Mackenzie Health is recognizing its nurses and their contributions to our organization during National Nursing Week, May 12 – 18, 2014. This professional recognition week is an important time to recognize and honour our nurses and the vital role they play in delivering excellent care to our patients. Our expert and skilled work force helps improve the health and quality of life of our patients and contributes to our efforts to achieve our vision to create a world-class health experience.
In 1971, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated May 12 – Florence Nightingale’s birthday – as International Nurses Day. In Canada, National Nursing Week was first celebrated in 1985 to highlight nurses' contributions to the well-being of the Canadian public.
National Nursing Week celebrates nurses and their commitment to patient care and the healthcare system as a whole. It helps to raise awareness among professions, the public, policy-makers and governments of the numerous ways nurses work collaboratively with other health professionals to improve healthcare and advance the depth and breadth of the profession.
Mackenzie Health marks National Nursing Week with a full agenda of events and activities designed to celebrate, educate and express our sincere appreciation for the unique contributions of both the nursing profession and individual nurses. Some of the activities include:
- “Take Your Board Member to Work” event, a guided tour of the Chemotherapy Unit and the Innovation Unit with John Mills, Vice Chair, Board of Directors, and Tony Ianni, Board Director
- A variety of inter-professional education and learning opportunities
- An Inter-professional Breakfast and Awards Ceremony
- Health and wellness sessions, including stress management, massage therapy and roving nutrition carts
Nightingale Award Nominees and Hospital News Heroes
This past weekend, The Toronto Star profiled nominees for its Annual Nightingale Awards which recognizes outstanding nurses from across Ontario. Mackenzie Health’s nurses received seven individual and one group nominations. Congratulations to Maria Karla Anor from Medicine, Rozeny (Jing Jing) Angus, Sandy Carruthers and Mary Dawson from Surgery; Tatyana Fogel from the Woman and Child Program; Christina Mallett and Heather Steiner from the Chronic Kidney Disease program; as well as the team of nurses in the Woman and Child Program on their nominations.
We are proud of our nurses nominated as Nursing Heroes in the May edition of the Hospital News newspaper. Congratulations to Qunyu Li, Mackenzie Health’s first Nurse Practitioner in Cardiology, for her nomination and honourable mention. Qunyu works collaboratively with all members of the healthcare team and makes use of her extensive experience, knowledge and skills to care for the most complex patients with heart failure receiving care on the inpatient cardiology unit and heart function clinic.
Congratulations to Delia Ciano, a Registered Practical Nurse who works in the Express Admissions Unit, for her mention as a Nursing Hero in Hospital News. Delia was nominated by the husband of a grateful patient who recognized her for her excellent clinical and emotional support.
QUOTES
“I am pleased to recognize our dedicated nurses and allied health professionals and to extend our appreciation for their significant and ongoing contributions to excellence in patient care.
Through their commitment, they ensure that the people of our community, at every stage of life, receive the best possible care. We value the contribution our nurses make each day to achieve better healthcare outcomes and constantly improve the patient and family experience.”
Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
“I would like to offer my sincere appreciation and gratitude to all nurses working at Mackenzie Health for their relentless commitment and dedication to patient care. As an inter-professional community, they provide exemplary clinical care, embrace change, technology and innovation, and work together with a wide variety of health professionals to provide the best possible care to our patients and our community.”
Tiziana Rivera, Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Practice Officer
For more information, contact:
Melina Cormier
Chief, Communications and Public Affairs
Mackenzie Health
Tel: (905) 883-1212 ext. 7492
E-mail: melina.cormier@mackenziehealth.ca
Catalina Guran
Communications and Public Affairs Consultant
Mackenzie Health
Tel: (905) 883-1212 ext. 7490
Quick Facts at a Glance:
- Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional healthcare provider which includes the existing Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive network of community-based services.
- Construction on the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital is scheduled to begin in 2015. The Hospital will be completed and operational in 2019.
- Nationally-recognized for its commitment to safety and quality patient care, Mackenzie Health was also awarded Accreditation with Exemplary Standing, the highest rating a Canadian healthcare provider can receive.
- Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future.
- This focus is reflected in the organization’s strategic directions: Exceptional Patient and Family Experience, Excellent Quality and Efficiency, Community-driven Growth, and Great People, Systems and Partners.
- With over 600,000 residents in Southwest York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada.