Registered Practical Nurses say 1.5% funding increase to hospitals will have
costly implications

TORONTO, March 25 /CNW/ - While the 2010 Ontario Budget proposes a number of responsible health care innovations, its lack of adequate funding for hospitals will have a negative impact on many of the province's nurses and the people they care for.

The proposed 1.5% increase to Ontario hospitals' base funding is a move that may erode the quality of care and lead to exponential cost increases in years to come.

"Ontario's nurses want to be able to take pride in the work they do. They want to provide high quality care and make positive differences in the lives of the people they care for," says Martin. "This simply isn't feasible with a 1.5% funding increase - we're likely to see nurses with increased patient loads, resulting in a higher incidence of sick days and more overtime, adding significant costs to the system. Making matters worse will be the potential for nurses to leave the profession altogether. At a time when the government is talking about innovative spending solutions for health care, we're concerned that this is one decision that might end up costing Ontarians much more over the long term."

About the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO)

Founded in 1958, RPNAO is the voice of registered practical nursing in Ontario. There are more than 29,000 registered practical nurses working in Ontario, playing a vital role in the province's health care system. For more information about RPNAO and its mandate, please visit www.rpnao.org.

For further information: Dianne Martin, Executive Director, Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, Tel: [phone] ext. 226