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Very early on in the pandemic the NSNU, and other organizations, recognized the immense potential for burnout and heightened stress amongst nurses and other first responders we relied on heavily to throughout the health crisis. The Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union was the first in the country to respond with an outlet for selfcare and reflection – an ounce of prevention from the immeasurable strain and fatigue you were burdened with, and an escape from the small and isolating worlds you were confined to.
Our Escape webpage condensed simulated getaways to far off places, concerts in the comfort of your own home, readings to lift the spirits, tours of fascinating monuments and museums, and images to inspire the imagination. Recognizing that there was, and still is a higher degree of pressure on the job and perhaps on the home front due to the pandemic, the NSNU continues to refresh the webpage content for repeat visitors seeking escapism and relaxation.
In early 2021, we introduced the Escape Photo Contest, an opportunity for NSNU members to share their favourite “escape” or pastime with fellow members in the Union. It offered a chance for self-reflection about what allows each of us to stay focused, strong, healthy and mindful. The contest also offered a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card. We’re very happy to say that NSNU members, from one end of the province to the other, answered the call with beautiful and personal photos of preferred pastimes, activities and quiet moments.
Your submissions featured hobbies, fitness routines, adventures with your favourite canine companions, serene connections with nature, and playtime with your children and other loved ones. Your commentaries were insightful, and again, personal. You shared how nature opens you up to fresh perspectives, how fitness makes you mentally and physically strong to take on challenges, and how your families and friends ground you.
Ultimately, your submissions illustrate how nurses can be both vulnerable and stoic; reliable pillars of strength with big human hearts. There is no doubt that the photos and captions we received were selfless acts of kindness meant to inspire others, as well.
On June 30th, the NSNU will make a random draw to select the winner of the $500 prize, but – without sounding too cliché – all the entries are winners. An enormous thank-you to all who entered the contest.
At the time this newsletter went to print, the draw had not yet taken place. Members will have since received an announcement by way of an e-memo and the winner notified directly by NSNU staff. The entries we received past the newsletter print deadline but before noon on June 30th were entered in the contest, published online, and will appear in the September issue of What’s Nu?
We hope that you will continue to visit the webpage when you need to engage in non work-related virtual activities. The NSNU Escape webpage has something for everyone.
Since it was launched in late March of 2020, countless NSNU members and others have found respite in the content on the webpage, and other nurses unions have followed our lead in providing a similar outlet for members and staff to while away time without distraction.
This page is dedicated to our hardworking nurses; a thank you for all you have done to keep us safe and provide care.
Please enjoy the videos, music, recipes, virtual tours, quotes and other activities. Some of the content automatically refreshes, while staff seek out new content as it is available. If you have suggestions for items that could be added to this page to improve user experience, please send your ideas to nsnu.office [at] nsnu.ca.
We hope to hold another contest in the near future, so stay tuned! To read more about our members’ stories, visit nsnu.ca/escape.
