PRIL 2013 A MARCH/ JOURNAL ON Best Practice Spotlight Organizations celebrate 10 years of nursing innovation that makes evidence-based practice a priority. The unique challenges of rural nursing • Taking Queen’s Park Day “on the road” RNAO celebrates 10 GREAT YEARS with BPSOs BPSO® ORGANIZATIONS Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, RNAO congratulates SA Branch (Host Site-3) Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care its leading edge BPSOs and the Bayshore Home Health thousands of nurses and health- Bluewater Health Cambridge Memorial Hospital care professionals who have led CBI Home Health the way over the past 10 years to Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Chatham-Kent Health Alliance enhance evidence-based practice Clinica Las Condes, Chile for the benet of Ontarians. Escuela De Enfermeria, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad De Chile, Chile Mackenzie Health Thunder Bay District Health Unit FOSCAL Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander – Colombia Mount Sinai Hospital Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Grand River Hospital Niagara Health System Toronto Public Health Grey Bruce Health Unit Niagara Region Public Health Trent University Guelph General Hospital North Bay Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Trillium Health Partners Hamilton Health Sciences Centre Ontario Telemedecine Network Two Rivers Family Health Team Health Sciences North Red Cross Care Partners Universidad de Investigacion en Cuidados de Salud (Investen-isciii) del Instituto de Salud HNHB Community Care Access Centre Royal Victoria Hospital Carlos III (Host Site-8) HNHB Local Health Integrated Network Saint Elizabeth Health Care University Health Network Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab St. Joseph's Health Care, London University of Hartford, USA Hospital Cardio Infantil, Colombia St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton VHA Home HealthCare Hôpital Charles LeMoyne St. Michael's Hospital VON Canada Hôpital Montfort Hospital Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre West Park Healthcare Centre Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston The Hospital for Sick Children Windsor Essex Community Health Centre London Health Sciences Centre The McGill University Health Centre Women's College Hospital http://rnao.ca/bpg/bpso 10BPSO® is a registered trademark of RNAO PRIL 2013 A VOL. 25, NO. 2, MARCH/ conteNtS FeAtUReS 12 COVER STORY Shining a spotlight on best practices A decade into its groundbreaking Best Practice Spotlight Organization (BPSO) program, RNAO catches up with five organizations that have shifted their workplace culture to support evidence-based nursing care. By Melissa Di Costanzo 18 Challenges and rewards in rural nursing This glimpse of nursing in Ontario’s Grey-Bruce region comes courtesy of RNAO members who answered their chapter’s call to share their memorable experiences. Edited by Kimberley Kearsey 22 “On the road” with MPPs More than 100 nurses across the province build awareness about the health policy recommendations in RNAO’s election platform, Why Your Health Matters. By Melissa Di Costanzo 12 thE linEup 8 4 Editor’s NotE 5 PRESIDENt’s ViEW 6 CEO DISPATCH 7 MAILBAG 8 NURSING IN THE NEWS 11 NURSING NOTES 21 RN PROFILE 30 In THE END 30 REGISTERED NURSE JOURNAL 3 The journal of the REGISTERED NURSES’ editOR’S NOte KiMBeRLey KeARSey ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO (RNAO) 158 Pearl Street Toronto ON, M5H 1L3 Phone: 416-599-1925 Toll-Free: 1-800-268-7199 Fax: 416-599-1926 Website: www.rnao.ca E-mail: [email protected] Letters to the editor: [email protected] EDITORIAL STAFF Marion Zych, Publisher Kimberley Kearsey, Managing Editor Melissa Di Costanzo, Writer Every idea has merit Claire O’Keeffe, Editorial Assistant EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Chris Aagaard, Vanessa Burkoski, Marianne Cochrane, Rebecca Harbridge, Kelly Kokus, Sandy Oliver, Cheryl Yost often talk to members on the ART DIRECTION & DESIGN I wants to convey is never lost Fresh Art & Design Inc. phone about story ideas, and through the process. ADVERTISING how to write submissions that in this issue, you will read Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario Phone: 416-599-1925 will work for Registered Nurse the submissions of three Grey- Fax: 416-599-1926 Journal. i offer suggestions for Bruce members who share SUBSCRIPTIONS shaping thoughts and experi- their stories of rural nursing Registered Nurse Journal, ISSN 1484-0863, is a benefit to members of the RNAO. Paid subscriptions ences so they resonate with our (pg. 18). each was open to edits are welcome. Full subscription prices for one year readers. And i provide reassur- that made their stories concise (six issues), including taxes: Canada $36 (HST); Outside Canada: $42. Printed with vegetable-based ance that every idea has merit, and clear, while maintaining inks on recycled paper (50 per cent recycled and and often only needs a bit of their voice and message. this 20 per cent post-consumer fibre) on acid-free paper. molding to become something issue also includes another Registered Nurse Journal is published six times a year by RNAO. The views or opinions expressed in special. during a recent con- installment