Nurses, other health professionals, and the public encouraged to nominate worthy candidates for the Nursing Now Ontario Awards

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Nominations are now being accepted for an award that will honour the best of those who work in the nursing profession.

The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA), the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) and the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (WeRPN) are joining together to celebrate the knowledge and care nurses deliver to people across the province.

The Nursing Now Ontario Awards will recognize a registered nurse (RN), a registered practical nurse (RPN) and a nurse practitioner (NP) for their contributions to nursing practice and the health and well-being of Ontarians.

The awards are open to all nurses who practise in any health settings across the province, including public health, primary care, hospital care, home care, rehabilitation, complex care, long-term care and hospice care.

The awards coincide with Nursing Now 2020, a global campaign launched by the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses to improve health around the world, through nursing. The awards will be issued at RNAO Career's Fair on May 12, 2020 to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. Nightingale is considered the founder of modern nursing.

"We are a thrilled to launch this awards' campaign with our ONA and WeRPN partners," says Doris Grinspun, chief executive officer of RNAO. The award builds on Nursing Now imperatives to power nurses to lead in practice and policy. Ontario's RNs, RPNs, and NPs are second to none in knowledge and compassion, and celebrating their unwavering commitment to improve people's health is hugely important," Grinspun adds.

"As front-line registered nurses, we know that every RN goes above and beyond the call of duty. That is why we are delighted to partner with the RNAO and WeRPN to recognize our colleagues who provide such excellent, high-quality patient/resident/client care," says Vicki McKenna, president of ONA.

"Each and every day, nurses across Ontario go to work and make an impact on the lives of thousands of patients and their families. We are so proud to support this award that honours and celebrates the dedication, passion and professionalism of all nurses," says Dianne Martin, CEO of WeRPN.

Entries must be submitted via an online form no later than Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. Entries are judged by a volunteer panel of nurses.

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-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit our website at RNAO.ca or follow us on Facebook  and Twitter.

The Registered Practical Nurses Association (WeRPN) is the professional voice of Ontario's 45,000 Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs). WeRPN builds the profile and professional capacity of RPNS so we can better care for our patients and better support our fellow health-care workers.

ONA is the union representing more than 65,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario