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On this page: Our journey | Members leading change | RNAO's partnerships and engagements | RNAO policy | Capacity building | RNAO media
Our journey: Long-Term Care Best Practices Program and RNAO
Caring for Ontario’s seniors is one of the most important responsibilities we have as individuals, as a community and as a province.
Long-term care (LTC) residents are older, frailer and need more hours of safe, high-quality care delivered by an appropriate mix of nurse practitioners (NP), registered nurses (RN), registered practical nurses (RPN) and personal support workers (PSW).
RNAO's LTC Best Practices Program sets the gold standard for resident care in the province. RNAO’s team of experienced LTC best practice coordinators are available to help improve the knowledge, skills and practices of the dedicated staff and management in Ontario LTC homes.
Guided implementation of RNAO’s foundational, clinical and healthy work environment best practice guidelines is helping to improve care, quality of life and health outcomes for Ontario’s most vulnerable seniors.
"LTC is my area of passion. I joined the LTC sector during, and because of, the pandemic - I wanted to help as much as I could. We must look for the silver lining from the storms of COVID-19 to improve LTC for residents, their families and staff."
RNAO's long-term care provincial survey results coming soon
Members leading change
RNAO is committed to working with its partners to improve the sector, provincially and nationally. Through collaboration, RNAO can provide evidence-based recommendations to governments and organizations on what is needed to support LTC residents and staff.
LTC NP Council
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RNAO’s LTC NP Council is an important forum for NPs working in LTC to discuss clinical, operational and policy-related issues in LTC. The LTC NP Council webinars provide an opportunity to build networks, exchange knowledge and inform RNAO’s advocacy work related to NPs and the LTC sector.
Gerontological Nursing Association of Ontario (GNAO)
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The Gerontological Nursing Association of Ontario (GNAO) promotes professionalism in gerontological nursing and serves a membership of more than 1,800 nurses and associates with 11 chapters throughout Ontario. Educational events and activities help to enhance gerontological knowledge and practice. GNAO advocates for high standards of nursing care and health services for older adults.
Professional advocacy
To view letters, videos and media releases related to the GNAO’s advocacy work, visit GNAO’s website.
Members mobilizing change
RNAO resolutions
Members can make their voices heard and help mobilize change by submitting resolutions to the association for consideration.
LTC resolution
At RNAO’s 2021 AGM, resolution 18 was passed, which calls for mandatory BScN student placements in LTC homes.
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RNAO’s partnerships and engagements
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Long-Term Care Best Practice Spotlight Organizations®
RNAO is requesting proposals from interested and eligible long-term care (LTC) homes located in Ontario, to work in collaboration with the RNAO in implementing and evaluating multiple clinical nursing best practice guidelines (BPG), and disseminating knowledge from their experiences and outcomes with guideline implementation. If you're interested in becoming a BPSO, connect with a LTC Best Practice Coordinator near you.
RNAO's Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) program
Meet RNAO’s BPSO designates
Become a LTC BPSO
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RNAO Clinical Pathways
In partnership with PointClickCare (PCC), RNAO has launched a province-wide initiative to support the implementation of RNAO Clinical Pathways by LTC homes. These digitized versions of the BPGs have been embedded within PCC’s new Nursing Advantage Canada technology to facilitate access at the point of care.
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AdvantAge Ontario
AdvantAge Ontario is an association of community-based not-for-profit LTC homes, and housing and services for seniors. This association focuses on advocacy, and education to expand knowledge and building leadership capacity.
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Ontario Long Term Care Association
The Ontario Long Term Care Association offers several events to members from private, municipal, charitable and not-for-profit long-term care homes and retirement homes in Ontario such as ‘This is Long Term Care’ and their annual convention: Together We Care. Many of RNAO’s LTC BPSOs have published in OLTCAs Long Term Care Today magazine.
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VIANurse
In response to health sector staffing needs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, over a three-month period between March and May 2020, RNAO’s VIANurse program mobilized RNs, NPs and nursing students to 316 organizations in various sectors, including 241 LTC homes in Ontario.
Click here to learn more about RNAO's policy and political action on long-term care issues
Toolkits
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Leading Change Toolkit™
The Leading Change Toolkit is a revolutionary resource to engage health providers to make lasting change in their practice.
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LTC Best Practices Toolkit
RNAO’s LTC Best Practices Toolkit offers health-care providers, educators and leaders with evidence-based resources and tools. The toolkit supports BPG implementation and program development.
Preventing and Addressing Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults
This e-learning course includes four modules, various learning activities (e.g. resources and reflection activities) a Knowledge Check and Supplementary Resources. Module 1, Understanding Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults, is designed to educate everyone involved in the delivery of care to older adults. Modules 2, Working with Older Adults and Their Families, Module 3, Identifying and Responding to Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults, and Module 4, Addressing Challenges Involved in Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults are designed for nurses, other health-care providers and their supervisors. This e-learning is available in English and French.
