As Minister of Health, I am pleased to celebrate Canada's nurses during National Nursing Week. This year's theme, "Nurses: With you every step of the way," is a wonderful opportunity to recognize their essential role in our health system.
The important contribution of nurses can be found in hospitals, community centres, patients' homes, public health units, universities and field hospitals in war-torn countries. The life of almost every Canadian has been touched by a nurse in some way because whenever or wherever we need care, they are often our first point of contact. As Canada's single-largest group of health professionals, they are at the forefront of healthcare in this country.
Over the past year, nurses have also played a key role in Canada's domestic preparedness efforts in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Specifically, nurses have contributed to policy development in infection control, participated in cross-jurisdictional planning and preparedness exercises, and as quarantine officers, nurses continue to conduct border health screening activities at ports of entry into Canada. In West Africa nurses have provided essential care to Ebola patients in Treatment Centres. Through these efforts and more, nurses continually work to keep Canadians healthy and safe.
As part of National Nursing Week, I would also like to acknowledge May 11 as Aboriginal Nurses' Day, as proposed by the Aboriginal Nurses of Canada. In remote and isolated First Nations communities, nurses are often the primary contact in the healthcare system for patients. In addition to providing routine clinical care services in these communities, nurses must be available to respond 24/7 to emergency situations and they play a critical role in providing care to stabilize patients before they are medically evacuated to the nearest care facility.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to express our appreciation for the dedication of nurses as healthcare professionals and as advocates of health promotion, disease prevention and for the high quality care they provide to their patients. I invite all Canadians to join me in honouring all of the dedicated nurses across the country and thank them for their commitment to the health of Canadians.
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health
