Edsel Mutia Wins the 2013 CARE Centre Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award
CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses was pleased to present the Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award to Registered Nurse Edsel Mutia at a special breakfast reception at North York General Hospital at the end of November. Mutia is currently a RN and Charge Nurse in the Critical Care Unit. The award is named after the late nursing leader Dr. Joan Lesmond, who championed the cause of IEN education and integration. “Ever since he first joined CARE Centre, Edsel has been a huge mentor to our member IENs,” said his CARE Centre Case Manager, Lourdes Vicente. “Edsel has a young family and is very active in his church, but has such a strong nursing focus, to the great benefit of his patients, their families, his colleagues, and especially other IENs. Even as he gains career success he always remains humble. He is so deserving of the award and recognition of his dedication and his efforts.”
Kim Brooks, currently Director of Regional Development for Bayshore Home Health, worked with Edsel 10 years ago in Saudi Arabia and was a surprise guest at the event. “I hired him and promoted him to a charge nurse at our ICU in a new hospital in Riyadh,” said Brooks. “He is truly a wonderful nurse and an amazing person.” See a video of Kim speaking about Edsel here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjj9ta_cnBQ&feature=youtu.be. Along with his commemorative plaque, Edsel received a $500 cheque for winning the award which he planned to donate to Typhoon Haiyan relief, and he also collected donations at the reception. In summarizing his work as a nurse in Canada, Mutia said, “The best part of my job is working hard to help some of the most vulnerable patients in the hospital get better and go home to live their lives.” Dr. Tim Rutledge, President and CEO of North York General said, “North York General is proud to support the Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award and to recognize Edsel for making a world of difference to his patients, colleagues and our hospital.” Watch a video of Edsel’s acceptance speech here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bsV4v-qXmE
2014 Conference for Internationally Educated Nurses set for November in Toronto
The 1st Annual Conference for IENs will take place at the Novotel Hotel in North York, Toronto with an evening reception on Wednesday, November 26th and full-day conference on Thursday, November 27th. The theme of the gathering is “Internationally Educated Nurses: Enhancing Canadian Healthcare”. Volunteer committees comprised of CARE Centre member IENs and others are collaborating to build the event “for IENs, by IENs”. Conference organizers are seeking partners to help underwrite costs beyond registration revenues, and to receive wide recognition for their support of IENs and the conference initiative. There are various levels of sponsorship available with logo placement on the website and in all collateral conference materials, exhibiting space, delegate bag inserts, complimentary registrations and speaking opportunities. Sponsors will be top-lined in all media relations materials and advertising placements. The main objectives of the conference are to provide an opportunity for IENs across Ontario to meet, network and share ideas relevant to their growth in the nursing profession; to identify and discuss pertinent issues to facilitate registration, integration and advancement of IENs in the healthcare workforce; and to create awareness of the significant contributions IEN make to diversity in the healthcare workforce, cultural expertise and excellence of practice. Visit the CARE Centre website for early registration and information updates: www.care4nurses.org/CIEN
OCASI Panel on Employment for IEHPs Now Available for Online Viewing
This past November CARE Centre Professional Practice Lead Ruth Wojtiuk spoke on a #CdnImm panel discussion produced by CARE Centre and the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI). The #CdnImm event series helps to promote connections, encourage further sharing of information, and expand the community of collaborators in order to enhance understanding of the sector and improve services. The noted panelists shared their experience and expertise in access to employment for internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) included Nuzhat Jafri, Office of the Fairness Commissioner, who also served as moderator, Wayne Oake, Access Centre for Internationally Educated Health Professionals, HealthForceOntario, Christine Nielsen, The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science, Surranna Sandy, Skills for Change and Sylvie Beauvais, Canadian Immigrant Integration Program. The session examined ways to help settlement workers in directing IEHPs to the supports they need to achieve registration in regulated fields or to transfer their skills to alternate careers. Panelists also reviewed pre-arrival and immediate post-arrival supports to increase employment-readiness, discussed regulatory and labour market trends, and shared ideas for increased collaboration to improve access to professional designation and employment outcomes. Watch the discussion at: www.wiki.settlementatwork.org/wiki/CdnImm/18#Presentation_Material.
Mt. Sinai’s Ally Project Fosters Understanding and Action
Executive Director Zubeida Ramji was invited to be part of the Ally Campaign at Mt. Sinai Hospital, appearing in one of a set of five videos produced to build understanding about the experiences of healthcare colleagues and patients who face various forms of discrimination. Ramji spoke about racialized nurses in the video on racism, while additional videos on mental health and addiction, gay, lesbian and bisexual people, trans, intersex and two-spirited people and people with physical disabilities are also available for staff training purposes. The goal of the Ally Campaign is to empower employees to combat workplace discrimination by giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence to see past their own privilege to recognize overt and covert discrimination and to interrupt instances of discrimination. CARE Centre staff had the privilege of a presentation by Mount Sinai Hospital Human Rights and Health Equity Specialists Irit Kelman and Moya Teklu and encourages you to view the videos on YouTube or through the Mount Sinai website: http://www.mountsinai.on.ca/about_us/human-rights/ally
CARE Centre at Kingston’s 2013 Diversity Works
Kingston CASE Manager Iris Kennedy attended the Kingston Immigration Partnership’s (KIP) annual Diversity Works conference to represent CARE Centre as a presenting sponsor. Diversity Works brings together new immigrants, local businesses and community organizations to share knowledge, build contacts and promotes the importance of Internationally Educated professionals in the local economy. Keynote speaker this year was Nick Noorani (pictured). Nick is the bestselling author of Arrival Survival Canada, founder of Canadian Immigrant magazine and Managing Partner of Prepare for Canada. CARE Centre partner Kingston General Hospital received the Employer of the Year Award for creating opportunities for immigrants, and showing a dedication to diversity and support for community efforts to welcome and integrate immigrants. Find out more on the KIP website at www.kipcouncil.ca/.