In 1986, a questionnaire was sent by Deli Barraquio of St. Joseph's Health Center to the nurses employed in Radiology in hospitals in Ontario. As a result of this questionnaire, an initial meeting was held one evening at St. Joseph's Health Centre. Much enthusiasm was apparent, and in 1986, the Ontario Society of Diagnostic Imaging Nurses was founded.

The original goals were to help develop Standards of Practice in the area of Diagnostic Imaging and to help handle the concerns and issues of all Registered Members involved in Diagnostic Imaging. A constitution was adopted and printed in 1986. A revised constitution was adopted in 1993.

In 1989, the first Start of Spring Conference was held in Toronto. In subsequent years, it has been held in various hotels around the city of Toronto. An annual Fall Confererence also began, to be held out of town. Hamilton, London, Oshawa and Windsor are some of the cities in which the Fall Conference has been held. The organization has had many interesting and informative topics and guest speakers at our conferences over the years. Encouragement has now spread to the Registered Technologists to partake in these conferences.

In 1990, the Education Committee worked diligently to create a Standards of Practice for OSDIN, which was then distributed to the membership. Thanks to generous financial support from sponsoring companies, one member each year has the opportunity to be eligible for an education draw.

As registered nurses in the Diagnostic Imaging Department, we believe:

• In the right of the patient/client to make informed decisions and give consent.
• In the utilization of the nursing process as set by the College of Nurses of Ontario in providing reasonable patient care.
• In ensuring patient/client privacy, dignity and confidentiality.
• That interdisciplinary communication and co-operation is essential to the achievement of the effective patient/client care.

The Diagnostic Imaging Nurse is committed to the implementation of the standards of nursing to a reasonable level of care to the patient/client. She/he must develop a knowledge and understanding of radiology procedure, possess performance skills in this area. Skills utilized in his/her performance include assessment, communication, teaching and leadership.

If you are interested in OSDIN, or obtaining more information about joining our organization, please visit our Membership page.

For funding, OSDIN relies on the generous assistance of our corporate sponsors. Please visit our Sponsors page for more information.