Emily Presswood is a dedicated RN working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. In her role, Emily provides specialized care to critically ill newborns, supports families through vulnerable moments, and advocates for safety and quality improvements within her unit. She was drawn to nursing by a deep commitment to mental health advocacy and a desire to care for others during life’s most delicate moments.
Emily is currently pursuing a Master of Nursing in Leadership at Western University, where she is furthering her expertise in health-care systems, policy and research. She has also been named the RNAO Hamilton Chapter Chair. In this role, she works to engage nurses in advocacy, community events and professional development. She says that being nominated for this award is meaningful because it recognizes her dedication to both bedside care and system-level leadership. She also says it inspires her to continue her contributions to a more compassionate and collaborative health system.
Gavin Shantz is an RN who works at Sunnybrook Hospital’s Ross Tilley Burn Centre in Toronto. He provides both critical care and burn specialized care to traumatically injured burn survivors. With a deep commitment to patient advocacy, Gavin led a quality improvement project through the Toronto Academic Health Science Network practice-based research and innovation fellowship program focused on standardizing burn ICU nurses’ transfer of accountability.
Gavin’s leadership in evidence-informed practice extends across Sunnybrook, where he serves as an accreditation champion and actively contributes to policy development through the organization’s nursing council. He draws on his lived experience as a former patient to consistently implement a patient-centred approach that promotes quality care and improved outcomes, while prioritizing safety.
Gavin’s approach blends compassion, leadership and innovation to drive excellence in nursing care.
The President's Award for Leadership in Clinical Nursing Practice is awarded to the RN or NP who consistently demonstrates expertise and evidence-informed practice in one or more areas of clinical practice in a staff nurse position. This member enhances the role of nursing by demonstrating leadership in her/his workplace and influencing change for the betterment of patients, families and/or communities. The winners of this award (we have two this year) each receive a $2,000 scholarship, or the equivalent in funding, towards attending a Canadian Nurses Association or International Council of Nurses conference. Funding for this award is generously sponsored by RNAO's group home and auto insurance provider, HUB International Ontario Limited.
