/R E P E A T -- MEDIA ADVISORY - ONA Leaders to Visit Hamilton Nurses for Nursing Week Celebrations/

HAMILTON, ON, May 7, 2015 /CNW/ - Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, First Vice-President Vicki McKenna, RN and Vice-President of Region 4 Dianne Leclair will visit registered nurses in Hamilton on Friday to mark Nursing Week 2015.

The ONA leaders will join registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered practical nurses and allied health professionals from ONA Local 75 for a Nursing Week "meet and greet" and luncheon at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel beginning at noon. The front-line ONA members will celebrate the pivotal role they play in providing quality patient care. This year, the ONA members have chosen the theme, "Ontario Nurses. We're Here for You."

"ONA members provide the best value in health care," said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "Despite this, the profession is facing challenges even as we celebrate Nursing Week. We have seen more than 800,000 hours of RN care cut from Ontario hospitals this year alone, and our members are struggling with heavy workloads, working excessive overtime and facing workplace violence."

Haslam-Stroud points to research that shows the value of an adequate number of RNs providing care in our hospitals. "We know that an appropriate number of RNs results in better health outcomes for our patients," she said.

Nursing Week is marked worldwide to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale on May 12. ONA Bargaining Units in hospitals, long-term care, public health, the community, clinics and industry will mark the week with education sessions and other events. ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud and ONA First Vice-President Vicki McKenna, RN, will travel the province to make site visits to ONA members.

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, the community, public health, clinics and industry.

WHO:	ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN; First Vice-President Vicki McKenna, RN; Vice-President, ONA Region 4, Dianne Leclair, RN
WHAT:	Nursing Week Meet & Greet with Hamilton front-line nurses
WHEN:	Friday, May 8, 2015 at 12 noon
WHERE:	The Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 1224 James Street, Hamilton ON

Visit us at: www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone], ext. 24430; cell: [phone]; [email protected]; Melanie Levenson, [phone], ext. 2369; [email protected]