Media Advisory: Expanded role of RPNs, workplace violence focus of eastern Ontario nurses conference in Kingston Friday
KINGSTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 30, 2017) - Registered practical nurses represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) from several eastern Ontario communities including Kingston, Ottawa, Cornwall and Perth/Smiths Falls are meeting at Kingston City Hall tomorrow (Friday, December 1, 2017) for a special conference to discuss key issues in their profession.
Dianne Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO), is a conference guest speaker. Martin, who is an RPN herself, will review the expansion of RPN scope of practice recently announced by the College of Nurses of Ontario.
The conference will also focus on nursing team collaboration and the growing prevalence of violence against nurses in the hospital workplace.
About 25 per cent of nurses practicing in Ontario are RPNs. Since the early 2000s, there have been considerable changes to RPN education, competencies and practice, allowing for a broader RPN role in patient care.
Across Ontario, CUPE represents about 20,000 RPNs working in hospitals, long-term care and community settings.
Media are welcome to attend Friday's conference which is organized by CUPE's Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE) and CUPE 1974 which represents RPNs at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.
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