On May 12, the same day as the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, RNAO held a media conference to release its landmark report, Nursing Through Crisis: A Comparative Perspective, which features stark findings on the current state of the nursing profession and recommendations to address Ontario’s nursing crisis. 

Between May and July 2021, RNAO distributed a detailed survey during the peak of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic about its impact on nurses across Canada. The report outlines the results of the survey and compares it to RNAO’s earlier Work and Wellbeing Survey Results report, as well as with similarly focused national and international surveys that examined the struggles of nurses working throughout the pandemic.

In RNAO’s media release about the report, CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun says “the numbers are both sobering and alarming and represent a call to action for the government, health employers, educators, and nursing associations.” To add to this, President Morgan Hoffarth says “We know nurses are committed and have vital expertise, compassion and skills to share. What we need is sustained effort to retain the nurses we have, and ensure welcoming workplaces for new graduates and others who join the profession.”

The report outlines a number of recommendations geared to retain nurses in the profession and build Ontario’s RN workforce, such as repealing Bill 124, expediting applications and finding pathways for internationally educated nurses, and more. The report also outlines four new RNAO programs aimed to address nurses’ needs for better workplace supports, more professional development opportunities and more control over their working lives:

• Advanced Clinical Practice Fellowship program
• Leadership and Management for Nurses program
• Mentorship for Nurses program
• Nursing Student Preceptor for Long-Term Care program

Grinspun and Hoffarth spoke about the findings and recommendations in Nursing Through Crisis: A Comparative Perspective in media interviews, including the following:

• CityNews Kitchener: Friday May 13th, 2022 - The Mike Farwell Show (interview begins at 19:56)
• CP24: 'We're in trouble': RNAO on state of nursing
• Durham Radio News: RNAO reporting higher workloads, stresses among nurses during third pandemic wave
• Global News: Over 75% of Canadian nurses burnt out, RNAO survey finds
• National Post: Depressed and burned out, Ontario nurses planning to leave the field in droves, poll finds

The full report and more details on the programs can be found on the Nurses’ health and wellbeing and RNAO In Focus web page. In case you missed it, watch the media conference on RNAO’s YouTube channel and read the live Twitter thread.