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The issue
Registered nurses (RN) and nurse practitioners (NP) are an essential part of Ontario’s health-care system. One that should be: accessible, equitable, person-centred and integrated. And yet, the province has the worst RN-to-population ratio in Canada. Chronic underfunding and understaffing across all health sectors and the relentless replacement of RNs and NPs with less qualified health-care workers is challenging the effectiveness of RNs and NPs and the system as a whole. RNAO regularly monitors and responds to issues relating to the nursing workforce, scope of practice, nursing culture and safety, education and regulation with evidence-based recommendations.
Take action
Action Alert
Exempt health-care workers from Bill 124, premier!
Call on the premier to immediately exempt nurses and other health-care workers from Bill 124.
Action Alert
An urgent call for more nurse practitioners (NP)
Join our call for more nurse practitioner (NP)-led clinics and attending NPs in long-term care.
Action Alert
We need you in this fight now, premier!
When we needed a full lockdown, the premier gave us something called a “shutdown.” Instead of the public measures necessary to curb the growth of dangerous COVID variants, we got word play.
Nursing policy documents
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Work and wellbeing survey
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Work and wellbeing survey
This report summarizes the response to RNAO’s Work and Wellbeing Survey. It tells the story of nurses and a nursing workforce under considerable stress and strain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey reveals that the effective functioning of Ontario’s health system is at risk post-pandemic. The magnitude of potential departures by retirement or by changes in career paths calls for an immediate response from health system employers and government
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Pre-budget submission
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Pre-budget submission
RNAO's 2021 pre-budget submission focuses on the urgent pandemic-related challenges facing Ontario and, in particular, those most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. It addresses: the vaccination rollout; the immediate and longer-term needs of the health system; and, the social and economic measures critical to saving lives during the course of the pandemic and to improving population health thereafter.
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Expanding nursing baccalaureate degree programs
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Expanding nursing baccalaureate degree programs
RNAO endorses a regulation to allow Ontario colleges of applied arts and technology to offer baccalaureate degree programs in nursing (for RNs).
Other documents related to nursing policy:
- RN prescribing, June 2020
- RNAO stands together with our Black sisters and brothers, June 2020
- Have your say on CNO’s RN Prescribing, January 2019
- Expanded scope of practice for RNs, NPs and RPNs, June 2019
- RNAO Submission on RN Prescribing - Proposed Regulation Changes, January 2019
- RN/NP Workforce Backgrounder, 2019
- Increase access to care by fully utilizing NPs, 2017
- RNAO & ONA- Ontarians need more RNs: Backgrounder, May 2018
- 70 Years of RN Effectiveness, August 2017
- Mind the Safety Gap, Reclaiming the Role of the RN, May 2016
- Visionary Leadership: Full and expanded scope of practice, April 2014
- Primary Solutions for Primary Care, 2012
- Nursing Workforce and scopes of practice, April 2012
