ONP Update - Spring 2005

The Office of Nursing Policy
Health Canada

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The Office of Nursing Policy remembers our Colleagues who lost their lives while serving the public - November 11, 2005

Table of Contents

• National Nursing Week 2005: Nursing: Patients First. Safety Always
• ONP Initiatives
• ONP welcomes new staff
• Health Canada announces $5.53 million for nursing workforce projects
• Events of Interest
• ONP on the Road

National Nursing Week 2005: Nursing. Patients First. Safety Always

In keeping with the theme of National Nursing Week, on the morning of May 9th, the Office of Nursing Policy will be hosting the release of the report from Phase 1 of the nursing labour market occupational study by the Nursing Sector Study Study Corporation (NSSC). Both Minister Dosanjh and Minister Robillard have been invited to open the session (schedules permitting).All nurses are welcome to attend.

The NSSC will provide an education session on the major findings of the study, which is the first comprehensive analysis of human resources for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN) in Canada. The goal of the study is to provide data and information essential to inform long-term strategies to ensure an adequate supply of skilled and knowledgable nurses to meet the evolving health care needs of Canadians.

Please contact Shannon Wright at: shannon_wright@hc-sc.gc.ca for details on place and time.

First Nations and Inuit Health Branch - Nursing Week Celebration

On Friday, May 13, 2005 from 1000 - 1130 at the Museum of Civilization, The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch is giving Awards of Excellence in Nursing. These awards celebrate the dedication, initiative and excellence of nurses employed in transferred and non-transferred communities who work in partnership to improve the health of Canada's Aboriginal people.
Countdown to ICN:
Dr. Ginette L. Rodger, Candidate

We look forward to seeing many of our Canadian colleagues at the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in Taiwan.

In 2008, the Canadian Nurses Association will celebrate 100 years of membership with ICN.

This should be an even more significant anniversary given Dr. Ginette Rodger's candidacy for ICN President. Health Canada has been pleased to be a part of this candidacy. Good luck and bonne chance Ginette! For more information concerning Dr. Rodger's candidacy.

ONP Initiatives

The Office of Nursing Policy continues to lead two initiatives that are part of the Pan-Canadian Health Human Resource Strategy:

1. Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Practice Initiative

Please monitor the website to learn more about the initiative and the funding of Cycle 1 projects. Cycle 2 of the Call for Proposals has been extended until September 30, 2005.

Questions and comments may be directed to Barbara Foster, Senior Policy Advisor, Health Canada, at: (613) 941-9854, or by e-mail at: barbara_foster@hc-sc.gc.ca.

If you are interested in learning more about Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient Centred Practice, consider attending the "Grounding Action in Theory" Conference on May 25-27, 2005 in Toronto, Ontario.

1. Healthy Workplace Initiative Kick-starts Innovative Projects

Health Canada is providing up to $4 million in targeted funding to support existing innovative healthy workplace initiatives from individual health care organizations nominated by provincial and territorial governments.

Proposals for HWI targeted funding were accepted from October 2004 to December 16, 2004. ONP is pleased to announce that this spring, several organizations across Canada will launch their innovative healthy workplace projects. A list of successful applicants will be posted shortly on the Health Canada's Pan-Canadian Health Human Resources Strategy.

To learn more about these and other exciting projects supported through the Healthy Workplace Initiative.

Questions or comments about the Healthy Workplace Initiative may be directed to Kathie Paddock, Policy Advisor, at: (613) 948-3677, or by e-mail at: Kathie_Paddock@hc-sc.gc.ca.

The Office of Nursing Policy welcomes new staff

Dr. Vicki Greenslade joins ONP as Senior Nursing Policy Consultant

Vicki received her diploma in nursing from the General Hospital School of Nursing, a BN and MEd from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a PhD in theory and policy studies from the University of Toronto. Her thesis on Faculty Practice as Scholarship in University Schools of Nursing was nominated for the George L. Geis dissertation Award for Outstanding Dissertation in Canadian universities, sponsored by the Canadian Society for Studies in Higher Education (CSSHE).

Vicki has worked as a Nurse Educator in Newfoundland for the past 23 years, most recently at the Centre for Nursing Studies, where she developed and co-ordinated the Nursing Research Office. She is also the Primary Investigator of several funded patient- centred research studies.

Vicki's work at ONP will involve the education and research portfolios. Her current areas of interest include: facilitating the advancement of the continuum of nursing education; exploring means of designing smooth transition between LPN, RPN, BN, Master's, Nurse Practitioner, and doctoral levels of nursing education; building nursing research capacity; translating research into practice; increasing nursing influence in policy decision-making; and promoting interprofessional education and practice.
Vicki can be reached at: (613) 957-8183 or by e-mail at: vicki_greenslade@hc-sc.gc.ca.

