RNAO, in collaboration with Healthcare Excellence Canada, are excited to launch the new online Leading Change Toolkit. The toolkit is designed for change agents and change teams whose goal is to create lasting improvement with the uptake and sustainability of knowledge, like best practice guidelines (BPG).

Nurse practitioners working in long-term care (LTC) bring a unique perspective on the reality of working in Ontario’s LTC homes. We would like to thank RNAO’s NP LTC Council for contributing the following article. It builds on the collective experience of nurse practitioners (NP) participating in RNAO’s NPs in LTC Council webinars.

The Ontario government issued an emergency order addressing regulated health professions in hospitals. Under this new government order, health professionals from Ontario or other Canadian jurisdictions – including nurses – are authorized to engage outside of their regular scope of practice.

On Feb. 25, RNAO’s NP Task Force released the groundbreaking report, Vision for Tomorrow, which brings to life not only the evidence on why NPs are crucial in our health-care system, but also the lived experiences of those NPs who are already making a difference to patient outcomes in their day-to-day practice. It is a comprehensive blueprint that calls for the NP role to be expanded and to fully utilize NPs to advance the health of Ontarians and strengthen the health system.

The references in the media to efforts to bring medical specialists prompted a RN who works with seniors to write, brilliantly detailing the specialized knowledge required to work in long-term care. She prefers to remain anonymous. Please know that I am deeply appreciative for your willingness to share your exquisite knowledge and commitment.