RNAO continues to act swiftly on our commitment to Ontarians and our health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the record-high daily COVID-19 cases surpassing 4,000, RNAO activated VIANurse to augment nursing HR in critical care.

RNAO has been increasingly alarmed at the rise of cases and the timid measures advanced by the Ontario government to flatten the second wave. Simply said, the later we act, the larger the price we will pay – both in illness, death, an overwhelmed healthcare system, and in economic costs. This is a basic lesson we learned during the first wave, and we are extremely worried. Today, RNAO issued a press release, reproduced below. We have also been intensively in the media making a call for immediate action. Our presence is also being felt in Twitter.

RNAO has decided it will not re-open the VIANurse program if another wave of COVID hits the province. VIANurse addressed an emergency in a province that was slow in responding to the pandemic, and thus played a vital role. The next waves of COVID should not be an emergency as we can prepare now.

As of Tuesday, May 19, 2020, RNAO’s VIANurse program will provide staffing assistance only to health facilities with active COVID-19 outbreaks. Health organizations – in all sectors – not facing a COVID-19 outbreak, but looking to fulfill their ongoing staffing needs in nursing and other health professions, are asked to advertise as always in RNAO’s job board, RNCareers.ca

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.

Ottawa Public Health thanks RNAO for recruiting nurses through the VIANurse program. OPH was able to quickly enhance its capacity for triaging, test results, case management and contact tracing by an additional 100 nurses, so that service could be provided 7 days a week, without delay.