IEN of the Year Award

CARE Centre Honours Internationally Educated Nurses with
The Inaugural IEN of the Year Award

For Immediate Release
Toronto, July 12, 2011

As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses is establishing the IEN of the Year Award. This annual award will honour an outstanding CARE Centre member nurse who has achieved their Ontario nursing credentials and gone on to set an example of health care professionalism and nursing excellence. In its ten years, CARE Centre has supported over 1,000 nurses from more than 140 countries to become registered in the province.

“CARE Centre has been one of the driving forces in helping internationally educated nurses (IENs) reach their career goals,” said Ella Ferris, Executive Vice President, Programs and Chief Nursing Executive at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and Chair of the CARE Centre IEN of the Year Award Board Committee. “CARE Centre has prepared IENs to integrate into the Ontario health care system, meeting high standards in the workplace through their knowledge, compassion, hard work and commitment. The IEN of the Year Award is a true reflection of everything internationally educated nurses contribute to our challenging, multi-cultural health care environment.”

In order to be nominated, 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. Main selection criteria include: consistently demonstrates professionalism and an excellent quality of presence and caring that assists people in the holistic healing process, a fundamental value of nursing practice; exemplary professional knowledge and practice; and consistently promotes an atmosphere of team-work.

The full nomination kit with detailed eligibility criteria and information for submitting forms is available on the CARE Centre website. CARE Centre will mark its tenth anniversary year with a fundraising dinner November 17th from 7 p.m. at Arcadian Court in Toronto, where the inaugural IEN of the Year Award will be presented. “Our CARE Centre graduates quickly become invaluable to employers, but there are always those who go the extra mile in their roles in frontline service, health promotion and disease prevention,” said Executive Director Zubeida Ramji. “We know they have touched patients’ lives in hospital and long-term care settings, and in the community. They have also become leaders, mentors and shining examples of discipline and integrity. Our IENs have heart and make an impact.”

IENs who join CARE Centre have received an assessment from the College of Nurses of Ontario and a Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment, and either have received or applied for permanent residency status in Canada. They receive their training through college and university educational partners, as well as health care institutions. CARE Centre nurses come from a wide range of countries, including the Philippines, India, China, Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, as well as many nations in the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses is a not-for-profit professional organization funded by the Government of Ontario. Ontario receives support for some skills training programs from the Government of Canada. CARE Centre recognizes the unique skills and experience of internationally educated nurses and assists them in updating their credentials to meet Ontario standards for Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses, obtain employment, advance in their careers, and contribute to health care excellence in Ontario. CARE Centre achieves these goals through case management support, nursing-specific language education, exam preparation, mentoring and networking. CARE Centre is a registered charity (charitable number 84420 5948 RR0001).

For all media inquiries please contact:

Tina Novotny
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
45 Sheppard Ave East, Suite 512
Toronto, Ontario M2N 5W9
416-226-2800 ext 240

Funded by:

Ontario receives support for some skills training programs from the Government of Canada