National Nursing Week 2025 — The Power of Nurses to Transform Health

The numbers aren't pretty.

Ontario faces the greatest registered-nurse deficit in Canada, about 25,000 RNs short of where the province should be. Hospital units are stretched thin, and nurses everywhere feel the strain.

Yet despite these challenges, Partners in Community Nursing (PICN) maintains an unbroken circle of care for Durham's most medically complex children. Shift-program nurses keep watch through the night so families can finally sleep, while visiting-program nurses navigate through Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and beyond, bringing expert care directly to families' doorsteps.

National Nursing Week provides the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on these incredible professionals. Their dedication is evident every day – their steady presence giving families the support they desperately need, their quick problem-solving preventing hospital visits, their compassionate care making a real difference in the community.

Welcome to the first entry in PICN's blog series celebrating National Nursing Week 2025.

Throughout this series, we'll explore the unique contributions of our nursing team, starting with an overview of how our shift-program nurses and visiting-program nurses create a seamless circle of care for Durham's children.

The Unbroken Circle of Care

2:00 a.m., Whitby.
A shift nurse monitors a sleeping child, her presence allowing exhausted parents to finally rest.

9:00 a.m., Highway 401.
A visiting nurse navigates morning traffic, nursing bag beside her, en route to four families before noon. These seamless transitions form an unbroken circle of care across Durham Region—particularly vital in a province with just 651 RNs per 100,000 residents—the lowest ratio nationwide.

A Message from Director of Operations, Nancy Flynt

“I’m incredibly proud of our shift program because I’ve heard firsthand the difference it makes for families. It gives them the chance to rest, even just for a little while, and that rest is so important when you're caring for a child with complex needs around the clock.

Our Guardians of the Night – Shift‑Program Nurses

Why Overnight Vigilance Matters

• Continuous monitoring of vents, oxygen sats, seizure patterns
• Precise nocturnal meds & feeds when dosage windows are critical
• Trend charting that guides daytime caregivers
• Calming presence that lets families achieve restorative sleep

In Durham Region, quality research confirms what we've seen firsthand: skilled pediatric home nursing significantly reduces hospitalizations and emergency visits for medically complex children. When families have consistent, professional care at home, their children simply do better.

“It’s not something just any nurse can do”

The nurses who provide this kind of care are truly special. It requires a unique combination of advanced skills, deep empathy, and a genuine desire to be there for these children and their families.

It takes a certain kind of strength and compassion to care for a child knowing their life might be shorter, or very different from what most of us imagine childhood to be. These nurses walk alongside families during some of the hardest moments, and I’m honored to work with them.” — Nancy Flynt , Director of Operations

Road Warriors of the Day – Visiting‑Program Nurses

Mobility That Saves Miles & Lives

• Family coaching: empowers caregivers through education
• Patient Navigator: connects families with essential healthcare partners
• Advocacy on wheels: helps families access necessary resources

Research confirms what Durham families experience firsthand: our visiting nurses don't just save trips to the hospital—they transform the entire care experience, bringing skilled compassion directly to your doorstep when it matters most.

A Message from President Theresa Henderson

“When we founded PICN in 1998, our goal was simple: create the kind of workplace we always wished for—where nurses could build meaningful careers without sacrificing time with their families. As a mom, I didn’t want to miss the dance recitals, soccer games, or school events—and thanks to our flexible visiting program, I rarely did. I only missed one talent show, and I still hear about it! Our unstructured model was designed to give nurses freedom—freedom to grow their careers and still be fully present at home.”

— Theresa Henderson, President

A Day in the Life: 24 Hours of Unwavering Pediatric Home Care

From the hush of 2:00 a.m. ventilator adjustments to the midday rush of home visits across Durham, PICN nurses deliver seamless, around-the-clock care. Night guardians ensure peaceful sleep for families, while day warriors bring expert support directly to their doorsteps.

This unbroken circle of care at PICN means help is always available, whenever it's needed most.

The Power of Complementary Care

Research shows that integrated 24‑hour nursing models improve outcomes for medically complex children by combining preventive day services with continuous night monitoring PICN’s dual‑program approach:

1. Reduces costs through early intervention
2. Improves family quality of life via home‑based and school-based support
3. Builds capacity as parents gain skills and confidence

Celebrate & Connect!

We’ll keep it short: nursing at PICN isn’t 9–5—it’s 24/7 dedication delivered in two distinct ways:

• Night Guardians who provide a steady presence when it matters most.
• Road Warriors who bring life‑saving care directly to homes.

That circle of care isn’t just a model—it’s a commitment to families who deserve both expert nursing and genuine empathy.

So here’s the ask: will you help us amplify their stories?

Share your favorite PICN nurse moment on social with #PICNNursesWeek, and let’s make this Nurses Week one to remember.

Stay tuned: we’ll be sharing new Night Guardian and Road Warrior stories each month—follow along to celebrate more of our dedicated nurses!

Other ways to participate

Explore Careers – visit picn.ca/careers for shift or visiting roles.

Connect Directly – call 905‑665‑1711

About PICN

Since 1998, Partners in Community Nursing (PICN) has delivered high-quality home-care services across Durham Region, supporting both children with complex medical needs and adults requiring specialized care. Our nursing program provides expert, compassionate, and family-centred support—24 hours a day, 365 days a year—ensuring individuals of all ages can receive the care they need in the comfort of their homes.

Sources

Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO). Ontario’s RN Shortage & Indicators. https://rnao.ca/media/6671/download

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). National Nurse Burnout Survey 2024. https://nursesunions.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Viewpoints_Survey_Results_2022_January_EN_FINAL-1.pdf

RNAO. Nurse‑to‑Population Ratios by Province. https://rnao.ca/media/7947/download

[PMC] Park et al., 2023. Impact of Skilled Overnight Nursing on Pediatric Emergency Visits. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11539016/

RNAO. Community Nursing & Readmission Reduction. https://rnao.ca/media/6671/download

RNAO. Family Satisfaction in Home‑Based Pediatric Care Study. https://rnao.ca/media/8225/download

RNAO Nursing Workload Toolkit. Integrated 24‑Hour Nursing Models Improve Outcomes. https://neltoolkit.rnao.ca/sites/default/files/Nursing%20Workload%20and%20Patient%20Care_0.pdf