NP Lead, Kate Bolohan, represented our clinic at the 2023 NPAO Queen’s Park Advocacy Day. The purpose of this event was to discuss the priorities of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Ontario (NPAO) with (Members of Provincial Parliament) MPP’s .
These priorities include:
Retention through adequate compensation and funding models
- The lack of appropriate funding models limits the number of public positions and practice settings for Nurse Practitioners, preventing them from practicing where they are needed most. In addition, the public pay scale does not reflect the fact that Nurse Practitioners are highly trained and educated professionals with years of experience and Masters’ degrees. Low and inequitable compensation in public sectors pushes NPs to work in private clinics where they are compensated fairly for their work and advanced training. Ontarians suffer when the public healthcare system can’t retain talent and when qualified healthcare providers are not able to practice where the patients are.
Supporting Quality Long Term Care
- As a result of their graduate-level preparation, Nurse Practitioners are poised to improve the quality of life of residents living in long term care settings. They can diagnose and issue prescriptions, helping to bring quality medical care into these environments which have suffered during the pandemic. As well, they are able to deliver MAID, supporting high-quality end-of-life care for Ontarians.
Improving Mental Health for Ontarians
- Nurse Practitioners focus on a comprehensive approach to care that focuses on all aspects of patients health and wellbeing. With the ability to diagnose and prescribe medications, Nurse Practitioners are able to bring mental health care and support to their communities, reducing barriers in accessing this critical care.
