RBC to fund Women's College Hospital's first Virtual Nursing Learning
Community

$700,000 donation will develop online resources and create education centre

TORONTO, May 11 /CNW/ - In celebration of Nursing Week, the RBC Foundation today announced a gift of $700,000 to create the RBC Virtual Nursing Learning Community and the RBC Nursing Learning Community Centre at Women's College Hospital.

The initiatives, a first for Women's College Hospital, will include online resources and an education centre that will be housed in the new hospital building, expected to open in 2015. The virtual community and education centre will allow nurses to access professional development activities to improve their skills and knowledge and share information and ideas on an ongoing basis.

"RBC recognizes that the health and well being of our employees, their families and the diverse communities we serve affects the quality of life that we all want to enjoy," said Zabeen Hirji, chief human resources officer, RBC and a vice-chair of the hospital's capital campaign. "This donation reflects our corporate values of responsibility and diversity and we are very proud to play a part in helping to build the future of this great institution."

Jane Mosley, chief nursing executive at Women's College Hospital, spoke of the many changes in health care in recent years and the need for nurses to enhance their skills throughout their careers. "These new facilities will help nurses learn wherever and whenever they can. Ultimately, RBC's gift will advance the learning of every nurse at Women's College and through them touch the lives of every patient and family."

Marilyn Emery, president & CEO of the Hospital, thanked RBC for its generous contribution to nursing education. "Women's College Hospital is truly a unique place. We're the first and only stand-alone academic ambulatory care hospital with a focus on women's health, which enables our patients and their families to prevent and manage the conditions that impact their lives without overnight hospitalization."

Ambulatory hospitals provide treatment on an outpatient basis, providing more family-friendly patient care options and an efficient and cost-effective model for our health care system.

"For our nurses, this means providing a whole new kind of care - as healthcare navigators, teachers, facilitators, knowledge developers and supporters. They are leading the way, re-envisioning ambulatory care nursing and enhancing how we deliver care to our patients," added Emery.

Joanne Cole, president and CEO of the Women's College Hospital Foundation, says the hospital is working to raise $70 million toward the construction of a new building on the current Grenville Street site. The campaign has raised $25 million to date. "The new hospital will allow us to dramatically increase patient visits over time. It will be designed to minimize its carbon footprint and environmental impact to protect the health of future generations," says Cole. "RBC's donation will help create a legacy that will serve our community for the future."

About Women's College Hospital

For the past 100 years, Women's College Hospital has been dedicated to groundbreaking advances in women's health. Women's College Hospital collaborated in the invention of the Pap test; opened Ontario's first regional Sexual Assault Care Centre and was the first hospital in the province to use mammography. Today, Women's College Hospital is Ontario's first and only academic ambulatory care centre focused on state-of-the-art care, research and education in women's health.

www.womenscollegehospital.ca

About Women's College Hospital Foundation

The Foundation is dedicated to raising funds in support of Women's College Hospital to ensure it continues as a North American leader in Women's health and ambulatory care.

www.womenscollegehospitalfoundation.ca

About RBC

RBC believes in building prosperity by contributing to the communities in which we live and work. We are now one of Canada's largest corporate donors, and we support a broad range of community initiatives, through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2009, RBC contributed more than $105 million to community causes worldwide. As a founding member of Imagine Canada, RBC is committed to donating at least one per cent of our average annual net income before taxes. For more information, please see rbc.com/donations and rbc.com/responsibility.

For further information: Media contact: Women's College Hospital Foundation: Daina Robinson, [phone] ext. 2319, [email protected]; RBC: Gillian McArdle, RBC Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]