Headwaters Health Care Centre celebrating National Nursing Week

May 11, 2023 · 0 Comments

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Headwaters Health Care Centre (HHCC) is celebrating its nursing staff during National Nursing Week.

National Nursing Week is an annual celebration from May 8 to May 14, held in honour of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. The week is designed to increase awareness of the many contributions nursing makes to the well-being of Canadians.

This year, the theme of National Nursing Week is “Our Nurses. Our Future.” It showcases the many roles nurses have in a patient’s health care experience.

“Nurses are the heartbeat of our hospital – without them, we simply wouldn’t be able to deliver quality patient-centred care. They are a key team member throughout our interprofessional practice,” said Headwaters president and CEO Kim Delahunt.

During National Nursing Week, Headwaters Hospital is celebrating the work of its 281 nursing staff, including this year’s 27 new nurses. With the recent nursing recruitment at the local hospital, the Headwaters nursing team consists of both long-standing and next-generation nurses.

“Whether supporting a patient in the Emergency Department, assisting with a surgery or birth in Obstetrics, or providing inpatient or outpatient cares, nurses are an important and irreplaceable part of our hospital,” said Dr. Grace Wang, chief of staff and vice president of medical affairs.

To help work through the rapidly changing technology and equipment in the healthcare system, Headwaters has created a Nursing Education Scholarship Fund. The fund looks to help support professional development for Headwaters nurses by providing further training, education, and tuition assistance.

“Ultimately, when nurses and staff are equipped and supported with the latest knowledge, skills and equipment, the patient experience is enhanced, and the level of safety and quality rises. Investing is an investment in high-quality patient care,” said Annette Jones, vice president of patient experiences, health integration and chief nursing executive.