News
RNAO statement on the passing of Stefanie Van Nguyen, RN
RNAO grieves the loss of Stefanie Van Nguyen, a young RN committed to the nursing profession, her family, friends and her partner Jason Parreno. Stefanie left us way too soon. RNAO hopes that Stefanie’s kindness, selflessness and giving nature are remembered forever and serve as a lesson for others to help brighten the world. As Jason mentioned to RNAO’s CEO Doris Grinspun, “the world is a darker place without her.”
Two nursing colleagues from the Midland area struck by tragedy
RNAO offers its deepest condolences to RNAO member NP Sarah Bremner and her son Brandon – who lost their husband and father Jereld Bremner, and their son and brother Donny Bremner – due to a tragic snowmobiling accident. RNAO also extends heartfelt sympathies to RPN Brie Cudahy who lost her husband Bill Fournier in a tragic snowmobiling accident. In addition to his life partner, Brie, Mr. Fournier leaves behind six young children.
Join the conversation – an open forum for nurses to share how they are feeling during COVID-19
RNAO is aware nurses across this province – especially those working on the frontlines of COVID-19 – are experiencing tremendous levels of physical and emotional stress and burnout. We know this can affect your mental health and well-being at this challenging time and that you may have less time to devote to your own self care.
This is why RNAO is organizing an open forum on Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET.
RNAO work and well-being survey
We are nearly a year into a pandemic of historic consequence for people's health, and nurses are being deeply impacted. As always, RNAO is eager to support the nursing community individually and collectively to ensure the mental and physical well-being of our members and health providers in general.
Through this survey, we would like to learn additional ways we can support nurses and nursing students and advocate on your behalf during this trying period. We also want to hear from you about whether and how this pandemic has changed your health, your work, your attitude to your work and your future in nursing.
Sign action alert: Call on Premier Ford to suffocate COVID-19 now
Premier Doug Ford must act swiftly to suffocate community spread of COVID-19. While RNAO wholeheartedly supports the government’s announcement on Jan. 25 to expedite vaccination of LTC residents, rampant community transmission threatens to completely overwhelm the hospital intensive care units and has forced the cancellation of surgeries and procedures.
Distribute COVID-19 vaccines through community providers now
RNAO along with three of the largest home care providers in the province – SE Health, VON and Bayshore HealthCare – are calling on the government to get the COVID-19 vaccines into hands of community providers including nurses, physicians and pharmacists immediately.
Celebrate Black History Month this February
RNAO is proud to be celebrating Black History Month throughout February. It’s a time to reflect and recognize the valuable contributions Black Canadians have made to this country as well as the valuable contributions Black nurses have made to the profession.
We want to hear from you
Do you enjoy reading our monthly newsletter In the Loop? Do you have ideas or stories you would like to see in the next issue? Tell us what you think in our In the Loop survey.
Membership
Stay tuned
A fabulous offer is coming. Keep an eye out on our social media channels so that you can see what it is!
Protect yourself from legal risks
Civil lawsuits. Criminal investigations. Complaints to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Wrongful dismissals. These are just some of the legal situations RNAO’s legal programs can help you with.
Find your next opportunity on RNCareers.ca
Are you on the hunt for a new job? Start your job search on RNCareers.ca.
RNCareers.ca specializes in all levels of nursing and health care, including executive, administrative and management positions. Check out the RN, NP and RPN positions in clinical and non-clinical roles on the website.
Save the date: Annual General meeting is June 24-26
Mark your calendar!
RNAO’s 96th Annual General Meeting will be held virtually on June 24-26, 2021.
Join us for an exciting program of events and to celebrate the incredible efforts of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students during this most unprecedented past year.
Moved? Changed emails? Keep us in the loop
Do we have your latest contact information? Have you changed your email? Moved to a new address? RNAO encourages you to update your profile and keeps us in the loop.
Awards
Nursing Now Ontario Awards: Celebrating the great work of nurses
Do you work alongside a colleague that deserves to be nominated for the Nursing Now Ontario Awards? Organized by RNAO, WeRPN and ONA, the awards will recognize a registered nurse (RN), a registered practical nurse (RPN) and a nurse practitioner (NP) for their contributions to nursing practice and the health and well-being of Ontarians.
Do you know an RNAO member who deserves to be recognized?
It’s not too late to nominate a colleague for RNAO’s Recognition Awards and celebrate the best in nursing and health care.
There are many different categories for you to choose from, including leadership awards in political action and nursing research, education/mentorship awards in student mentorship and nursing education and many more. These awards help to foster excellence in the nursing profession and promote the profession to the public.
Media Awards: Help RNAO honour outstanding journalists
Throughout 2020, journalists worked exceptionally hard to report on COVID-19 and its impact on nurses, other health providers and the public. These news stories gave members and other health-care professionals an opportunity to speak out.
To honour these journalists, consider nominating a reporter, host or producer whose work deserves to be celebrated.
