RNAO’s ongoing media profile: Your April 2025 report
This month, RNAO’s president and CEO were featured in media stories related to a primary care announcement, RNAO’s federal election ad campaign, the launch of a new nursing program, Ontario’s expansion of free trade within Canada and nurses working excessive overtime hours.
On April 10, RNAO launched a non-partisan ad campaign across Ontario, urging Canadians to vote in the April 28 federal election. RNAO President NP Lhamo Dolkar emphasized the importance of health care as a human right and called for action on equity, social justice, and climate change. She stated, "Nurses are standing up for the wellbeing of all people and the health of our planet – and we are urging Canadians to vote for health and sovereignty."
Also on April 10, the Ontario government announced it was accepting proposals to create and expand up to 80 primary care teams to help improve access for Ontarians. RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun told 980 CFPL (April 11) that this expansion will help ensure every person across the province has access to a primary care provider. “We expect many of those areas (that will host new or expanded primary care teams) will have NP-led clinics which would be fantastic. The only caveat is that the announcement is about 300,000 patients and we really have two million patients waiting,” said Grinspun.
In the same interview, Grinspun also highlighted RNAO’s federal election ad campaign that urges voters to keep core Canadian values in mind when they head to the polls. “We are here for Canada and to build a universal health-care system and to build the social programs,” said Grinspun. In RNAO’s media release (April 10) about the campaign, Dolkar said, “Nurses understand that health depends both on access to care and the conditions in which people live.” Learn more about the campaign and view/listen to our print, radio and digital radio ads on RNAO.ca.
A new nursing program at Toronto’s Humber Polytechnic has opened 40 clinical placement seats at Osler Health’s Etobicoke General Hospital and Brampton Civic Hospital. This program will allow second-year students to learn in a hospital setting. Grinspun told CBC (April 14) that this partnership will help Humber Polytechnic students secure clinical placements amid competition. “Osler Health will worry less about retaining talent because they will know the students from working with them during clinical placements,” said Grinspun.
On April 16, Ontario announced it will be expanding free trade within Canada in response to the ongoing trade war with the United States. As part of this plan, Ontario will allow more regulated health professionals in good standing to begin practising in the province while they wait for registration with an Ontario regulatory college. The government will also begin consultations to allow American health professionals, including doctors and nurses, to do so as well. Grinspun told The Trillium (April 21) “RNAO welcomes changes that will help bring more health professionals into the system faster. Letting qualified professionals from other Canadian jurisdictions practise while awaiting registration in Ontario means people will experience improved access to care. Expanding the approach to include BScN-prepared registered nurses and master's-prepared nurse practitioners from the U.S. will further bolster our health workforce and strengthen service to the public."
In an April 25 media release, Dolkar urged everyone to vote, highlighting that health care is a human right and stressing the need for Canadians to reject division and uphold democratic institutions.
Hamilton hospitals are seeing increased amounts of overtime logged by nurses. A freedom of information request from the Hamilton Spectator found that even part-time nurses have worked the equivalent of more than 50 hours a week for a full year. Grinspun told the newspaper (April 25) that “It’s a really bad cycle because the more the burnout, the more you will have other people doing overtime because you get a sick call.” She also noted that if this cycle repeats, eventually staff will end up leaving the profession.
RNAO continues to speak out alongside its members on topics related to nursing and health. Stay up-to-date on media coverage by visiting RNAO in the news. If you’re interested in speaking with reporters on issues related to nursing, health and health care, complete a short survey.
