ashley Fox, RPN, works in retirement home nursing and previously practiced in long-term care in the community.
Ashley Fox, RPN and Council Vice President, enjoys “making a difference in care delivery for patients and their loved ones.” She feels nurses’ competencies contribute to Council’s effectiveness by “allowing Council to make unbiased, unconflicted decisions, because we are acting in public interest and assuring public safety.” We need nurses from all areas of practice who share Ashley’s commitment to safe nursing care and can bring unique valuable insights to the table.
What do members do? “Nurses and public members review cases, share perspectives and learn together.” Kyle Nielsen, RN, Panel Chair for the ICRC Committee, affirms, “Every time I go to committee, I see a different way of looking at things. Everyone’s experience, perceptions, voice and input are balanced to render a final decision.”
Kyle Nielsen, RN, has a background in forensic mental health. He currently works in the community.
Sherry Simo, RPN, works in occupational health nursing.
Do you want an amazing learning and growth opportunity? “It’s been rewarding from the get-go,” enthuses Sherry Simo, RPN and Panel Chair for the ICRC. “It doesn’t matter how many years of experience you have, it’s an opportunity to shape yourself as a professional by broadening your understanding of the profession as a whole and gaining appreciation for the value of nursing regulation. There is a lot of responsibility — you are making decisions that impact nurses and protect the public.” CNO gives committee members a lot of education and support so you can grow and even take on a leadership role.
Public Council member and Registration Committee Chair, Judy Petersen, insists, “nurses need to know they’ve got what it takes to make vital contributions to our work at CNO.” She summed her Council experience up as commitment, contribution and collegiality.
Being on Council or a committee does take commitment in time and travel, so you need your employer on board. In return, you gain experience, knowledge and skills to take forward in your career.
Judy Petersen is a public member on Council. She is a retired management consultant with 40 years of government experience specializing in technology and health information management systems.