A time of reflection and renewal.

Last year was a particularly difficult year for the healthcare industry. The steady downward trajectory of the economy in 2009, the restructuring of provincial healthcare governance structures, the H1N1 pandemic and the pressure on chief nursing executives to consider alternative skill mixes and role changes have had an impact on every acute, rehab, mental health, long-term and community healthcare organization across the country. Key nursing leadership positions at many levels of our organizations disappeared, as regionalization and cutbacks took their toll – travel budgets, conference funds and approval for membership in organizations such as ACEN have been severely curtailed. These restrictions have had an impact on ACEN members’ ability to come together face to face on a regular basis to discuss emerging trends in the provinces, and to share mechanisms for coping with the restructuring efforts in the jurisdictions. As 2009 progressed, it became apparent that ACEN will need to depend on teleconferencing, webcasting and other technologies to replace the face-to-face meetings of the past.