The Office of Nursing Service - FINIHB announces new Executive Director

Barbara Oke has been appointed to the position of Executive Director, Office of Nursing Services with Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB). Prior to her appointment, Ms. Oke worked as a Nursing Policy Advisor for the Office of the Deputy Minister within the Nova Scotia Department of Health beginning in January 2000.

Ms. Oke has experience in Health Services Management as the Assistant Executive Director and Site Manager with the Central Region Health Board in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She is also a member of the Faculty of Health Professions, School of Nursing at Dalhousie University.

Other Initiatives of Note:

Health Canada announces $5.53 million for projects to strengthen the nursing workforce. Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh announced federal funding of $5.53 million to strengthen Canada's nursing workforce, paying tribute to the critical role nurses play in Canada's health care system. The announcement was made at the Nursing Leadership Conference, February 14, 2005. Calling nurses "the backbone of our health system," the Minister announced a series of initiatives to improve working conditions and increase recruitment and retention of nurses as part of the Government's broad strategy to renew the health care workforce.

Canadian Nurses' Portal: Health Canada has contributed $3.98 million to the CNA to develop a bilingual online portal that will provide timely information on everything from public health alerts to continuing education opportunities. The portal will be launched at the CNA Biennial Conference in June 2006 in Saskatchewan.

Other initiatives funded by Health Canada include:

• Toward 2020: Strengthening Canada's Health Human Resources: $650,000 over two years to the CNA to improve health human resources planning and recruitment and retention.
• Health Human Resources for HIV/AIDS Pandemic: $200,000 to the CNA to work with the international community on health human resources for the HIV/AIDS global pandemic.
• Healthy Workplaces Related to Home and Community Nursing and the Impact on Recruitment and Retention: $300,000 over three years to the Victorian Order of Nurses to strengthen current workplace practices that lead to a healthy work environment in home and community settings. This will increase the organization's ability to recruit and retain qualified health providers.
• Improving Opportunities for Nursing Clinical Placements: $200,000 over two years to the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing to study ways to improve nursing clinical placement opportunities.
• Retaining and Valuing Experienced Nurses: $100,000 to the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions to identify innovative workplace practices and successful collective agreements that encourage the retention of older nurses and the integration of new graduates.
• Understanding the Costs and Outcomes of Nurses' Turnover in Canadian Hospitals: $100,000 to the Nursing Health Services Research Institute of the University of Toronto to support Canadian involvement in an international study of nursing turnover.

Events of Interest:

1. Canadian Nurses Association launches Canadian Nurse Practitioners Initiative

The Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative (CNPI), led by the CNA, announced the development of a pan-Canadian framework for the sustained integration of nurse practitioners in primary health care. This initiative is supported by $8.9 million from Health Canada's Primary Health Care Transition Fund.

For further information: (613) 724-4677; Fax: (613) 724-4718; E-mail: info@anac.on.ca

2. Senate Committee studies mental health, mental illness, and addiction

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology released three reports in November which provide a broad review of policies and programs relating to mental health, mental illness and addiction in Canada, as well as a comparison with four selected countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These reports concluded the first phase of the Committee's study of mental health and addiction issues. The Committee is now undertaking an extensive consultation with Canadians in preparation for drafting its final report. A cross-country set of public hearings were held to hear directly from people in every province and territory. The meetings took place February 15, 16, & 17 in Toronto and April 13 & 14 in Montreal.

1. National Health Human Resources Summit

The National Health Human Resources Summit will be held on June 23, 2005 at George Brown College, Toronto. This Summit (by invitation only), organized by the Health Council of Canada, will focus on the assessment of achievable action on health human resources in the short term in Canada. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

ONP on the Road

This is your opportunity to meet ONP staff. If you would like to meet the staff at ONP, look out for us at the following conferences and meetings:

• Canadian Practical Nurses Association, Kathie Paddock, May 11 - 13, Prince Edward Island.
• Registered Psychiatric Nurse Educators' Conference "Exploring Diversity in Psychiatric Nursing Education", Vicki Greenslade, May 16 & 17, New Westminster, British Columbia.
• ICN 3rd Quadrennial Council "Nursing on the Move", Sandra MacDonald-Rencz, May 20 - 27, Taipei, Taiwan (where we will be supporting Canada's candidate for ICN President Dr. Ginette L. Rodger).
• IPECPCP "Grounding Action in Theory" Conference, Barbara Foster, May 25 - 27, Toronto
• 12th Biennial Convention of the Canadian Federation of Nurses' Unions "Keeping the Circle Strong", Susan Hicks, June 3 - 5, Regina, Saskatchewan.
• Canadian Nurses Association, meet all ONP staff June 24, Ottawa