During its national biennial convention, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) honoured six nurses for outstanding leadership and contribution to the nursing profession. The highest of these honours — the Jeanne Mance Award — was awarded to Sandra Hirst of Calgary, Alberta. Five other nurses were recipients of Orders of Merit.

“It is a privilege and a pleasure to present these nurses with well-deserved honours,” said Judith Shamian, CNA President. “I also wish to thank them for their dedication to the nursing profession. I do so on behalf of Canadians, because these women are truly helping improve the health of our nation.”

The prestigious Jeanne Mance Award goes to an individual who has made a significant and unique contribution to the profession and the health of Canadians. Sandra Hirst, director of the Brenda Strafford Centre for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing at the University of Calgary, has dedicated her career to advancing the care, health and well-being of seniors. Her decades of work in this field have included terms on Alberta’s seniors advisory council and a prime ministerial appointment to the National Seniors Council, where she was instrumental in the development of a federal elder abuse prevention-strategy. A longtime and vocal advocate for seniors on issues such as abuse, suicide and sexuality, Hirst has also been named a distinguished fellow by the Canadian Centre for Elder Law and has received a lifetime achievement award from the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.

“Canada’s health-care system is going through a period of significant transformation,” said Rachel Bard, CNA CEO. “As the largest group of health-care professionals in Canada, and with their unique brand of interaction with patients, nurses are playing a leadership role in that transformation. We know the nurses honoured tonight are a shining example for their colleagues and the profession’s future generation to ensure we are the change we want to see in Canada’s health-care system.”

Five Orders of Merit were also awarded to nursing leaders in the areas of clinical practice, education, administration, research and policy. As award recipients, the activities of the following nurses have resulted in increased status and public recognition for the nursing profession, nationally and internationally.
 

Read the complete press release

For more information :