RBC donates $10K to nursing education, development at SAH

In honour of National Nursing Week, members of RBC gathered inside the lobby at the Sault Area Hospital last Wednesday to present a group of nurses and healthcare professionals with a $10,000 cheque.

The funding will go towards nursing education and professional development for nurses at the hospital.

This is one of 25 donations that RBC Foundation has made to rural hospitals across northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan in conjunction with National Nursing Week, which is recognized across the country from May 8-14.

National Nursing Week is held in honour of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale and is designed to increase awareness of the many contributions nursing makes to the well-being of Canadians.

Below is the full press release:

Nursing Education and Professional Development at Sault Area Hospital (SAH) is getting a boost thanks to a $10,000 donation to Sault Area Hospital Foundation.

SAH’s Collaborative Practice and Clinical Education team will be evaluating where the funds will be directed to make the most impact in response to urgent and high priority needs.

“RBC recognizes the impact that nurses have in our healthcare system is unparalleled. Dedicated, committed, and always answering the call no matter the sacrifice, they are our caregivers and comforters during our deepest times of need,” said Kim Ulmer, RBC Regional President, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and Western Ontario.

“We aim to give back to nurses through a donation supporting their continuing education and professional development, to refresh their skills and open more opportunities for their career options and advancement,” adds Ulmer.

This is one of 25 donations from RBC Foundation made to rural hospitals across Northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, in conjunction with National Nursing Week, May 8 to 14.

Held in honour of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, National Nursing Week is designed to increase awareness of the many contributions nursing makes to the well-being of Canadians.

The show of support comes at a critical time. Recent Statistics Canada data shows that Canadian frontline healthcare workers are feeling strained and overloaded.

In July, Statistics Canada reported 23,620 vacant nursing positions in the first quarter of 2022 (up 219% from 2019) and an all-time high of 136,800 job vacancies within the health sector throughout the first quarter of 2022.

Recent data released by Mental Health Research Canada also shows that healthcare workers, and nurses in particular, were profoundly impacted by the pandemic.