The University of Western Ontario chapter of one of the world’s largest international nursing organizations inducted the highest number in its history on Sunday.
Nursing student Bernice Yanful is congratulated on her induction into the Iota Omicron Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International by chapter president Robin Coatsworth-Puspoky. Yanful was among the 79 members inducted into the honours society on Sunday.
During the ceremony in the Great Hall, 79 undergraduate, graduate and nursing professionals were inducted into the Iota Omicron Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.
The mission of Sigma Theta Tau International is to enhance nurses’ knowledge, understanding and professional development, and to support the development of a global community of nurses who promote and influence health and health care at local, regional and global levels, as well as advance nursing science.
Baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in nursing scholarship and leadership are invited to join the honour society.
More than 400,000 members in 86 countries have been inducted since its inception. The Western chapter, founded in 1987 by several members of Western’s Faculty of Nursing, was the first international chapter of the organization.
“The founders of Iota Omicron Chapter recognized the importance of and need to create a national climate that fostered nursing research and scholarship,” says chapter president Robin Coatsworth-Puspoky.
At the time, there were few nursing graduate programs in Canada; however across the border in the United States, where Sigma Theta Tau International was founded, the organization decided to open its membership to international chapters.
Karen Campbell, Advanced Practice Nurse at London Health Sciences Centre, was the guest speaker. She spoke on “Following Your Passion Throughout Your Career.”
Mary-Anne Andrusyszyn, director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing and past-president of the Iota Omicron Chapter, says the vision of the honour society is to create a global community of nurses.
“As one of the most distinctive organizations in professional nursing, the honour society influences and changes the health of people by engaging the intellectual capital of nurses around the globe.
“By developing and building connections with diverse people and entities, nurses enable nurses to collectively and individually develop, create, use and apply their knowledge to make a difference for the greater good of people’s well being.”
The honour society offers opportunities for leadership and personal development at all levels of the organization. Members have access to nursing knowledge, evidence-based resources and publications, mentoring and career assistance, continuing education, and nursing communities and networking.
A group from the chapter is fundraising for the Central University Hospital of Kigali in Rwanda. Carroll Iwasiw, a nursing professor, is leading a project in Rwanda and Yolanda Babenko-Mould, a PhD candidate at Western, is raising awareness about the plight in Rwanda’s health care system. lota Omicron has built a Wall of Honour in the School of Nursing to raise funds for research and scholarship of its members.
“Through our work in the chapter, we promote nursing scholarship and leadership and are proud to be members in the global community of nurses,” says Andrusyszyn. “From a personal perspective, I was touched by the power of nursing when I was inducted as a charter member.”
As part of the ceremony, Karen Ferguson, lecturer and chair of undergraduate programs, received the Alfreda Simons Kartha Award for Excellence in Nursing Education.
For more information visit www.uwo.ca/fhs/nursing/iota/.
