Media Advisory - Ontario Nurses' Association to call on government to hire more RNs in pre-budget presentation

KITCHENER, ON, Jan. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will make a pre-budget presentation today to the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs today in Kitchener.

Beverly Mathers, RN, ONA Labour Relations Manager, will specifically address ONA's health care funding recommendations that will improve care quality and safety for residents of long-term care facilities in the province. ONA has been advocating for a minimum staffing standard and care standards for the long-term care sector for more than a decade.

Ontario has the second-lowest RN-to-population ratio in Canada, with just seven RNs per 1,000 Ontarians. Mathers will discuss the impact this has on the care and safety of our most frail and vulnerable residents.

Mathers will speak at 1:15 pm; the hearing is being held at the Holiday Inn, Kitchener.

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 facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

What:   Pre-budget consultation presentation.

Who:    Beverly Mathers, RN, Manager, Ontario Nurses' Association

Where: Holiday Inn, Kitchener, 30 Fairway Road S., Kitchener

When:  1:15 pm, Monday, January 13, 2014

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

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone] ext.2430, cell: [phone], [email protected]; Melanie Levenson, [phone] ext. 2369, [email protected]