of In the End, your the editorials, articles or advertisements are those versation, i provided honest opportunity to reflect on one of the authors/advertisers and do not necessarily represent the policies of RNAO or the Editorial Advisory Committee. RNAO assumes no responsibility or liability for damages arising from any error or omission or from the use of any information or “ we look to you to share your advice contained in the Registered Nurse Journal including editorials, studies, reports, letters and storIes. wIthout them, we wouldn’t advertisements. All articles and photos accepted for publication become the property of RNAO. Indexed in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied be able to do what we do. ” Health Literature. CANADIAN POSTMASTER Undeliverable copies and change of address to: feedback to a member with an moment or experience that RNAO, 158 Pearl Street, Toronto ON, M5H 1L3. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40006768. idea. What stands out about illustrates what nursing means RNAO OFFICERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT this conversation is the way it to you. i love working on these Rhonda Seidman-Carlson, RN, MN ended. She sighed audibly in with members because they President, ext. 502 relief when we were done talk- come from the heart and really David McNeil, RN, BScN, MHA, CHE Immediate Past-President, ext. 504 ing, and thanked me for not mean something to the RNs Doris Grinspun, RN, MSN, PhD, LLD(hon), O.ONT making her feel silly. She told who write them. Chief Executive Officer, ext. 206 me she was worried i would As Nursing Week nears, Sara Clemens, RN, BNSc, MN, PhD(c) Director, Health and Nursing Policy, ext. 215 laugh at her, and she would RNAO once again looks to you Daniel Lau, MBA look like a fool. to share your stories (this year Director, Membership and Services, ext. 218 As a writer, i know how easy about funny nursing moments, Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MScN, PhD Director, International Affairs and Best Practice it is to become attached to a see pg. 28). i assure you there’s Guidelines Centre, ext. 234 story, or the idea of a story. no cause for reluctance or need Marion Zych, BA, Journalism, BA, Political Science i know how personal it can for fear that i – or any member Director, Communications, ext. 209 Nancy Campbell, MBA sometimes become, and how of the communications team Director, Finance and Administration, ext. 229 intimidating it is to open up – will be dismissive or disinter- Louis-Charles Lavallée, CMC, MBA about an idea. Writing is a ested. We look to you to share Director, Information Management and Technology, ext. 264 very personal thing, especially your stories. they bring the reflective writing. Anyone who magazine to life. And without has turned an idea into a draft them, we wouldn’t be able to submission, then gone through do what we do. RN the editing process, will know i am honest and constructive in my feedback, and always try to ensure the message a writer 4 MARCH/APRIL 2013 PReSideNt’S vieW With RhONdA SeidMAN-cARLSON A courageous policy platform for courageous leaders I recently had the opportunIty zone. For me, it constitutes lottery game that comprom- the RNAO platform also talks to visit with nurses in Sud- one of the moral obligations ises the health of the whole about the link between health bury, and what a wonderful within nursing: advocating for family. Malnutrition is an often and the environment, and about experience it was. With my change at the individual patient underdiagnosed condition and the need to sustain Medicare guide, Paul-André Gauthier level, speaking up for his or her one that, if identified early and and strengthen publicly funded, (RNAO’s Region 11 Represent- family, and supporting change reversed, can prevent many not-for-profit services. ative), i was able to meet RNs within the system itself. long-term ill effects on physical the political platform excites who work in home care, long- With your assistance, RNAO health and intellectual develop- me because the health policy term care and acute care, as has and will continue to demon- ment. Nurses see poverty in recommendations we propose well as nurses who work with strate courageous leadership. At their everyday practice, which perfectly complement nurs- First Nations people, and for the end of January, on the heels makes them obvious leaders in ing care and the perspective canadian Blood Services. i of the election of Ontario’s new trying to make a difference. of the nursing profession. We was moved by their dedication Liberal leader and first female understand how the social and and the common themes they environmental determinants shared with me. of health affect individuals and they talked about access to “ many of the key messages In the plat- communities. We understand care, and how to optimize form alIgn perfectly wIth the Issues that nurses work with the the role of the RN, the need whole person and the whole to pay nurses an equitable system, and if we really want nurses raIsed wIth me In sudbury.” salary across all sectors, the people to be healthy, we need push for a patient-focused to address such issues as pov- approach to care, and how to premier Kathleen Wynne, Access to care erty and access to health care.