On behalf of the NNPBC Board of Directors, Councils, and staff we offer hearty congratulations to Zachary (Zak) Matieschyn on his appointment as BC’s Provincial Chief Nursing Officer. This position, previously held by Natasha Prodan-Bhalla, provides a critical link between government and BC’s 65,000+ nurses.
Across all domains of practice, the impact of nurses and the ability to shape and guide the trajectory of health care is undeniable. Under the leadership of a Provincial Chief Nursing Officer, nurses across the province have opportunity to realize a vision for nursing influence that extends to program and policy creation, service stewardship, executive advice, as well as the ability to provide a nursing purview on workforce optimization, financial management, and other system level and health and human resource improvements.
It is through the vital role of a Provincial Chief Nursing Officer that we demonstrate that nursing as a profession and a discipline can lead health care system transformation in a time of increasing demand and complexity. The opportunity to collaborate with our National Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, ensures that our provincial mandate is aligned with and progresses in accordance with federal mandates.
Zak has demonstrated his leadership and commitment to the profession as both a respected leader and valued clinician. His strategic vision, thoughtful approach and system level thinking has served professional associations, patients, and government through his work in the Nursing Policy Secretariat. NNPBC has always valued our collaboration with Zak in all the varied roles he has held. We celebrate this decision and will look forward to working with Zak to improve the health system and help British Columbians achieve better health outcomes.
Best Regards,
Sherri Kensall, Board Chair