Three extraordinary nurses who have gone above and beyond in making invaluable contributions to patients’ lives and the healthcare system are being honoured at the fourth annual Nursing Now Ontario Awards (NNOA).
WeRPN recently wrote an open letter to Silvie Crawford, Executive Director and CEO of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), regarding WeRPN's and Ontario RPNs' concerns regarding the CNO's plan to increase registration fees by over 20 per cent in 2024.
WeRPN is concerned by the lack of strong action to tackle Ontario’s nursing crisis in the 2023 Budget. Prior to the pandemic, Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) were sounding the alarm about the growing strains on nurses and our healthcare system. The past few years have continued to place growing pressure on RPNs, with many now reaching a breaking point and 47 per cent considering leaving the profession.
WeRPN welcomes the additional $1.25 billion investment to retain and recruit more nurses in Ontario’s long-term care homes. With RPNs representing more than 64 per cent of the nurses in long-term care, this is a critical step to ensure Ontario’s LTC homes have the right balance of staff to meet growing resident needs.
WeRPN shared its 2023 Pre-Budget Submission with the government outlining 5 key actions to help support Ontario RPNs & strengthen our health system.
In response to proposed government legislation allowing authorized PSWs to administer medication in LTC homes, WeRPN recommends creating a committee comprised of healthcare experts to ensure resident safety and consider the impact on nurses.
Our province is facing a health human resources (HHR) crisis and meaningful action is needed to recruit and retain nurses to meet the growing needs of Ontario patients. WeRPN welcomes the government’s commitment to growing Ontario’s nursing workforce by increasing the number of spaces in all nursing programs and developing innovative and streamlined approaches to educating nurses faster.
WeRPN is raising the alarm about the government’s recently announced plans to allow nurses and other healthcare professionals to work outside their regular responsibilities, in an effort to address staffing challenges in hospitals.
WeRPN is deeply concerned about the impact of normalizing the use of for-profit care in Ontario. While we recognize the importance of addressing surgical backlogs, Ontario RPNs believe leveraging for-profit businesses to deliver care is the wrong approach and will result in higher costs and substandard care for Ontarians while further worsening the province’s nursing shortage.
As the professional voice of over 60,000 Ontario nurses, WeRPN is urging the government not to appeal the Ontario Superior Court of Justice's decision re. Bill 124.
