NP's Have Representation
The title of Nurse Practitioner (NP) was not title protected until 2003. In 2003 Bill 27 reclassified “RN extended class” as “Nurse Practitioner” and removed the new category from the Regional Health Authority Collective Bargaining Regulation (RHACBR). The government felt the NPs were expanding their scope of practice and were becoming more like physicians than nurses, and planned for them to negotiate wages, etc. on their own behalf as other professionals do. This was done without any consultation with NPs.
Since that time, NPs have not had any formal representation to negotiate wages, benefits, or working conditions . While there have been changes over time to remuneration, it has not been adequate or kept pace with the changes in RN salaries over time….
Until Now
October 12, 2023, the Alberta Union of Nurse Practitioners (AUNP) overwhelmingly ratified its first collective bargaining agreement between Alberta's 4 Provincial Health Agencies (Recovery Alberta, Continuing Care Alberta, Primary Care Alberta and Acute Care Alberta), Covenant Health, and nurse practitioners (NPs) across Alberta. More than 84 percent of AUNP members cast a vote, and a whopping 96.4 percent of voting NPs supported ratification of this landmark agreement, the result of 16 months of collective bargaining between the employer and AUNP bargaining teams.
What NPs Do?
NPs are highly trained clinicians with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nursing which prepare them for advanced clinical practice. NP roles exist throughout hospitals, outpatient clinics, and the community. These versatile health professionals are excellent clinicians, and qualified to diagnose, treat, prescribe, refer, and manage the care of Albertans in need. Research demonstrates that team-based care delivery optimizes the skills of professionals and contributes to improved care. NPs are poised to participate even more fully within the current health environment, to strengthen our province’s health care system, and to further improve patient care across Alberta.
What's Next
AUNP is dedicated to forging and growing positive relationships with the major employers in Alberta, and to fostering fruitful collaborative relationships with other health care professionals including physicians, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and nurses.