Advancing Healthcare Access Through Nurse Practitioner Programs in Canada

Growing demands on health care systems mean we need more nurses and other health care providers in all settings. All nurse practitioners are regulated by the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta and must have completed graduate studies. As a first point of contact, primary care providers like nurse practitioners and family doctors diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries, screen for cancer and chronic conditions, and provide preventive care for people of all ages. Primary care is a key solution to this critical issue, as without a primary care team, people may wait too long before being seen, and end up in the emergency department or in hospital.

The Alberta Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program Success

Alberta's government says its attempt to provide more residents with primary care access is working. Launched in April, the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program allows nurse practitioners to see patients independently, either by working in existing primary care settings or operating their own practices. Of the 67 applications submitted to the program, 56 have been approved. As of Nov. 12, 33 NPs are now working in communities around the province, including locations like Cold Lake, Coaldale, Three Hills and Vegreville.

Health minister Adriana LaGrange said, "I'm truly thrilled about the response we've seen." In order to participate in the program, NPs have to maintain a patient panel of at least 900 people and accept walk-in appointments until they reach that number. They must also offer after-hours access on weekends, evenings or holidays and commit to providing a set number of hours of medically-necessary primary care services. Once all 56 NPs are fully set up, the province said that primary health care access will expand to about 51,000 Albertans. Additionally, nine of those applicants said they plan to work on First Nations or Métis settlements.

UBC Vancouver School of Nursing: Training a New Generation

This September, UBC’s School of Nursing in Vancouver welcomed twice as many new students to its Master of Nursing-Nurse Practitioner (NP) degree program. Funded as part of a significant provincial expansion of nurse practitioner seats, the School admitted 60 nurses to the 2-year graduate program, which will prepare them to work in communities across BC as family nurse practitioners. According to the School’s Director Elizabeth Saewyc, this increase makes the program the largest in Canada, and helps fill an urgent need for more primary care providers across the province. By graduating an even greater number of NPs each year to join team-based primary clinics or start their own practices, the program will improve access to services and reduce strain on crowded emergency rooms.

Key Statistics of Nurse Practitioner Program Expansions