ICN Student Asssembly Attendees in Montreal , Canada
INTERNATI0NAL : NEWS
ICN Student Asssembly Attendees in Montreal , Canada
International Council of Nurses 2023 Congress in Montreal , Canada By Lauren Lodico , NSNA President
On June 30th , 2023 I attended the Student Assembly of the International Council of Nurses ( ICN ) Congress . At the Assembly , undergraduate , graduate , and doctoral students gathered to hear presentations and discuss common issues as outlined in the ICN Student Steering Group ’ s wonderful agenda . One of my favorite parts of the day was the roundtable discussion on timely questions such as “ What would you like to see from your National Nursing Association ( NNA )?” Getting to discuss our key answers and come together to learn how healthcare looks in each country was especially informative .
I sat at a table with students from South Africa , Taiwan , Vietnam , Canada , and Lebanon . I was surprised and upset to learn that many nursing students do not have an independent nursing student association like the National Student Nurses ’ Association . Many student associations rely on funding and decision-making done by their NNA . This can be associated with less autonomy and a decreased voice for students . In my discussion group , Canada has ties to its NNA , but it was the only country that has a separate nursing student organization .
Fortunately , I was able to meet the Canadian Nursing Students Association ( CNSA ) President , Eyasu Yahob . He is an amazing colleague and an inspiring leader . I was able to extend an invitation to him , on behalf of the NSNA , to attend the Annual Convention in April 2024 . Hopefully , I will be able to introduce him or one of his colleagues to you in April .
In addition to the roundtables , I really enjoyed networking during lunch with nursing leaders from around the world . I connected with the Nurses ’ Association of Jamaica and some of the students from Mexico during my lunch session .
I also was fortunate to hear incredible speakers like Dr . Katie Huffling , a certified nurse-midwife and Executive Director of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments , as well as Dr . Christine Genest , a Professor from the Université de Montréal ( University of Montreal ) with clinical expertise in mental health and suicide prevention in nursing . That was all in one day of the conference !
Six Days in Montreal With the theme “ Nurses Together : A Force for Global Health ,” the ICN 2023 Congress brought together nurses worldwide . During my six days in Montreal , I was able to network with nurses from across the globe and learn about their cultures , nursing issues , and more . The Opening Ceremony and Parade of Nations featuring nursing associations in their native and cultural attire was a spiritual experience . During the Opening Ceremony , a beautiful land acknowledgement ritual was performed by indigenous leaders who shared some of their rich cultural heritage , such as throat singing and native dances .
One of my favorite memories from the ICN Congress 2023 was hearing from the first nurse and midwife in Somaliland , Edna Adan Ismail . After retiring , Ms . Ismail saw the problems that existed in her home country ’ s healthcare system . She sold her
14 NSNA IMPRINT • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023 • www . nsna . org