Program impact
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The impact of implementing Assessment and Management of Pain BPG
Published: October 2022
Watford Quality Care Centre (WQCC) is a Long-Term Care home in Watford, Ontario. The LTC home implemented RNAO's Assessment and Management of Pain (Third Edition, 2013) BPG across their organization to address the gap in pain management and to reduce incidences of severe pain among their residents. The BPG implementation strategies focused on interprofessional and intersectoral collaboration, as well as early recognition and interventions for pain.
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The impact of the implementation of Assessment and Management of Pain BPG
Published: July 2022
Villa Colombo Toronto is a Long-Term Care (LTC) Best Practice Spotlight Organization® (BPSO®) serving seniors for over 45 years and is highly regarded for the provision of culturally appropriate LTC and community services. The home has implemented RNAO’s Assessment and Management of Pain (2013) BPG in a systemic organization-wide approach to assist health-care providers to use the best available evidence when assessing and managing pain in their practice and improving the quality of care for residents.
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Implementing best practice guideline to reduce falls-related injuries in older adults
Published: February 2022
Braemar Retirement Centre provides quality care to LTC residents in Wingham Ontario and its surrounding communities for over 38 years. Braemar is currently implementing RNAO’s best practice guideline, Preventing Falls and Reducing Injury from Falls (2017) to foster a supportive environment to prevent falls and allow residents to live to their fullest potential.
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RNAO LTC newsletter
The RNAO LTC newsletter is a salute to all those working in LTC who are improving resident care and their quality of life, including RNs. RPNs, PSWs, managers, and all other care and support staff.
RNAO staff leading change
Meet RNAO’s LTC best practice coordinators
RNAO’s team of LTC best practice coordinators promote and support the use of evidence-based best practices. They work with LTC management and clinical staff to identify practice gaps, develop action plans, and make and sustain practice improvements.
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| Region | Regional boundaries | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LTC homes in Erie St. Clair and South West (Delaware, Komoka, Parkhill, Port Stanley, Southwold, St Thomas & Strathroy) | LTCregion1@RNAO.ca |
| 2 | LTC homes in South West | LTCregion2@RNAO.ca |
| 3 | LTC homes in Waterloo Wellington and HNHB (Delhi, Dunnville, Hagersville, Paris, Port Dover, & Simcoe) | LTCregion3@RNAO.ca |
| 4 | LTC homes in Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant | LTCregion4@RNAO.ca |
| 5 | LTC homes in Central West, South West and HNHB (Beamsville, Chatsworth, Dundas, Durham, Hanover, Markdale, Meaford, Owen Sound, St. Catherine, Stoney Creek, & Thornbury) | LTCregion5@RNAO.ca |
| 6 | LTC homes in Mississauga Halton and HNHB (Ancaster, Burlington, Hamilton, & Waterdown) | LTCregion6@RNAO.ca |
| 7 | LTC homes in Toronto Central and South Scarborough | LTCregion7@RNAO.ca |
| 8 | LTC homes in Central and North Scarborough | LTCregion8@RNAO.ca |
| 9 | LTC homes in Central East | LTCregion9@RNAO.ca |
| 10 | LTC homes in South East | LTCregion10@RNAO.ca |
| 11 |
LTC homes in Champlain |
LTCregion11@RNAO.ca |
| 12 | LTC homes in North East | LTCregion12@RNAO.ca |
| 13 | LTC homes in North Simcoe Muskoka and North East | LTCregion13@RNAO.ca |
| 14 | LTC homes in North West and North East | LTCregion14@RNAO.ca |
Careers in LTC
From direct resident care to quality improvement, program development and more, the LTC sector offers many opportunities to develop a broad range of skills. Educational opportunities are available to enhance your skills in wound care, falls prevention, palliative and end-of-life care, and many other areas of practice.
Working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team, you can help to improve the lives of seniors with complex care needs. There is a high demand for those interested in working in LTC.
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RNCareers
RNAO supports LTC homes in many ways, including through its LTC coordinators and LTC Best Practices Program, as well as by providing staffing assistance through RNCareers.
RNCareers.ca, RNAO’s official career website, was created to meet the needs of Ontario’s nursing professionals and employers. The website specializes in all levels of nursing including clinical, non-clinical, staff nurse, management, executive and administrative roles. RNCareers hosts positions for NPs, RNs, RPNs, PSWs and other health professionals across all health-care sectors, including LTC.
Employers can visit employers.RNCareers.ca to post positions and attract top quality employees.
Job candidates can create an account on RNCareers and make use of features such as job alerts to be notified of positions posted based on criteria such as employer name or title, and upload their resume/CV to the site’s resume database so that employers can contact them directly.
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Ontario government
The Ontario government website provides information about working in the LTC sector, how to become an NP, RN, RPN or PSW, and supports for internationally-educated nurses.