Membership perks
Inspire membership democracy: Submit your resolution by Feb. 22, 2021 at 5 p.m. ET
One of the great things about being an RNAO member is the chance to raise issues important to nursing, health and health care that resonate with your fellow RNs, NPs and nursing students. There is still time to submit your resolution for review and discussion at RNAO’s next Annual General Meeting.
Run for a BOD position: Deadline Feb. 22, 2021 at 5 p.m. ET
Have you considered being part of RNAO’s board of directors? Submit your nomination today and help guide the future of the association.
Register for Queen’s Park Day on Feb. 25
This year’s Queen’s Park Day will take place virtually. Members of RNAO’s assembly have long appreciated the opportunity to take part in the association’s Queen's Park Day and now all members will have a chance to join as well.
Queen's Park on the Road 2020
More than 40 MPP virtual meetings have taken place with RNAO members. As part of this year’s Queen’s Park on the Road 2020, members have an opportunity to discuss long-term care transformation and consumption treatment services, all with a specific-focus on how COVID-19 has impacted these services and populations.
Policy
RNAO takes part in a 2021 pre-budget discussion
In a virtual pre-budget meeting with Ontario’s Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott, and Minister of Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho, RNAO’s CEO Doris Grinspun presented on Jan. 25 the association’s calls to the Ontario government to smother the pandemic.
Best Practice Guidelines
New edition of best practice guideline available
RNAO is proud to release the best practice guideline (BPG) A Proactive Approach to Bladder and Bowel Management in Adults, Fourth Edition.
This BPG provides evidence-based recommendations for effective strategies to support adults (aged 18 years and older) who live with urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and/or constipation that will improve quality of care and lead to positive health outcomes.
New online e-learning from the Mental Health and Addiction Initiative
The new free interactive e-learning module Engaging Clients Who Use Substances is now available online.
Nurses and other health-care professionals will learn about the foundational concepts and evidence-based practice approaches for working with clients who may be experiencing issues with substances and/or experiencing substance use disorder.
Webinars
Join the conversation – an open forum for nurses to share how they are feeling during COVID-19
RNAO is aware nurses across this province – especially those working on the frontlines of COVID-19 – are experiencing tremendous levels of physical and emotional stress and burnout. We know this can affect your mental health and well-being at this challenging time and that you may have less time to devote to your own self care.
This is why RNAO is organizing an open forum on Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET.
COVID-19 vaccine: A game changer
The COVID-19 vaccine is changing the course of this pandemic. As millions of people are getting immunized, how can we as health-care workers become champions for the COVID-19 vaccine?
Join us on Feb. 8, 2021 from 2-4 p.m. ET for Health System Transformation and COVID-19 webinar series to learn more about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, how Canada measures up globally and at home and a communication framework to hold a vaccine hesitancy conversation.
Let’s Talk about Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Nursing
To explore the power of mentorship for Black nursing students in academic settings, RNAO’s Black Nurses Task Force is hosting a webinar on Feb. 16, 2021 between 6:30-8 p.m. ET
The webinar will review strategies for establishing goals, expectations and boundaries in a mentor/mentee relationship; identify enablers and barriers to Black nursing students’ access to mentors and examine how mentorship experiences for Black nursing students are impacted by the diversity of the faculty and student population.
Publishing Pearls: Making your manuscript shine for publication!
Explore strategies for manuscript development and publication of Best Practice Champions work and experiences.
On Feb. 24, RNAO will be hosting a webinar that focuses on the “do’s and don’ts” of manuscript preparation, successful approaches to manuscript acceptance and the knowledge and skills to prepare and submit a manuscript for publication.
You are invited to RNAO’s NP long-term care webinars
In an effort to continue supporting NPs working in long-term care (LTC) through COVID-19 and beyond, RNAO will be facilitating quarterly webinars, at minimum, to discuss clinical, operational, and policy-related issues in LTC.
Best Practice Champions Virtual Workshops
This year, RNAO’s Best Practice Champions Network team is hosting two-part Best Practice Champions Virtual Workshops for participants to learn more about best practice guidelines.
This free, online educational opportunity consists of a brief pre-recorded introductory video and two live virtual sessions to be completed in sequential order.
RNAO joins emergency town hall on LTC in Canada
Long-term care (LTC) has become a “systemic disgrace” said RNAO CEO Doris Grinspun during an emergency town hall on long-term care hosted by the Green Party of Canada and moderated by its leader Annamie Paul. On Jan. 4, via Facebook Live, Grinspun joined seven other panelists to talk about the challenges and shortfalls still facing the long-term care sector.
Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: Progress to date
With several COVID-19 vaccines now in Canada, RNAO hosted a webinar with more than 800 participants on Jan. 11 to learn more about the different vaccines and the status of distribution.
January NP Insider webinar
COVID-19 has had a huge impact on mental health. To share how we can improve attitudes towards mental illness and promote mental health and well-being, executive members of RNAO’s Nurse Practitioner Interest Group (NPIG) hosted a webinar on Jan. 21.