Edsel Mutia, RN, a Valued Nursing Mentor in the North York General Hospital Critical Care Unit
CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses is pleased to announce that Edsel Mutia, a CARE Centre member IEN originally from the Philippines, is the 2013 CARE Centre Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award. The award is named after the late nursing leader Dr. Joan Lesmond, who championed the cause of IEN education and integration. Edsel Mutia is a RN and Charge Nurse at the North York General Hospital Critical Care Unit. He also worked in a community hospital in the Philippines, and as a staff Intensive Care Unit nurse in Saudi Arabia.
“I met my wife in Saudi Arabia and we decided to move to Canada. After the honeymoon period, the vastness of the task ahead was scary: adapting to new traditions, social norms and recreating a network of friends,” stated Edsel in his winning essay. “Returning to nursing school involves sacrifices: it’s expensive and time consuming. I had to work evenings as a PSW in order to survive. But now the best part of my job is working very hard to help a patient improve. It’s very rewarding to see someone who was ill in the ICU going home to live their life.”
Edsel was nominated by his Critical Care Unit nursing colleague, registered nurse Sharon Fernandes, who commented in her nomination, “Edsel is well-known for being a seasoned professional who has mentored many new nurses and nursing students to help develop and guide them. Edsel is recognized by his colleagues as being passionate both about patient care and his professional development, and is someone who is never satisfied with the status quo; Edsel is always looking for opportunities for improvement.”
Edsel Mutia will receive the CARE Centre Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award at a breakfast presentation in his honour on Friday, November 29th at the North York General Hospital. Media are invited to attend the event. The award was first commemorated for CARE Centre’s 10th anniversary in 2011 and the inaugural City of Toronto Internationally Educated Nurses Day, to be observed again this year.
CARE Centre Executive Director Zubeida Ramji said, “We are very pleased that we can present the award to a CARE Centre member from the Philippines, since they are the most significant source country in our membership, and their community is such an important part of the Ontario healthcare workforce. Edsel embodies all of the contributions that our IENs bring to nursing in Canada, and his professionalism, compassion and commitment bring enormous benefit to the health and well-being of his patients and their families.”
The CARE Centre Joan Lesmond IEN of the Year Award is presented annually with the call for nominations in May and the award ceremony taking place in November. To be eligible, the IEN must be currently registered as a nurse in Ontario (RN or RPN); be working in a nursing practice environment for at least one year; and be a member of CARE Centre.
CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) has supported over 1,400 nurses from more than 140 countries to become registered in the province since 2001. CARE Centre is funded by the Ontario Government and the Government of Canada. A non-profit organization, CARE Centre provides immigrant nurses with a continuum of services to support them to be successful. CARE Centre recognizes the value of nurses with diverse education and experience and is committed to advocating for their full contribution to Canada’s labour market. CARE Centre for IENs is a registered charity (Charitable Number 84420 5948 RR0001).
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For media inquiries and to confirm attendance and event details, please contact:
Tina Novotny 416-226-2800, ext. 240
Marketing and Communications
CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
45 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 512
Toronto, Ontario M2N 5W9
tnovotny@care4nurses.org