First Best Practice Spotlight Organization in Central America sets new standard for evidence-based care in El Salvador

TORONTO, June 19, 2026 /CNW/ - A commitment to evidence-based care and excellence in nursing practice will be the focus of a comprehensive week-long training session in El Salvador next week, delivered by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) at the invitation of the Specialized Institute of Health Care Professionals (IEPROES).

Widely recognized for its world-class Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) Program and its vast network of Best Practice Spotlight Organizations® (BPSO®), RNAO's reach represents a first in El Salvador – and in Central America.

IEPROES will host RNAO at a signing ceremony on June 22, followed by dedicated all-day sessions on implementing evidence-based BPGs to support people-centred care and improve transitions in care. The nursing school also plans to implement additional RNAO BPGs, including those focused on palliative care and nursing leadership.

BPSOs sign contracts and commit to improving quality of care by adopting RNAO BPGs, evaluating their effectiveness and measuring health outcomes for the people they serve.

"This launch marks a historic milestone for IEPROES as an institution of higher education, for El Salvador, and for our region. Becoming the first BPSO in Central America reflects our commitment to excellence in care, the implementation of evidence, and the continuous improvement of health outcomes for our communities," says Dr. Celina Dolores Ventura Elias, general director of IEPROES.

"We look forward to working with the school's nursing leaders and supporting faculty and student's champions who will set a new standard for evidence-based care in the classroom and evaluate the impact of BPGs on nursing education, student performance, and ultimately on people's health," says Dr. Doris Grinspun, RNAO's chief executive officer (CEO) and founder of the BPG and BPSO programs.

Who:

• Dr. Doris Grinspun, RNAO CEO
• Dr. Christian Aparicio, National Director of Education, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of El Salvador
• Dr. Celina Ventura, General Director, IEPROES
• Dr. Patricia Leonor Ramírez Pineda, National Director of Nursing, Ministry of Health of El Salvador
• Mtra. Glenda Margarita Peña de Abrego, President, National Association of Nurses of El Salvador (ANES)
• Dr. Luis Miguel Vásquez, Senior Cooperation Officer, Consulate of Canada

What:

Signing ceremony to welcome El Salvador's Specialized Institute of Health Care Professionals (IEPROES) to RNAO's BPSO program

When:

Monday, June 22 - Thursday, June 25, 2026

Following the signing ceremony, over 80 participants – including nursing students, staff, faculty and invited guests – will take part in four days of training led by Grinspun. They will learn how to implement, evaluate and sustain best practice cultures. Assisting Grinspun will be Adriana Bonilla, a nursing professor and BPSO leader at the School of Nursing, UNAB university in Bucaramanga, Colombia.

RNAO's best practice guidelines (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 Organizations (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, students, 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, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

For more information, please contact: Marion Zych, Director of Communications, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), 647-406-5605 (cell), [email protected]; Andrea Gomez Palacio Schjetnan, Communications Officer/Writer, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), 1-800-268-7199 ext. 295, 416-907-7952, [email protected]