TORONTO, May 11, 2017 /CNW/ - This week, AdvantAge Ontario is celebrating the contributions of nurses who with care, compassion, and dedication, use their expertise to improve the quality of life of residents in long term care homes.
Long term care nurses, including nurse practitioners, registered nurses and registered practical nurses are part of a truly interdisciplinary care team. This team, the mix of which is determined by the assessed needs of residents, collaborates to ensure that every resident has a unique care plan tailored to their biopsychosocial needs that also reflects their values, beliefs, preferences, wishes, and culture. As part of this team, long term care nurses are addressing the needs of residents by applying their clinical knowledge, skills, and judgement to provide direct care to residents with specialized and complex needs and to carry out the daily provision of nursing care to residents.
Nurses are also taking on leadership roles within their organizations and at the provincial level. At the home level, nurses are leading quality improvement initiatives that engage residents, families, and staff to embed best practices and evidence-based care into care delivery. This work strengthens the care experience and outcomes for residents. Long term care nurses are also engaged in research and provide education and training in key program areas, including falls prevention, skin and wound care, continence care, bowel management, and pain management.
At the provincial level, nursing leaders are supporting the development and implementation of system-level policies and initiatives that advance improvements across and between sectors. This provincial work is driven, in part, by the strong team of nurses who make up AdvantAge Ontario's Nursing and Personal Care Advisory. These nurses provide strategic input to the Association to identify best practices and other resources that will benefit nurses and nursing leaders. They also make strategic recommendations about regional and provincial nursing initiatives, scope of practice matters and legislative and regulatory reform.
AdvantAge Ontario thanks all nurses for your dedicated care, clinical expertise and thoughtful leadership.
AdvantAge Ontario is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include not-for-profit long term care homes (municipal, charitable and non-profit nursing homes), seniors' housing, supportive housing, and community service agencies. Member organizations serve over 36,000 long term care residents annually and operate over 8,000 seniors' housing units across the province.
SOURCE AdvantAge Ontario

Debbie Humphreys, Senior Director, Corporate and Public Affairs, T. 905.851.8821 x 233, C. 416-553-7401
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