No boundaries for compassion

International borders do not exist when it comes to delivering compassionate care as a nurse. No one knows that better than Luana Viernes, a registered nurse trained in the Philippines, who worked in Saudi Arabia and now cares for residents at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care. 

Luana participated in the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership (SPEP) program which provides eligible internationally educated nurses with the opportunity to meet their evidence of practice and language proficiency requirements to practice as a nurse in Ontario. She says the program was a lot of work, requiring a minimum of 140 hours of supervised practice, completing a registration exam and paperwork. The SPEP is a partnership between the College of Nurses of Ontario, Ontario Health, the Ministry of Health and approved hospitals such as St. Joseph’s Health Care London. 

Luana was educated and worked in the Philippines for three years, before working as a nurse for two years in Saudi Arabia. She moved to Canada in 2019 ‘looking for a better future’. As part of SPEP program, she was paired with a nurse preceptor at St. Joseph’s and has now landed a part-time job at Mount Hope.

She believes nursing is not limited to medical care. She enjoys interacting with residents to try and lift their spirits. She feels those conversations are equally meaningful to residents and make a difference in improving their quality of life.

For Luana, the theme for Nurse’s Week ‘Changing Lives – Shaping Tomorrow’ boils down to having a passion for helping patients and residents and improving their well-being. 

“Culturally speaking, Canada’s health care system was eye-opening,” she says as the concept of senior’s care was new to her. Growing up in a Filipino household, seniors stayed home and were cared for by family members. But she feels her role as a registered nurse today in a long-term care home reflects her values and what’s most important to her – caring for people like they are family.