Student Member Benefits:
A Student Associate is any undergraduate nursing student enrolled at an accredited institution in Ontario, studying toward an RN or RPN designation with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
GNAO Student Membership is FREE if you already obtained your RNAO or RPNAO student membership. Otherwise, the GNAO Student Membership costs only $30/yr and it grants you a full access to the following valuable benefits listed below:
• Educational opportunities (regional and provincial)
• Political influence and action
• Networking with fellow nursing students or RNs
• Issues of Perspectives (Quality, peer-reviewed quarterly on-line journal of the GNAO-CGNA)
• Student Discussion Forum
The membership year is from November 1st to October 31st.
If you have any questions, comments, or wish further information on opportunities to get involved, please do not hesitate to contact your chapter representatives.
Annie Lam & Yessica Belsham
Student/New Graduate Liaison Co-Representatives
GNAO Provincial Board
A Message to Nursing Students
From Annie Lam (Student/New Graduate Liaison Co-Representative)
I have always had a passion for geriatrics since I was younger. Growing up in an intergenerational home allowed me to be inspired by my grandparents’ wisdom and experiences. This inspiration followed me throughout my undergraduate nursing studies, right into my current enrolment in the Master of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University. The life stories of older adults and their family caregivers have moved and shaped me as a nurse and as a person. I strongly believe that as our population continues to age, all nurses are essentially gerontological nurses. Thus, it is of utmost importance to mentor and support students by providing them with the skills and knowledge to: listen to the stories of older adults and their family caregivers; to engage in their care and well-being, and; to advocate for quality care within the healthcare system. My goal as the Student/New Graduate Liaison Co-Representative is to work with the executive team to engage and inspire students across Ontario to find their passions for gerontology and to provide excellent care for this population.
I welcome any questions or thoughts you might have as a student or new graduate interested in gerontology. You can contact me by clicking here. Or connect with other students through the Student Discussion Forum.
A Message to Nursing Students
From Yessica Belsham (Student/New Graduate Liaison Co-Representative)
Yessica Rivera Belsham is on path towards her goal of being a Registered Nurse. She is anticipating graduation from the Laurentian University/St. Lawrence College (LU/SLC) collaboration Bachelors of Science Nursing (BScN) program in 2017.
Her passion for the study of aging began during her 2nd year of Drawing and Painting at Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U). The anatomy illustration class within OCAD U granted the art students to be involved in the Body Donation Program of University of Toronto and studied cadavers. She reflected on all those beings and all their possibly untold life stories, and passion increased for the study of aging and being a part of caring for individuals holistically during their older years, with dignity, compassion and great respect.
Her passion increased as she began in the BScN collaboration program at LU/SLC due to her first year, first semester placement at a palliative care department of a local hospital and then first year, second semester placement on the and did placement on the geriatric floor within the same hospital. In addition, she has had the privilege of being a volunteer in palliative supportive care and grief and bereavement support at Hospice at Kingston since October 2013 in which she had the pleasure of caring for many seniors within the community.
Yessica also gained great interest after she attended an event organized by the formerly known GNAO Kingston (now GNAO South East Chapter) in the Spring of 2013 and was then welcomed as a student representative of the local chapter. Currently, Yessica is ecstatic to be a board member of the provincial GNAO.
I welcome any questions or thoughts you might have as a student or new graduate interested in gerontology. You can contact me by clicking here. Or connect with other students through the Student Discussion Forum.