A big donation to Renfrew Victoria Hospital is being put to work.
The hospital’s Auxiliary released the first round of bursaries for nurses and personal support workers which will go towards furthering their educations as nurses and improving their skills.
Shayna Perry, Holly Vincent, Kelly Hebert, Penny Vaillancourt, Jennifer Wilson, Allison Doucette, Jessica McLaren and Sarah Kim all received between $1000 and $6000 to further their training, earn specialty certifications, or a work towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in their field.
RVH’s Chief Nursing Executive, Chris Ferguson, says they hope the bursary program will help to boost recruitment and retention rates “at a time when there are significant health human resource challenges.”
Hospital CEO Julia Boudreau adds that she’s ” thrilled to be able to offer this support for professional development to [their] staff,” and the hope is to continue handing them out “for many years to come.”
Penny Vaillancourt, a, registered nurse, says she plans to use that money to attend the 2023 International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Fighting for Change Conference hosted by End Violence Against Women International.
She notes that being at that conference is vital to keep her status as one of two Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Nurse Examiners in Renfrew County.
The bursaries are a part of a donation from the estate of Frances Wilson, a surgical nurse from the Renfrew area who left the money to the hospital to enhance the care they offer.
(written by Kasey Egan)