Having lost her mother at just 15, Sandi Jones faced challenges that forced her to step into adulthood early. Unable to complete her high school education, she found a lifeline in the early 1980s through a unique program offered jointly through Huron Heights Secondary School in Newmarket and Seneca College. The initiative allowed students to complete their Grade 12 curriculum while earning a Registered Nursing Assistant (RNA) certificate — a program that became the foundation for her 40-year nursing career.
Coming from a place of poverty where few family members finished high school, Sandi was immensely proud when she earned her college certificate and began working as a nurse. Yet, her path to nursing wasn’t one she initially envisioned.
As a teenager, Sandi dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, but those plans shifted when her mother became gravely ill and required brain surgery. The surgery, sadly, was unsuccessful, leaving her mother unable to recognize Sandi. Despite the heartbreak, Sandi found solace in the nurses who not only cared for her mother but extended their compassion to her as well.
“It really touched me to learn how nurses care for everyone as a whole, including patients and their families,” Sandi recalls. “I am so grateful for that program, which provided me with the opportunity to become a nurse and helped me get to where I am today.”
Reflecting on her early days, Sandi shares, “I remember being so scared as a brand-new grad. But in time, you come across nurse mentors who teach and help you.” Her concern for today’s young nurses is palpable. “I worry about young nurses because we’re working in very challenging times, and it’s difficult for them to receive proper mentorship.”
Sandi’s reflection underscores a current challenge in nursing: the loss of experienced mentors due to retirements exacerbated by the pandemic. She often reminisces about her own mentor, Joan, an RN from Newfoundland. “Joan helped us grow as nurses in our own way,” Sandi says, emphasizing how Joan encouraged independent thinking rather than imposing her own ideals.
“In those days, it was ‘team nursing,’” Sandi explains. “It wasn’t primary nursing. We were RNAs back in the day, and our scope of practice was very different than it is now.” She marvels at how much the role has evolved, from basic patient care to a wide range of advanced responsibilities. “Today we put in the Foley [catheters], we monitor, we do [wound] dressings — our scope has grown immensely.”
Looking ahead, Sandi believes another title change is due, advocating for a system similar to other countries with RN levels. “I feel that Registered Practical Nurses are no longer Practical Nurses,” she asserts, citing their leadership roles and expanded expertise. “We do it all. We’re nurses, period. Like my sign says, ‘One team, one goal, one vision.’”
Sandi’s career reflects her love of action and adaptability. Starting in medical-surgical nursing at York County Hospital (now Southlake Regional Health Centre) in Newmarket, she gained experience in acute care, community health, and long-term care, facing multiple pandemics, including SARS, Swine Flu, and COVID-19.
A workplace injury once threatened her ability to continue as a physical nurse, but Sandi’s resilience turned adversity into opportunity. During her recovery, she pursued studies in mental health and addictions, inspired by the loss of a brother to addiction.
“It’s important that we create awareness and provide resources for people to be able to get well,” Sandi says. She earned her certificate in mental health and concurrent diseases while studying addictions, paving the way for a new nursing journey. Currently, she works in Mental Health and Addictions at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie, including with the Withdrawal Management Service.
“It’s very fulfilling to advocate for people,” Sandi says, particularly in addressing the stigma surrounding mental health. “We live in a world where if it’s not seen as a physical illness, it doesn’t exist. When you have surgery, you have a scar and a wound that people can see, but just because you can’t see that with mental health doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
Her advocacy extends beyond patient care. As Nursing Division President for SEIU Healthcare, Sandi represents more than 9,000 nurses across Ontario. She began her work with SEIU at the onset of the pandemic, stepping into a leadership role to amplify the voices of RPNs and advance the profession.
“I’m fortunate enough to have the honour and opportunity to represent nurses and want to change the world in a positive way,” she says. “So much is challenging in life, and it’s important that we support each other and be active advocates for our profession, because if we don’t, nothing changes.”
