Media Advisory - Ontario Nurses' Association to call on government to hire more RNs in pre-budget presentation

THUNDER BAY, ON, Jan. 20, 2014 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will call on government to end cuts to registered nursing positions and to hire more RNs in its pre-budget presentation tomorrow to the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs in Thunder Bay.

Colleen Morrow, Registered Nurse – Extended Class of ONA Local 73 will address the ongoing professional practice and workload concerns impacting patient care that have resulted from chronic underfunding of the province's hospitals. Ontario has a very low RN-to-population ratio – the second-lowest ratio in Canada, with just seven RNs per 1,000 Ontarians. RN understaffing has led to significant challenges in delivering safe, quality patient care to patients. Bertrand will discuss the extent of RN understaffing that exists in hospitals in southwestern Ontario.

Morrow will also discuss the challenges being experienced by RNs in the north.

The hearing is being held today at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay and Morrow will speak at 9:15 am.

ONA is the union representing 60,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

What:	Ontario Nurses' Association pre-budget presentation.
Who:	Colleen Morrow, RN-EC, Ontario Nurses' Association Local 73
Where:	Valhalla Inn, 1 Valhalla Inn Road, Thunder Bay, ON
When:	9:15 am, Tuesday, January 21, 2014

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone] ext.2430, cell: [phone], [email protected]; Melanie Levenson, [phone] ext. 2369, [email protected]; Visit us at: www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses