Public Relations

Public Relations Committee Report 2009

This has been a very busy year for PEINU. We have had a very active Executive and Board.  The media campaign continued in the fall with television commercial spots for holiday wishes, and a simple but graphic commercial and printed media spots outlining that we as a nursing community have grave concerns about our ability to perform our duties in the face of declining resources. Our numbers are dwindling. Previous expectations remain. What can we do? How can we manage?

As part of addressing a piece of the work stress issue, Dr Sean Lyons presented at our annual Education day on “Intergenerational Nursing”.  He was able to help us define our own prejudices and gain insights into the perspectives of other age groups with whom we work side by side, day by day.  This enables us all to pause and take a minute before we rush to judge each other. After all, that really is all we have...each other, to support, to rely on in these difficult times.

PEINU has also been attentive in making the general public aware of things that are a part of our commitment to Community support. We have a logo banner which is now recognized at local events, and charitable fundraisers. There was even a surprise televised visit on Compass from the PEINU Elves and Santa Blair when we donated to the Island turkey drive for those less fortunate. It is important for the general public to not only associate the RN with negotiations and requests for more from the government but for us to be recognized for the many charitable contributions we make.
 
The upgrading of the website has proven beneficial to many of our members. This encompasses those with computer expertise, and then the rest of us! Updates on negotiations and upcoming opportunities are there for all to see. Private “Members only” portal keeps us all informed and updated on issues under review. We have documented increased participation in PEINU website access since the upgrades, and expect this trend to continue.

We are left with the ongoing issues of increased job stress..RNs are expected to continue to provide the highest quality of care with ever diminishing resources. This can leave us as a workforce feeling  fatigued physically, emotionally, and spiritually, with markedly decreased job satisfaction, being labeled as “Compassionate fatigue” in recent literature articles. In order to support our membership, we have engaged Barbara Fry to be the guest speaker for our Education Day. Barbara has staffing, teaching and nursing management experience and sees her mission as improving the work life for staff et al.  Her workshop is titled “Thriving vs Surviving in our Challenging Workplaces.”  Please keep an open mind and greet her expertise with an open heart. 

Again, public relations IS the face of PEINU and what we as a group stand for. We all are responsible  for our public image, and we need to continue to “THRIVE and NOT JUST SURVIVE” for our patients, each other and ourselves! See you at the workshop!
        
Respectfully submitted
Frances Galczynski Committee Chair