Nursing story misleading

The Whig Standard - Kingston

 

Brice McVicar's article (Re: "Opponents fear decision could impact their care," Sept. 10) represents a misleading and undeserved attack on registered practical nurses.

 

Particularly unsettling is the implication that RPNs, as a category of care provider, are inexperienced or that quality of care decreases with RPNs on the job. These implications are inaccurate. RPNs are highly-educated. They are also 'nurses' in every sense of the word. They are registered by the College of Nurses of Ontario, just as RNs are.

 

There are 30,000 RPNs in Ontario, making breathtaking differences every day. They don't deserve to be the subjects of such misinformed attacks.

 

One of the protesters quoted in the article refers to RPNs by saying, "A little girl coming straight out of college can't identify the issues the way an experienced RN can." This statement should be offensive to every nurse. There are novice and veteran workers in every profession. The RPN hired by this clinic is fully registered and qualified.

 

Many healthcare institutions have already recognized that mixing RPNs with RNs is a brilliant solution, as long as it is based on patient need and not cost. The presence of RPNs, who specialize in care of moderately complex individuals, can actually free up RNs to care for more critically ill patients.

 

Perhaps most disappointing, however, has been Whig-Standard's failure to present both sides of this story, allowing these hurtful attacks against RPNs to go unchecked and unchallenged.

 

Dianne Martin Executive Director,

Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario