Silas: The evidence is clear: we need higher nurse staffing levels to improve nurse and patient outcomes.
November 25, 2024 (Ottawa, ON) – Nursing leaders from around the world are gathering in Ottawa this week for the first Canadian summit on safe nurse-patient ratios, hosted by the CFNU.
“The nurse staffing crisis knows no borders. We are facing a global nursing shortage, and whether in Canada or the United Kingdom, safe nurse staffing is critically important,” explains CFNU President Linda Silas. “Safe staffing models are being brought into effect in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and we know strong implementation is critical to success and to bringing safe staffing across the country. Working together across jurisdictions, we can solve the nursing shortage with tangible evidence-based solutions and set the stage for a global recovery.”
British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in Canada to commit to establishing minimum nurse-patient ratios in April 2023. Nova Scotia followed suit only months later, committing to develop a safe staffing framework to determine the appropriate number of nurses for safe care in different settings.
“Staffing is not a matter of dollars and cents – it’s a matter of safety for both nurses and their patients. Staffing decisions need to reflect this reality,” explained Silas. “The evidence is clear: we need higher nurse staffing levels to improve nurse and patient outcomes. This summit provides an opportunity to get academic experts, nurses unions, employers and government officials in the room together to practically explore how we can bring this vital tool for nurse and patient safety across the country.”
The Nurse-Patient Ratios Summit brings together national and international nursing leaders with academic experts, nurses unions, employers and government officials. The Summit will be co-chaired by Silas and Prof. Jane Ball, Director of the Institute of Nursing Excellence at the Royal College of Nurses in the United Kingdom. Prof. Ball will deliver a keynote at the Summit, focused on moving nurse staffing from evidence to policy.
Other speakers include:
The Nurse-Patient Ratios Summit will be held in Ottawa November 27-28. Attendance is by invitation only. The CFNU is grateful for Health Canada’s financial support for the Nurse-Patient Ratios Summit. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada.
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For more information, please contact Adella Khan, CFNU Communications, media@nursesunions.ca, 613-807-2942.
The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing frontline unionized nurses and nursing students in every sector of health care – from home care and LTC to community and acute care – and advocating on key priorities to strengthen public health care across the country.
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The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing frontline unionized nurses and nursing students in every sector of health care – from home care and LTC to community and acute care – and advocating on key priorities to strengthen public health care across the country. We are proud to advocate for our members and promote the nursing profession on the national level, and we work tirelessly to protect the quality of health care for our patients and our universal public health care system.
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