TORONTO, May 8, 2007 – As Canada marks National Nursing Week, local nurses are learning more about how they can strengthen the profession so it is ready to face the challenges the coming decades will bring. Closing the gap between the quality of work life of nursing leaders and their staff, embracing evidence-based management and reuniting nursing education, practice and research to bolster the profession will be among some of the topics addressed this week during a presentation by Mary Ferguson-Paré, President of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). 

“We adhere to comfortable ideas and traditions about how things have always been done in health care, but we need to start looking at new ways of understanding the world. Once we start to embrace some of these ideas, we can begin to strengthen our health-care system for the health professionals who work in it, and the patients they care for,” says Ferguson-Paré, who will address nurses from Credit Valley Hospital on Wednesday as part of Nursing Week (May 7-13) celebrations. 

Ferguson-Paré will also discuss initiatives that can keep nurses from retiring early, such as programs that allow RNs over age 55 to spend 80 per cent of their time on patient care, and 20 per cent on professional development and mentoring activities. She will also highlight the critical need to prepare future generations of nurses for leadership positions while continuing to support front-line nurses. “Nurses across the country are telling us that they are feeling the stresses of a career that is both physically and emotionally draining. We need to support those RNs so they can continue to work to their full potential and care for all Ontarians.”
 

WHO:

• RNAO President Mary Ferguson-Paré
• Nurses from Credit Valley Hospital.
  

WHAT:

• Credit Valley Hospital Nursing Week Dinner, including presentation by Ferguson-Paré entitled Mind the Gap.

WHERE:

• Le Dome Banquet Hall, QEW and Trafalgar Road, Oakville

WHEN:

• Wednesday, May 9. Ferguson-Paré will speak at 8:20p.m.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses wherever they practise in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has lobbied for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses’ contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve.