Timmins, ON, May 12, 2016 - the Timmins and District Hospital is celebrating National Nursing Week May 9-16, 2016 with several scheduled events throughout the week. The annual celebration recognizes the profession for their dedication and commitment to making Canada a healthier nation.
The nursing profession is healthy and continues to grow; there are more nurses working in Ontario today than any other time in our history. According to the College of Nurses membership data, the number of registered nursing positions in hospitals has increased every year since 2011.
“As the largest employer of nurses in Timmins, the Timmins and District Hospital employs approximately 400 nurses, including Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses” said Joan Ludwig, Chief Nursing Officer, Timmins and District Hospital. “We wish to thank all of our nursing team and other health care team members across the Hospital for the outstanding care they provide daily and for making such a positive difference every day”.
Nurses are on the frontlines each day delivering high quality care to patients. “We thank our nurses for the valuable contributions they make each day to our patients, their families, and our community”, said Léon Laforest, Board Chair, Timmins and District Hospital Board of Directors. “They truly play a vital role in the delivery of care”.
Events throughout the week to celebrate the annual celebration include information displays throughout the Hospital, challenges for nursing units to wear retro white uniforms and caps, a staff barbeque lunch in honour of Canada Health Day, and a special nurses gala in partnership with St. Mary’s Gardens and Northern College.
“We make a point each year to have events that are informative for the public and fun for our nurses during National Nursing Week”, said Debbie Cecconi, Registered Nurse and Educator, Timmins and District Hospital.
The History of Nursing Week
In 1971, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday as International Nurses Day. In 1985, in recognition of the dedication and achievements of the nursing profession, the Canadian minister of health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nursing Week in Canada.
Nightingale is best known around the world as the 'Lady with the Lamp' who nursed British soldiers during the Crimean War and turned nursing into a profession. But she was also much more than that. She was an activist, social theorist and author whose advocacy to improve health and sanitation for British Army soldiers, and writings on hospital planning and organization laid the foundation for nursing's emphasis on social determinants of health today. Nightingale published more than 200 books, reports and pamphlets.
Nursing Week gives nurses across the world the chance to celebrate the work they do to keep Nightingale's work alive by advocating for policies that keep people healthy, and care for them when they're ill.
The Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) is a level C, fully accredited community, referral and teaching hospital serving the residents of the City of Timmins and Cochrane District as well as the adjoining areas of the Temiskaming, Sudbury and Algoma districts. The hospital offers a full range of medical, surgical, critical care, maternity, newborn, pediatric, long-term care and mental health services as well extensive health education and district services.
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For more information contact:
Quinn Thomson
Timmins and District Hospital
705-267-6331
qthomson@tadh.com
