English Bay, Vancouver, BC
October 2012

2012 was a landmark year for the Association of Registered Nurses of BC (ARNBC). We began by launching an extensive consultation with nurses around the province—a process that forged many new connections and generated ideas for a strategic plan for the organization. In the spring we held our first Annual General Meeting and election of new board members.

In June it was a thrill and an honour to participate in the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Annual Meeting and Biennial Convention in Vancouver. ARNBC was recognized for developing a new provincial nursing association and was formally named as the jurisdictional member for British Columbia of the CNA. We have arrived! The presence of BC nurses was evident: Our voting delegates presented and debated resolutions, many nurses served as volunteers, we connected with delegates from across the country through our exhibit table and social events.

It has been exciting to witness increased student engagement in ARNBC this past year, particularly through student-initiated events and projects to promote awareness of the role of a professional nursing association. Students are signing up for our distribution list and are connecting via social media. During the fall of 2012, Board members gave presentations to students and faculty members in four BC schools of nursing and at the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association Western Conference held in Vancouver in October.

Reflecting on the past year, we faced typical challenges in our organizational development and we’re well aware of the work needed to build and sustain a new association from the ground up. I want to thank everyone who has supported our efforts by coming out to events, engaging through social media and by writing and commenting on our Blog. The ARNBC Blog has become the centrepiece of our social media presence and a forum for dynamic exchanges on policy issues—please visit often and offer your comments.