Cornwall Ontario — Local nurses have invited Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPP Jim McDonell to learn more about the successes and challenges of practising as a registered nurse (RN) in the province by touring Cornwall Community Hospital on Friday, May 10, as a part of Nursing Week 2013 activities.

McDonell is one of many politicians across the province who is participating in this Nursing Week tradition, which is part of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario’s (RNAO) 13th annual “Take Your MPP to Work” event. This initiative encourages politicians to shadow nurses in order to better understand the role of nurses in Ontario’s health-care system.

Politicians including McDonell will learn about the responsibilities nurses have in our communities, see how nurses use their knowledge and skills to improve the health of the population, and observe nurses’ interactions with patients.

“Nurses have a critical role to play in disease prevention, health promotion and client-centred care,” says Heather Arthur, Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Take Your MPP to Work gives our political leaders a fantastic opportunity to experience and see, firsthand, the high-quality care that our nurses provide on a daily basis. It also helps to enhance their knowledge when it comes to the day-to-day workings of our health-care
system.”