Academic Partnerships
The Gerald P. Turner Department of Nursing is affiliated with over 14 Universities and colleges in Ontario and Canada. We play a significant role in undergraduate, post-degree and graduate nursing education. As an affiliate of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, we continue to foster strong academic relationships through leadership and representation on Faculty committees and through academic cross-appointments.

In 2008 – 2009:

  • 25 MSH nurses held Adjunct Clinical Appointments with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
  • A total of 408 nursing undergraduate student placements were completed, a total of 66,363 contact hours
  • MSH nurses acted as preceptors for nurses completing post-graduate studies including students from out of province programs
  • Several undergraduate health professionals were supervised by MSH nurses in various clinical settings

Additionally, the Department of Nursing through joint sponsorships with the Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, increased its capacity in research and quality improvement.

  • As a result of a visiting professorship, in Quality and Patient Safety Research, a symposium was held at Mount Sinai Hospital in October 2008. Nursing leaders from the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network were invited to attend.

Interprofessional Education

Interprofessional education (IPE) is defined as any educational experience in which learners from different professional backgrounds come together to learn with, from and about each other. This past year, MSH provided the first IPE placement for pre-licensure learners. Donna Romano, RN, PhD, Nursing Unit Administrator, 9 South and Dr. Edred Flak, Clinical Head, 9 south, co-led a group of students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy and social work through an IPE course where they learned how different professionals contribute to the care of people suffering with mental health conditions. Next steps include providing IPE student learning opportunities within each Centre of Excellence in 2009-2010. 

New Graduate Guarantee
The Nursing Graduate Guarantee is an initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) aimed at ensuring that every new nursing graduate (RN and RPN) who wishes to work full time in Ontario will have the opportunity to do so. With the MOHLTC New Graduate Promise, Mount Sinai was funded to provide full-time positions for new graduate nurses.

In 2008 – 2009:

  • 76 new graduates were hired into Registered Nurse positions in various clinical areas
  • 76% of eligible candidates have successfully transitioned into permanent full-time positions

Continuing Education and Tuition Support Program
Mount Sinai Nursing is committed to an environment that embraces and advances professional nursing practice, education, leadership and research. Mount Sinai has a well-established continuing education and tuition support program for our nursing staff.  Our dedication to education has encouraged a growing number of nurses to pursue ongoing learning.  In 2008-2009, 53 nurses received tuition support through the Department of Nursing; 49% of those who received tuition support are completing graduate studies.

Research Initiatives
Integrating and supporting a culture of inquiry, research and innovation in nursing practice promotes and sustains nurses to be leaders in providing the best patient and family centered care.

In 2008 – 2009, nurses at Mount Sinai were involved in approximately 22 research initiatives, acting as authors, principal and co- investigators. Examples of research initiatives include:

  • Evaluating informational needs of patients and families receiving cancer chemotherapy
  • Improving the Breast Cancer Screening Experience for Women with Physical Disabilities
  • PDA: Facilitating Nursing Research Utilization at the Point of Care
  • Building Capacity in Nursing Human Resource Planning

Learning and Technology
The Nursing Department continues to expand the use of technology to support learning.  Evidence-based approach to education has led the transition from traditional instructor-led courses to inclusion of eLearning.  In 2008-2009, the Nursing Department management and development of courses accessed through a web-based Learning Management System (LMS) enhanced learning for nursing staff, as well as other staff in the hospital.  In 2008-2009:

  • LMS online courses were taken a total of 8,943 times.
  • 24 online courses were offered (15 courses were offered in 2007-2008)
  • Examples of online courses include:
    • Interprofessional Education and Collaboration for Patient & Family Centered Care
    • Infusion Therapy
    • Blood Transfusions
    • Pain Management
    • Situational Based Patient Assessment
    • Wound and Skin Care
    • Chain of Transmission - Infection Prevention and Control Competencies
    • Routine Practices - Infection Prevention and Control Competencies
    • Emergency Codes: Black, Brown, Yellow, Amber, White, Red and Green
    • Radiation Safety

In addition to management and development of online courses, the Nursing Department also provides select courses in a blended learning format (on-line and hands on learning), which are available to internal and external nurses. These Sinai Care courses are taught by Hospital nurses who are experts in their field. In 2008-2009:

  • 2,353 nurses actively participated in various Sinai Care courses 
  • 132 face-to-face classes were provided
  • Examples of courses include:
    • IV Therapy Basics
    • Situation Based Patient Assessment
    • Wound & Skin Assessment and Management
    • Pain Assessment and Management
    • Capillary Blood Glucose Monitoring
    • Wound and Skin Care
    • Blood Transfusions
    • Patient and Family Centered Care

Clinical Externship Program
The Clinical Externship Program offered through the Department of Nursing, provides opportunities for exceptional nursing students, who have completed 3 years of a 4-year degree to work on nursing units during the summer.  The program provides nursing students with opportunities to further apply their academic knowledge to develop effective working skills and relationships in a practice setting. 
In 2008-2009, great interest was expressed from nursing students and 12 Clinical Externs were hired for the summer of 2008.  The externships were completed successfully and the externs received excellent feedback from both students and nurses, many of whom look forward to the next externship opportunities.

Nursing Careers at Mount Sinai Hospital – It starts with students
A large percentage of all new graduate hires at Mount Sinai have had previous clinical placements at the hospital. To promote the notion that a nursing career at the Hospital begins during the educational process, Mount Sinai provided nursing students an innovative way to meet with Nursing Leaders and to learn about opportunities for future employment and/or clinical placements. The annual Nursing Student Reception was organized and held, and more than 50 nursing students from our partner institutions including Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Ryerson University, University of Windsor and Centennial College attended the reception. Students had a chance to hear from Joseph Mapa, President and CEO and Leslie Vincent, Senior VP, Patient Services and Chief Nursing Executive, and were pleased to have had the chance to meet leaders from all clinical practice areas. The event was a great success with students providing very positive feedback. They felt the Nursing Student Reception gave them an opportunity to see what the Mount Sinai culture was all about and what it takes to be the "Best in Nursing.”