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

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2014 /CNW/ - The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) will call on government to end cuts to registered nursing positions and to hire more RNs in its pre-budget presentation today to the Standing Committee on Finance & Economic Affairs in Toronto.

ONA First Vice-President Vicki McKenna, RN will address the ongoing professional practice and workload concerns impacting patient care that have resulted from chronic underfunding of the province's hospitals. Ontario has a very low RN-to-population ratio – the second-lowest ratio in Canada, with just seven RNs per 1,000 Ontarians. RN understaffing has led to significant challenges in delivering safe, quality patient care to patients.

ONA will make five recommendations for the 2014 provincial budget to address the issues when she speaks at 1:45 pm. The hearing is being held at Queen's Park.

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:    ONA RN pre-budget presentation.

Who:     Vicki McKenna, First Vice-President, Ontario Nurses' Association

Where:  Room 151, Queen's Park, Toronto

When:   1:45 pm, Thursday, January 16, 2014

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association: Sheree Bond, [phone] ext.2430, cell: [phone], [email protected]; Melanie Levenson, [phone] ext. 2369, [email protected]; Visit us at: www.ona.org, Facebook.com/OntarioNurses, Twitter.com/OntarioNurses