Nurses across Ontario preparing to bring provincial candidates to work

TORONTO, May 8, 2018 /CNW/ - With an election call expected any day now, Ontario registered nurses (RN), nurse practitioners (NP) and nursing students want to make sure politicians running for office understand how important health care is to people in the province.

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario's (RNAO) Take Your Politician To Work event allows nurses to invite candidates to visit health-care organizations and learn more about the reality of Ontario's health system and the work of nurses. The majority of visits take place during National Nursing Week – which runs from May 7 to 13 – with some taking place soon after.

RNAO members participating in these visits will share the privilege of taking care of Ontarians and the challenges they face, and offer solutions outlined in RNAO's election platform Improving health for all. The platform contains policy recommendations in five key areas: nursing care, the health system, living standards, environment and fiscal capacity.

"It's important that provincial candidates understand the contribution nurses and nursing students make in our health system. Take Your Politician To Work allows candidates to have a first-hand look at the work RNs and NPs do, day in and day out," says RNAO President Angela Cooper Brathwaite.

"With the provincial election on June 7, Nursing Week is a great opportunity to celebrate our profession's contributions and achievements, as well as challenge candidates to commit to solving lingering shortfalls in our system such as timely access to primary care and RN replacement in our hospitals," says RNAO CEO Doris Grinspun.

WHAT: Nurses are inviting provincial candidates to visit their workplace

WHO: Provincial candidates, RNs, NPs and nursing students

WHEN: May 7 – 13 (National Nursing Week)

Confirmed events include:

Wednesday, May 9

Lou Rinaldi (LIB)
Northumberland Hills Hospital
1000 DePama Dr.
Cobourg, Ont.
8 - 9 a.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Elaine Howarth and Karen Truter

Eleanor McMahon (LIB)
Chartwell Brant Long Term Care Centre
1182 North Shore Blvd. E
Burlington, Ont.
1 - 2 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Saima Shaikh

Thursday, May 10

Jeff Yurek (PC)
Elgin Manor
39262 Fingal Line, R. R. #1
St. Thomas, Ont.
10 - 11 a.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Michele Harris and Sue Sweeney

Amanda Stratton (NDP)
Chartwell Aylmer Long Term Care Home
465 Talbot St. W.
Aylmer, Ont.
11 a.m.

Bob Delaney (LIB), Abhijeet Manay (GPO), Nina Tangri (PC)
Credit Valley Hospital
2200 Eglinton Ave. W.
Mississauga, Ont.
3 - 4 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Doris Grinspun

Wayne Gates (NDP)
Crescent Park Lodge
4 Hagey Ave.
Fort Erie, Ont.
1 - 2 p.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Deirdre Boyle and Mahoganie Hines

Friday, May 11

Chris Ballard (LIB)
Southlake Regional Health Centre
 596 Davis Dr.
Newmarket, Ont.
10 a.m.
RNAO representative attending: Annette Jones

Wayne Gates (NDP)
Niagara Falls Community Health Centre
4790 Victoria Ave.
Niagara Falls, Ont.
2 p.m.

Peter Milczyn (LIB)
Lamp Community Health Centre
185 Fifth St.
Etobicoke, Ont.
9 - 10:30 a.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Amarpreet Ahluwalia and Eve Clancy-Brown

Rick Nicholls (PC)
Sun Parlour Home
175 Talbot St. E.
Leamington, Ont.
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Bev Faubert

Granville Anderson (LIB)
Lakeridge Health
47 Liberty St. S.
Bowmanville, Ont.
11 :00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Colleen Wilkinson

Lisa Thompson (PC)
Clinton Community Hospital
98 Shipley St.
Clinton, Ont.
RNAO representative attending: Kristie Butler

Bill Walker (PC)
Gateway Haven
671 Frank St.
Wiarton, Ont.
9 - 10 a.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Sue Sweeney and Bettyanne Waddington

Nathalie De Rosiers (LIB)
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
221 Nelson St.
Ottawa, Ont.
10 - 11 a.m.

Ted Arnott (PC)
Wellington Terrace Long Term Care Home
474 Wellington County Rd. 18
Fergus, Ont.
10 a.m.
RNAO leader attending: Shaila Aranha

Yasir Naqvi (LIB)
Royal Place Ottawa Long Term Care Home
1141 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, Ont.
11:45 a.m.
RNAO representative attending: Una Ferguson

Todd Smith (PC)
Quinte Health Care
265 Dundas St. E.
Belleville, Ont.
1 - 3 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Carol Smith-Romeril

Saturday, May 12

Ross Romano (PC)
FJ Davey Home
733 Third Line E
Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
10 a.m.
RNAO representatives attending: Barbara Harten and Freda Poirier

Wednesday, May 16

France Gélinas (NDP)
Elizabeth Centre
2100 Main St.
Val Caron, Ont.
10 - 11 a.m.
RNAO representative attending: Freda Poirier

Friday, May 19

Vic Fedeli (PC)
North Bay Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic
524 Lakeshore Dr.
Unit 1
North Bay, Ont.
10 - 12 p.m.
RNAO representative attending: Kathryn Ewers

For a complete list of events, visit RNAO.ca/platform.

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit our website at RNAO.ca.

Check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter. Be sure to follow our hashtag for this event #TYPTW as well as our Nursing Week hashtag #Poweringnursingtoadvancehealth.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact: Alicia Saunders, Communications Assistant, RNAO, Phone: [phone], Toll free: 1-800-268-7199 ext. 216, [e-mail]; Marion Zych, Director of Communications, RNAO, Phone: [phone], Cellular: 647-406-5605, Toll free: 1-800-268-7199 ext. 209, [e-mail]