SickKids receives national recognition for advancing nursing excellence

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been named the recipient of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) 2026 Employer Recognition Award, a national honour recognizing the hospital’s commitment to supporting nursing specialty certification and advancing nursing excellence. 

Presented annually by the CNA, the award recognizes employers that foster environments where nurses are empowered to develop specialized expertise, pursue lifelong learning, and advance excellence in patient care. 

The CNA adjudication committee acknowledged SickKids’ foundational role in developing the first Canadian Paediatric Nursing Standards and its ongoing contributions to paediatric and paediatric critical care certification examinations. The committee also highlighted how specialty certification is embedded within SickKids’ organizational culture, reflecting a hallmark of practice excellence and nursing leadership. 

“At SickKids, specialty certification is part of a broader culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing and professional growth,” says Judy Van Clieaf, Vice-President of Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer at SickKids. “By supporting nurses in developing advanced expertise, SickKids helps ensure children and families benefit from evidence-informed care across some of the most specialized areas of paediatric health care.” 

SickKids nurses pursuing specialty certification are supported through protected learning opportunities, mentorship, recognition initiatives and financial assistance, including the Nursing Specialty Certification Grant Program (NSCGP). 

Through the NSCGP, SickKids financially supports eligible nurses pursuing CNA specialty certification and recertification, helping strengthen expertise across a wide range of clinical areas. 

“Our nurses continuously invest in their learning, share their expertise and help advance paediatric nursing practice across the organization,” says Bonnie Fleming-Carroll, Associate Chief of Nursing and Interprofessional Education. “This award belongs to every nurse, educator, leader and team member who helps make SickKids a place where nurses can learn, grow and thrive.”