RNAO Executive Director selected one of the 10 Top Hispanic Canadians

TORONTO, Nov. 24 /CNW/ - A leader of the province's top professional nursing association has been named one of the 10 most influential Hispanic Canadians. The announcement was made Tuesday night at a special dinner in Toronto. 

Doris Grinspun is a native of Chile and has served as executive director of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) since 1996. Prior to that, she spent six years at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital as its Director of Nursing.

Dr. Grinspun says she is humbled by the news. "I accept this very important award with great joy. I promise to put this honour to good use by representing the Hispanic community with integrity, pride and respect," she says. She also thanked her family and RNAO's team describing them as a source of energy and inspiration.

David McNeil, president of RNAO says he's not surprised his colleague was chosen. "Doris is an extraordinary individual who has made an enormous contribution to health care and to the profession of nursing in this country. She's gained international recognition for this work and is very deserving of this award."

During her time in Canada, Dr. Grinspun has become a forceful advocate for the Canadian health-care system and of the contribution of registered nurses to its success. She has worked on many international projects in Latin and Central America, China, India, Australia, and most recently, Spain, where she signed an agreement with the government to translate all of RNAO Best Practice Guidelines into Spanish. BPGs are evidenced-based tools nurses use in their practice to help patients.  The 42 developed to date cover a wide variety of clinical areas including diabetes, hypertension, wound care, asthma, and breastfeeding, Dr. Grinspun says the partnership with Spain will extend far beyond its borders and have a positive impact on the lives of half a billion people around the world for whom Spanish is their primary language.

In additional to numerous other awards and distinctions, Dr. Grinspun was invested with the Order of Ontario in 2003. The order is the province's highest level of recognition for excellence.

This is the fourth year members of Canada's Hispanic community have been honoured.  Past winners include entrepreneurs, researchers, artists and community leaders representing numerous Spanish-speaking countries. Honourees are selected by journalists and executives from the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, CBC, Canadian Council for the Americas, Canadian Hispanic Congress, the Hispanic Press Association of Canada and previous winners. 

Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses 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 further information:

about RNAO, visit our website at www.rnao.org. You can also check out our Facebook page at www.rnao.org/facebook and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/rnao.

To arrange an interview with Doris Grinspun please contact:

Marion Zych
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
158 Pearl Street
Toronto, ON
416-408-5605 (office)
647-406-5605 (cellular)
[e-mail]