WELLINGTON COUNTY – As part of National Nursing week, the RBC Foundation has donated $20,000 to two local hospitals to support nursing education and recognize the efforts of nurses during the pandemic.
Nurses at Palmerston and District Hospital and Groves Memorial Community Hospital will benefit from the support.
Dale Franklin, Development officer for the Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation, says the funding will enable Nursing Skills Days to run twice per year for all nurses at the hospital, allowing them to upgrade or refresh their skills in a wide variety of clinical areas, from how to instruct breastfeeding to emergency room trauma.
“In a small rural hospital, our nurses need to be skilled in many clinical areas, and the RBC Nursing Skills Days allow our nurses to maintain and improve their core clinical competencies in a supportive and practical way,” said Franklin.
“RBC has enabled an investment in our nurses’ professional development, creating a positive result for the nurse, the organization, but most importantly for our patients.”
The funds also create an opportunity to put a spotlight on nurses during National Nursing Week.
At Groves Memorial, nurses will have access to Mental Health First Aid sessions, on-site outdoor yoga during Nursing week, and ongoing technical training.
“In addition to giving all managers access to our ‘Joy in Working’ leadership training initiative, RBC’s support will ensure that all new nursing hires are able to take ‘Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training’ as a part of their on boarding training,” said Kate Kobbs, vice president of clinical services and chief nursing executive at Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
“This vital training provides new RNs with proven strategies for safely diffusing anxious, hostile, or violent behaviour in patients, their families, or visitors, at the earliest possible stage.”
According to data released by Ontario Health’s COVID frontline wellness program, nurses are seeking mental health help more than any other frontline healthcare worker. Recent data released by Mental Health Research Canada also shows that healthcare workers, and nurses in particular, have been profoundly impacted by the pandemic.
Palmerston and Groves are three of several local southwestern Ontario hospital foundations receiving donations in honour of National Nursing Week. In total, the RBC Foundation is donating $120,000 to 13 local hospital foundations this year to support nurses in Halton, Grey, Bruce, Huron-Perth, Oxford and Dufferin Counties.
Over the past 13 years the RBC Foundation has donated more than $1.2 million to local south western Ontario nurses to access education & training.
Held in honour of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, National Nursing Week is designed to increase the awareness of the many contributions nursing makes to the wellbeing of Canadians.
National Nursing Week runs from May 9-15.
