Nursing group names Southlake top employer

Southlake Regional Health Centre has been named employer of the year by the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario.

The association presented the hospital with the prestigious award today during Southlake’s national nursing week kickoff.

The hospital came out on top of the three finalists, RPNAO executive director Dianne Martin said.

“We look for organizations that are doing exceptional work in developing the best career opportunities for registered practical nurses,” she added.

This is the eighth time the award has been presented. Organizations are nominated and the association’s board makes a decision based on the packages submitted. Southlake was a unanimous decision.

Several opportunities for registered practical nurses at Southlake made the hospital stand out among the nominees, Ms Martin said.

“Southlake practises what we call shared governance, making the nurses part of the inclusive decision-making process,” she explained.

Another winning quality is the fact the hospital creates positions that allow nursing graduates to use all of the skills and knowledge gained throughout their schooling.

“The students they place gather a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise,” she added. “Couple that with Southlake’s apparent dedication to place as many students as possible and you have a very significant contribution to education and teaching.”

Southlake’s nomination package included several letters of support from community colleges outlining the positive learning environment the hospital creates.

“Sometimes it is difficult to access high quality professional development as an RPN,” Ms Martin said, adding Southlake offers such learning opportunities right in its own building, “which is outstanding”.

The hospital is the first in Ontario to incorporate a nursing bridging program with Athabasca University which allows RPNs to earn a bachelor’s degree online and it also provides financial support through education assistance and incentive programs including $1,200 reimbursement for studies as well as $5,000 interest free loans.

It is a difficult time for the nursing industry, which is battling significant shortages and facing challenges in providing care, she said, adding the award allows the association to recognize facilities that are doing it well, such as Southlake.

“This award is a true tribute to our talented workforce and unsurpassed corporate values,” Southlake president and CEO Dan Carriere said. “We’ve worked hard to create an environment where our people feel comfortable and respected.”

As a result of the win, Southlake’s policies and procedures will be shared as a model for other organizations and agencies.

by Teresa Latchford , The Liberal