04/04/2023
A message from our Saskatchewan Chapter President Fred.
Dear Saskatchewan Oncology Nurses,
Happy Oncology Nursing Day! The theme this year is “Oncology Nursing: Strength Within”. Alongside thousands of incredible nurses across Canada, I acknowledge and applaud the exceptional, irreplaceable care you provide to patients and families experiencing oncological diseases, treatments, and side effects of treatment.
My name is Fred Entz. I am a Registered Nurse and certified oncology nurse. I have been an oncology nurse for the past 4 years. I am also the current President of the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO-SK) and serve in this role with the support of an amazing Executive Team.
Being an oncology nurse is a unique and challenging role in any setting. Every day, it requires us to be ready to provide holistic and complex care for patients and their families, all while solving complicated logistical and clinical problems by utilizing best evidence and clinical practices. It is an important privilege to provide care for people from across Saskatchewan who are courageously encountering a challenging moment in their lives: diagnosis and/or treatment of cancer. While our drive towards providing excellent, culturally sensitive, and evidence-informed care gives us great purpose in the work we do, it is important to recognize that we share a unique burden as well. The burden of oncology nursing, including walking with people through grievous pain and suffering, is an important one to consider and manage effectively to ensure one’s own wellbeing.
As I reflect on this year’s theme, “Oncology Nursing: Strength Within”, I think of the incredible strength that it takes to provide nursing care for patients and families. Day and night, we have the privilege of working with and engaging patients and families as they navigate a challenging disease. Considering the joys and challenges of being an oncology nurse, what does it mean to you to find “strength within”?
I hope that sharing my own thoughts about how I find strength can encourage you towards finding ways to build or rebuild your internal strength. When I think of “strength within”, I think of my family and how they strengthen me. My definition of family includes biological, spiritual, and work families.
My biological family knows me inside and out. I can tell them how I’m doing and know that I will receive support, even if they don’t necessarily understand what I do. I encourage you to consider who those people are in your life and reach out to them for support and care as you need it.
My spiritual family encourages my heart and mind by reminding me to access my faith for strength and to live out my personal values as I navigate the complexities of life and work. How does your heart best receive encouragement, and from whom? I encourage you to find ways to consistently access this source of encouragement and strength.
My work family. The people who always have my back, and who show up with brilliant minds, bright eyes, and steady hands. They take a single look at me and know when I’m not okay. They know what it takes. These are my people and an incredible source of strength in my nursing practice. I am proud to be on the front lines with these people.
This Oncology Nursing Day, we celebrate and honor Saskatchewan oncology nurses in every corner of this province.
We see you.
We hear you.
We celebrate you.
We honor you today, and every day.
Thank you for what you do.
Patients and families experiencing oncological diseases, treatments, and side effects would be worse off without you. May you find the strength within to continue providing excellent care on which Saskatchewan people can rely.
We encourage you to reach out to us and become involved with your CANO-SK chapter! We need your voice to promote and build oncology nursing in Saskatchewan. If you’re interested, respond to this message, or subscribe to our page here: https://www.facebook.com/saskoncologynurses.
Fred Entz
RN, MN, CHE, CON(C)
