Jan 13, 2022
There is nothing that Birgit Umaigba cannot do. She is a teacher, singer, ICU nurse, speaker, mother and writer. She has been a force and is one of the strongest and most vocal voices of a nurse who has worked in the ICU during this pandemic. In this episode, Amie and Sara discuss Birgit's experiences, her personal journey, passions and hopes for the future. We also discuss her advocacy in: health equity, Internationally Trained nurses, paid sick days.
Birgit Umaigba has a Bachelors of Nursing and has a Masters of Education. She is a Clinical Course Director at Centennial College, York & Trent Universities where teaches Nursing students in the BScN, Bridging, and Internationally Educated Nurses programs. She is also a Professor at Durham College, where she teaches a mental health course to Personal Support Workers.
Birgit works as a Critical Care/Emergency Room Registered Nurse across various hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area. She is a Public Health Nurse with the Cities of Durham and Toronto.
In addition to her many hats, Birgit is a vibrant member of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and volunteers as a Scrutineer at the RNAO Annual General Meeting. She was recently featured as a guest speaker at the RNAO 96th AGM, and with the Canadian Medical Association.
She is passionate about Nursing, and strongly advocates for more equitable healthcare in Ontario. Throughout the pandemic, she has been very vocal about repealing Bill 124 and implementing 10 universal paid sick days for better nurse retention in Ontario. She has been featured in several journals, media and healthcare debates both nationally and internationally.
Birgit envisions a diverse nursing workforce where different cultural groups are represented in nursing leadership and academia, and not just at the bedside. She is a wife, and proud mother of her 10-year old daughter. Birgit is a lifetime member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. Her other passion is music. She recently launched a song demo and enjoys singing in her free-time.
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