"Live life when you have it. Life is a splendid gift-there is nothing small about it.” – Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing
On May 12, we celebrated International Nurses Day. It’s a triple celebration this year! This day came in the middle of National Nursing Week, during the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.
In Canada, there are over 80 designated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) nurses. In addition to these IBD-specific nurses, there are countless more who provide care to people with IBD as part of their practice. These dedicated nurses provide clinical inpatient and outpatient care, telephone advice, transitional care, and biologic therapy support.
Not everyone with IBD has an IBD nurse. But those who do tell us the world of a difference this makes in their lives. Watch this video to learn about the value of IBD nurses from patients and nurses alike.
Canadian IBD nurses are not alone in their practice; they come together in a community of practice called CANIBD. This is a network for IBD nurses to share best practices and support one another. CANIBD offers several programs to nurses, including educational opportunities, mentoring programs, and financial support for research or education activities. If you would like to learn more about CANIBD, click here.
The Crohn’s and colitis community understands the invaluable role nurses play in improving health and quality of life. One of the many ways we celebrate our nurses is through the IBD Nurse of the Year award. This year, the deadline for nominations is Tuesday, June 30. If your nurse has made a positive impact on your life, why not show your appreciation by nominating them for this award.
In addition to helping IBD patients through direct care, nurses also contribute to important, patient-centered research. Every year, CANIBD provides a grant to fund a nurse engaged in IBD research. The current recipient is Irina Nistor, who is investigating symptoms of discomfort experienced by people living with Crohn’s or colitis. Irina’s ultimate goal, as with all nurses’ research, is to give a voice to patient needs and improve patient care and quality of life.
For their time, their dedication, their research, their expertise, their passion, their courage, their care, we thank our nurses