Nurses showcase how evidence-based care improves the health of Ontarians during National Nursing Week

TORONTO, April 30, 2024 /CNW/ - Evidence-based nursing care and its impact on patients and residents will be on display at three media conferences taking place during National Nursing Week (May 6–12).

Health organizations known as Best Practice Spotlight Organizations® (BPSO®) will share their successes incorporating the latest research and evidence in their day-to-day clinical practice with tools developed by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO). BPSOs implement and evaluate best practice guidelines (BPG) with coaching from RNAO.

The guidelines cover a range of topics including person- and family-centred care, transitions in care and services, falls prevention, pressure injuries, perinatal depression, and harm reduction approaches to substance use. These are some of the more than 50 BPGs issued to date by RNAO.

"We congratulate these BPSOs for acting as stewards of evidence-based practice. By supporting nurses and other health professionals in implementing best practices, they are raising the level of care they are providing," says RNAO President Dr. Claudette Holloway, adding their commitment to BPGs means better outcomes for the communities they serve and the health system overall.

"These organizations are leaders in health care – part of a network of 1,500 BPSOs at home and around the world that are transforming care delivery through the power of person-centred care and evidence-based nursing," says Dr. Doris Grinspun, RNAO's CEO and founder of the BPG and BPSO programs.

Nurses from health organizations in Toronto, Ottawa and Wingham will take part in the following events:

• North Western Toronto Ontario Health Team
  Monday, May 6, 12 p.m. (noon)
  Humber River Hospital
  1235 Wilson Avenue, Toronto, Ont., M3M 0B2 (Command Centre)
  Contact: Joe Gorman
  [phone]
  [e-mail]
  
  
• Archipel Ontario Health Team
  Tuesday, May 7, 2 p.m.
  Hôpital Montfort
  713 Chemin Montreal, Ottawa, K1K 0T2
  Contact: [e-mail] 
  
  
• Braemar Nursing Home
  Wednesday, May 8, 1:30 p.m.
  719 Josephine Street, N, Wingham, N0G 2W0
  Contact: Archie MacGowan
  Administrator
  519-357-3430 ext. 200
  [e-mail] 

RNAO's Best Practice Guideline (BPG) Program is funded by Ontario's Ministry of Health. It was envisioned by CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun in 1998 and launched in 1999 to provide the best available evidence for patient care across all health sectors and settings, with more than 50 guidelines developed to date. The Best Practice Spotlight Organization® (BPSO®) program supports service and academic institutions that have formally agreed to implement multiple RNAO BPGs over a three-year period, and evaluate their impact on patients, organizations and health systems. Launched in 2003, the BPSO program now has more than 1,500 BPSOs in Ontario, Canada and internationally.

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 system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public we serve. For more information about RNAO, visit RNAO.ca or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

to interview a nurse, please contact: Marion Zych, Director of Communications, RNAO, 647-406-5605 (cell), 416-408-5605 (office), [e-mail]