The last time a Chief Nursing Officer served the country was in 2012
Today, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announces Leigh Chapman’s appointment as Canada’s new Chief Nursing Officer. Dr. Champman is considered one of the country’s most distinguished minds in nursing. She is a well-respected academic with over two decades in nursing and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto’s Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.
Being Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer, CNO, Champman will have the difficult task of reviewing and putting in place policies and procedures that are in the best interest of the country’s 400,000 practicing nurses. It has been over a decade since the country had a CNO, which makes Dr. Champmans’ appointment particularly significant. In addition, Dr. Champman will work closely with provincial, federal and international agencies on best practices regarding programs and policy priorities, such as palliative care, drug and alcohol care, mental health and so on.
“Improving our health care system includes addressing the shortages in health human resources we are seeing across the country. Reinstating the federal CNO recognizes the central role nurses continue to play in health care in Canada through their many contributions and expertise. Dr. Chapman will play a crucial role in stabilizing the nursing workforce, by ensuring the perspective of nurses is included at the national level, helping to shape the overall health policy work of Health Canada.”
Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Health
The COVID pandemic has solidified the need to have the best credible people in positions of science and medicine advising the Canadians. Being the public face Canadians can trust in a crisis is precisely why Dr. Champman is the right person to be the country’s new Chief Nursing Officer.
Image source Duclos social media
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