The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario’s 11th-annual fall tour provides a space to recruit nursing students and nurses to join a community to show support for the profession.
Hosted by the Nursing Students of Ontario (NSO), the Oct. 30, 2025 webinar opened up a space for conversation to get nurses involved within the association.
The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) represents nurses across Ontario including registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students. They advocate for healthy public policy while empowering nurses to take a leadership role.
RNAO’s President-Elect Sue LeBeau spoke at the event. She became a member of RNAO as a student representative when she first began her BScN at Laurentian University and has been a member since.
“If we take care of each other, mentor each other and support each other along the way, like RNAO does and this community does, this is where we become stronger,” said LeBeau.
During the event, LeBeau shared two new best practice guidelines the RNAO is working towards. These include “The anti-Black racism in nursing” and “promoting life and preventing Indigenous Youth Suicide.”
Along with these practice guidelines, Hugo Tam, chair of the NSO and fourth-year BScN student at Ontario Tech University, encouraged nursing students to get involved.
According to Tam, NSO is a student-governed group inside of the RNAO. Their goal is to create nurse leaders to “make healthcare more equitable, sustainable, inclusive and to improve health for all Ontarians and beyond,” said Tam.
He explained that the NSO works to empower nursing students and give them an outlet for these students to bring their ideas to life.
Tam’s involvement with the NSO has positively influenced his student life. It has helped him in the development of his nursing career goals and step out of the presumption that every nurse must work at the bedside.
“Once you take that first step out and you get involved with RNAO,” says Tam, “it helps open your eyes and it widens your perspective.”
Alongside Tam was Matthew Mark, one of the social media officers with the NSO and third-year BScN student at the University of Ottawa.
For Mark, being involved with the NSO allows him to use other skills that aren’t just nursing related. He sees the NSO as a great community building opportunity.
“I think it’s really just refreshing to see my peers out here,” said Mark. “It was a really great discussion.”
The nurses and nursing students at the event also had positive responses.
Inez Verdun, a first-year accelerated nursing student at McMaster University joined the event because she was inspired by nursing leaders.
“I was kind of a month into nursing school and I hadn’t felt like I contributed to the system at large and I really care about that,” said Verdun. “I thought a great place to start would be here, so I joined the RNAO as a student member.”
The event’s turn out sparked optimism for the future of the nursing profession. Tam was delighted.
“It’s always great to see how many nursing students have these ideas or aspirations,” said Tam. “I think it’s very invigorating.”