Toronto nurse from Princess Margaret Hospital named as the 2019 Oncology Nurse of the Year by the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie (CANO/ACIO)

Toronto, Ontario (October 22, 2019) — The Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie (CANO/ACIO) is proud to announce this year’s winner of the prestigious Boehringer Ingelheim Oncology Nurse of the Year Award. Rana Jin, clinical nurse specialist at Princess Margaret Hospital’s Geriatric Oncology Program, was recognized by her peers for the exceptional impact she has made on the lives of seniors throughout her 20-year nursing career.

“Rana’s nominators, patients and family all reference her passion for oncology nursing and excellence in caring for older adults with cancer,” says Karen Janes, the Recognition of Excellence Committee Chair from CANO. “In her education-related activities, she has presented in two key workshops at CANO 2018 and participated in multiple research projects, leading to nine abstracts of poster or oral presentations at national and international meetings and three papers published in in 2018-2019.”

Rana was inspired to enter nursing by her mother and grandmother who were both dedicated nurses, but it was not until she was faced with her grandmother’s own experience suffering from breast cancer that she really understood the value nurses can bring to the overall patient experience. 

Rana’s experience with her grandmother led her to pursue a specialization in geriatric oncology. Today, she’s a clinical nurse specialist at Princess Margaret Hospital’s Geriatric Oncology Program, providing comprehensive clinical assessment and care planning for older adults referred to the program. She says she is honoured to have been recognized by her peers with the 2019 Boehringer Ingelheim Nurse of the Year Award.

“I feel so proud and honoured to have won this award for our entire geriatric oncology team because I would not be where I am today without my husband and children,” Rana says. “There are only a few geriatric oncology clinics in Canada, so I feel very fortunate to work at one of the best alongside my bright and talented colleagues. Awards like these are so appreciated because they help to advance educational opportunities in nursing.”

The Boehringer Ingelheim Oncology Nurse of the Year Award recognizes an oncology nurse who demonstrates passion and possesses the qualities needed in leadership and teamwork. Nominations were submitted by healthcare professionals, cancer patients, survivors and members of the community-at-large. The submissions were assessed by a panel of Canadian oncology nursing professionals who watched for exemplary service in oncology nursing excellence, oncology leadership and advocacy including contribution to advancing oncology nursing and/or health system transformation.

“We are thrilled to have selected Ms. Jin as the 2019 recipient of the Boehringer Ingelheim Nurse of the Year Award, and we appreciate the hard work of all the nurses who were nominated across Canada,” says Andrea Sambati, President & CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. “Oncology patients and their families rely on nurses for optimal care, and Ms. Jin has demonstrated a high level of excellence and compassion throughout her 20 year career.”

As the winner of the Boehringer Ingelheim Nurse of the Year Award 2019, Rana will be given $5,000 towards her further education and professional development. In the future, Rana looks forward to continuing her clinical work in geriatric oncology with the team at Princess Margaret Hospital and diving into more educational work once she earns her doctorate in 2021.

“When I finish my doctorate, I would like to continue with my clinical work, but also focus on research and education and being more involved in the International Society of Geriatric Oncology to help raise awareness about the very specific needs of geriatric oncology patients,” she says.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSES IN ONCOLOGY
CANO/ACIO is the national organization that supports Canadian nurses to advance oncology nursing excellence through practice, education, research and leadership for the benefit of all Canadians. Our vision is that CANO/ACIO is a driving force nationally and an influencing force internationally in advancing excellence in cancer nursing across the cancer control spectrum. For further information on CANO/ACIO, the conference and awards please visit www.cano-acio.ca.

For more information contact:
Sheba Zaidi
416-969-2652
szaidi@getproof.com