BMO Financial Group has partnered with Surrey Hospitals Foundation with a gift of $250,000 to help further the professional development of pediatric nurses. This is the largest grant invested for pediatric nursing professional development in Fraser Health’s history, and will benefit the health care of children in region.
Surrey Memorial Hospital is the pediatric hub of Fraser Health as the largest provider of newborn and pediatric health care in the region, treating more than 50,000 babies and children annually. Over 5,000 babies are born inside the Mata Tripta Family Birthing Unit each year, the second largest volume of deliveries in BC and the largest maternity unit associated with a general hospital in the province.
“We’re proud to support the Surrey Hospitals Foundation as their new pediatric clinical partner. While this program targets pediatric nurses, the benefits will be felt by many children and their families in the region” says James Kitamura, Regional President, Personal Banking, British Columbia and Yukon Region, BMO Bank of Montreal. “At BMO, we’re committed to Growing the Good in business and life which extends to our communities and in this case, one of the busiest pediatric hospitals in the province.”
Surrey Memorial Hospital is a major clinical education centre where approximately 2,100 clinical learners receive training annually. BMO’s pediatric nursing education grant will help up to 25 pediatric nurses each year acquire new skills and training. The program will benefit qualified nursing staff at Surrey Memorial Hospital who work in the Children’s Health Centre, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Family Birthing Unit or Pediatric Emergency Department, to develop new skills, upgrade their designations, and participate in specialized education for new medical services and treatments.
“This is an incredibly important investment, especially with almost half of BC’s children residing in the Fraser Health region, most of them in Surrey alone,” says Dermot Kelly, Fraser Health’s Vice President of Community Hospitals and Health Services. “Surrey Memorial Hospital is a major high risk birthing centre for the Fraser Health region and grants like this is absolutely critical in supporting development of our pediatric nursing staff who provide care for newborns, children and youth.”
As Surrey continues to grow at an unprecedented rate with more young families moving to the area, it is important to invest in pediatric care. Surrey Hospitals Foundation is a great proponent of continued education, and this investment will benefit this group of specialty nursing staff so we can keep on top of health care best practices, and bring innovative programs to our hospitals.
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