CTV News Kitchener’s Spencer Turcotte to receive RNAO media award

A nurse holds a tablet in this stock image from Shutterstock.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) has announced the recipients of this year’s Media Awards competition and CTV Kitchener’s Spencer Turcotte is one of the winners.

Turcotte will be receiving an award for best in-depth television report or series for this three-part series in May 2023, during National Nursing Week.

He is one of eight journalists who are receiving an award for work they wrote or produced.

"The stories being recognized highlight the successes and the challenges nurses, other health professionals and the public experience every day in our system. That’s why it’s so important we honour journalists for sharing their stories and standing up for the most vulnerable,” said RNAO CEO Doris Grinspun in a media release.

Entries were judged by a panel of nurses and journalists.

Awards will be handed out at RNAO's 99th Annual General Meeting on Friday, June 21.

Winning series

In the first part of his winning series, Turcotte interviewed staff at Cambridge Memorial Hospital who talked about how they’re recruiting and retaining nursing staff.

“We are at a place in time when we are more worried about staffing than we are about the spread of COVID-19,” said chief nursing executive Stephanie Pearsall at the time.

In the second part of the series, Turcotte reported on an internationally-trained nurse who found employment through a unique program at Grand River Hospital.

Harjeet Brar trained as a nurse in India before getting her license to be a registered nurse in Canada in April of 2023.

In the final part of the series, Turcotte went to St. Mary’s General Hospital to look at how nursing responsibilities evolved over the years.

Turcotte spoke to those in the cardiac centre, benefitting from leading care provided by nurse practitioners.

“Because the surgeons are in the operating room most days, patients will see me on behalf of their surgeon to plan and provide their medical care and then review with the surgeons if there’s any concerns,” said Jennifer Harrison, a nurse practitioner.

Entries were judged by a panel of nurses and journalists.

Awards will be handed out at RNAO's 99th Annual General Meeting on Friday, June 21.