focus of the nursing profession. Instead, the

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and the —

Registered Nurses Association of  B:C.

(RNABC) are directing public attention to-the .

well being of the community at large. ‘They
are. stressing ‘the need: for: : professionals,

.. politicians and-the general public to work |
together as partners:to both preserving and .
‘improving upon the health. care system we °

have today. ©

“In a message to her nursing colleagues,

CNA’ president. Dr. Alice Baumgart writes:
"The theme Nurses: Partners in _-
Change i is a very appropriate one ata
time of rapid. change and turbulence.

“Nursing” isa! -cost-effective and f

critical variable iri health care. Nurses
have a long-standing | tradition: ‘of sup-
porting health care reform andimprov-
ing the quality’ of health care of Cana-
dians.
- "Nurses are ‘ready to play’a ‘a More

active ‘role, they are ready to affect
health, policy. and to. bring about
- changes, as they face a formidable poli-
‘tical ‘and professional challenge: the

: reform. ‘of the health care system."
“ “In; A press” release,. Baumgart - is .
re more precise in describing the
_ professional challenge: "Health care

° and” “medicare | as we know ‘it are _
~ threatened by cost pressures such as
population: aging, accelerated ‘intro-
duction of new technology, and rising
; public: expectations. Coupled . with
restrained resources, these pressures
are. ‘becoming particularly difficult to.
‘manage: Nurses see this every day.
: Theyare deeply concerned that the

- fundamental principles of medicare are in
jeopardy,
" “Fo meet the challenges of health care

‘delivery, nurses ‘are increasing knowledge ©

‘and ‘skills, contributing to ongoing health
“ policy discussion and strengthening partner-
‘ships.”

‘While Baumgart provides one direction of
thought - — nurses as active lobbyists rather

than. a silent and obedient caretaker of the.

sick’ RNABC president Dr. Inge Scham-
borzki provides another: nurses working both
professionally and as community volunteers,
, working: towards the needs of the community
“for the benefit of all.

.' “Nurses believe Canadians could enjoy
much better health care without spending
more money if we changed the focus of our
health care system,” says. Schamborzki. “At
| present, there is too great an emphasis on

the treatment of sickness. As a result,

Canada’s health care. system is much too
‘dependent on expensive technology and 0, 3s
institutional care. We need to devote.more .- e008
resources to wellness instead. of sickness." er
-’, To this Schamborzki adds: "Our role does 7
not begin and end at the. bedside. That is ‘
why our theme for Nurses’ Week this year'is..:
Partners in Change: Nurses believe: weneed ©. *.
to change our. concept: of health and that we a a
_Tnust work together —.as partners" —with .~.
; the Public a and other health ¢ care, providers, too.

. bring about. the changes t that's are necessary.
"Essentially, * We, believe: health’ care -
professionals | should. encourage people to” *:
develop self-reliance. ‘and -responsibility. for - -
their own health. Our role is: not just to fix .

people ‘when their health suffers."

‘Schamborzki’s intent is to promote a >» “*<
renewed . health care . system ‘that spends —
more money on the prevention of illness —

the support of healthy lifestyles and healthy

communities — and: less on treatment and a

technology. :

If- we. examine e the: local nursing commu- .-

nity in Terrace a little more ‘closely, that is

exactly the direction nurses have been taking =

here for years. Both on and off the job, as ©’
professionals and. volunteers, nurses. have _ '
been and will continue.to promote prevention
through personal contact and community

workshops.

- ‘Terrace Review — May 8, 1992

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