Dear NPAA members,
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust in us as we continue to advocate for our profession. We continue to engage with key stakeholders in addressing your concerns and keep your priorities top of mind.
Since our last update, Jen and I have been very active:
- The last special meeting of the membership on March 6, engaged over 200 NPAA members in which we presented the proposed NP Compensation Plan from Alberta Health. A record numbers event! We are so happy to see the interest and growth in our membership!
It was a government requirement to host this under confidentiality and thus the NDA process. Thank you for bearing with us, during that process! It was not fun for us either.
If you missed the meeting, we will be hosting more information sessions. Hopefully, under different circumstances.
From that event, we gathered all of your feedback through discussion, the chat and our survey and have brought that information back to Alberta Health. Since the event, we continue to receive your feedback and we hear that the majority of you are not supportive of the model the way that it currently stands or are tentatively awaiting further details and clarification. We have requested another urgent meeting with Alberta Health and Minister LeGrange to address these concerns and will revisit the proposal to ensure its sustainability and competitiveness.
Please know that the NDA is still in effect and we will be sure to inform you when this is lifted.
Please continue to reach out with your concerns and questions.
- Board Nominations close on April 5.
We are looking for 4 directors at large to be representatives at each pillar of the healthcare restructuring plan. Backgrounds in primary care, acute care, continuing care mental health and addiction and indigenous health are assets.
Director of Education and Secretary are also up for nomination. Please see the website for further details.
Apply with the nomination form on the members webpage.
Board terms are two years, with the option to renew for another term. The commitment is 2 hours per month for board meetings and up to 5-10 hours / week when working on special projects, presenting, or sitting on committees.
We have multiple positions coming available and need new volunteers to bring their energy and enthusiasm to the board. More hands make light work and also diversity of perspective. Please consider throwing your name in the hat!
- Single licensure – We continue to meet with NPAC, CRNA, CASN, AHS, University of Alberta, etc. This hot topic of single licensure requires all of us to be informed and engaged in this process. Please read the updates from CRNA and you may read more about single licensure on the CCRNR website. Single licensure has the potential to severely impact NP education, workforce capacity, and our professional designations. We have brought forward concerns about workforce implications, specialty practice (NICU / adult), education changes and residency considerations to multiple tables. We are working on a national position statement with NPAC around this issue. Please provide your feedback on the CRNA survey that was recently distributed.
- Legislative changes – Jen engaged with key stakeholders, including ministers and NP leaders, to identify legislative barriers to NP practice. A letter to ministers and the legislature was sent in November and again in February, highlighting changes to be addressed at the spring sitting of the legislature. We requested adjustments to the following legislation: Health Professions Act, Alberta Healthcare Insurance Act, Alberta Insurance Act, Business Corporations Act, and Adult Guardian and Trustee Act. We also requested modernization of all provincial forms to include nurse practitioners as healthcare providers. This would include AISH, disability forms, insurance forms, etc. stay tuned and fingers crossed!
- We continue to represent the profession at multiple tables: In addition to the stakeholders mentioned above we have spent our time engaging with our lobbyist firm, multiple NPAA members, physician colleagues, countless industry partners, MAPS, Women’s Health Coalition, and presented at a few conferences / meetings.
Your board has been actively supporting ongoing initiatives:
- New webpage on NPAA site: Healthcare professionals (pharmacist, physician, chiropractor, etc) interested in collaborating with a NP will soon be able to advertise their clinic space on our website. You will then be able to look at available spaces near you and connect with them directly.
- Recruitment for an Executive Director. We have completed our first round of interviews and will continue until we find the candidate most suitable for the position.
- AGM – SAVE THE DATE – JUNE 1, 2024. This will be an industry sponsored event with a special education session and guest speaker on HPV. Networking opportunities to occur with fellow NPs Important AGM updates with bylaw review. Continue to watch for further details and registration information over the coming weeks.
- Bylaws – our bylaws from 2019 were due for a review. We will be posting the new constitution on the members webpage in the next month for your review. Changes to be voted on at the upcoming AGM.
- 2024 CONFERENCE – SAVE THE DATE – NPAA is celebrating 20 years of advocacy this year. Our 20th Anniversary Conference will be Sept 12/13, 2024 in EDMONTON.
- Conference Committee Call Out – PLEASE JOIN
We want to celebrate all that NPs have achieved over the years. Please consider joining our conference committee to make sure this event is a success. Email communications@albertanps.com to join the committee.
Watch for more information as we will be calling out for speakers and sponsors in the coming months.
- Education sessions upcoming – Check the education calendar on the website for upcoming events!
- Networking
Hoping to find colleagues to explore entrepreneurship, collaborate or team up with? Check out the “Alberta NP Direct-Reimbursement Interest Connection” on facebook. This is not a NPAA hosted or monitored site. However, please consider the professional intent of the page and current NDAs in place when posting and engaging in discussion.