Dear NP colleagues,
On November 29, 2017, RNAO’s Board of Directors unanimously accepted and launched the Nurse Practitioner Interest Group (NPIG). NPIG provides nurse practitioners (NP) a venue to network and collaborate, bring an advanced NP perspective to RNAO’s public policy work, and contribute to an even stronger collective nursing voice in Ontario. As the co-chairs of the interest group we would like to introduce ourselves and also get to know you.
Meet the NPIG co-chairs, Larissa Gadsby and Mae Katt:
Hi everyone, my name is Larissa Gadsby and I have worked as a paediatric nurse for the past seven years. My experience ranges from general paediatrics, oncology/hematology, and neurology. I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at McMaster University, as well as a Post Masters Nurse Practitioner Diploma from the University of Toronto. I am currently practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in paediatric neurology at McMaster Children's Hospital. Through caring for children with chronic illness, I have developed strong advocacy skills and a rich understanding of the various gaps and barriers in services for many children and their families. Since attending an RNAO Board of Director's student placement in 2010, I have been interested in influencing policy and speaking out for nursing and the health of Ontarians. I have been active in the Paediatric Nurses Interest Group for the past four years, serving two years as the Interest Group Chair. I currently act as the Region 4 Representative to the RNAO Board of Directors and am one of the co-chairs of the Nurse Practitioner Interest Group. ~ Larissa N. Gadsby, RN (EC), BScN, MScN, NP-Paediatrics
Hello everyone, my name is Mae Katt and I work as a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner in Thunder Bay Ontario. My nursing career includes Primary Health Care, mental health and addictions, adolescent health, maternal and child health and community health. I have a strong health policy and research background in youth suicide, early psychosis, cancer care, acquired brain injury and community development. I also coordinate a Mobile Treatment Team that provides opiate-agonist treatment with Suboxone in remote and rural First Nations and at a First Nations high school. The high school program has been successful in eliminating high opioid prevalence. I hold a degree in nursing and Master of Education (Curriculum Specialty) and was appointed by the Ontario Minister of Health to the Mental Health and Addictions Leadership Council responsible for the implementation of Phase 2 of the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. This appointment concluded on January 15, 2018. I was also recently appointed to the Opioid Emergency Task Force set up by the Ontario Health Minister. I have been an active member of RNAO since 1994 and given the active role of RNAO in advancing the role of NPs and the quality of life of indigenous people, I am thrilled to be one of the co-chairs for the Nurse Practitioners Interest Group. ~ Mae Katt, RN(EC), HBScN, MEd, NP-PHC, Temagami First Nation (Ojibway)
NPIG is RNAO’s latest development to support NPs. RNAO has spent decades supporting NPs and has been the catalyst for major developments in the NP role. These include: the establishment of the legislated NP role in 1998; launching Ontario's first NP-led clinic in Sudbury in 2007 and 25 additional ones in subsequent years; major expansions to NPs' scope including the authority to admit, treat, transfer and discharge hospital in-patients since 2011; working with the provincial government to fund 75 new attending NP positions in long-term care since 2015; enabling NPs to prescribe controlled substances in 2017; and the recent inclusion of NPs to the Palliative Care Facilitated Access (PCFA) Program.
RNAO also has initiatives dedicated to NPs such as the online NP forum, and an annual NP Knowledge Exchange. With the establishment of this interest group for NPs, we can continue to progress the role of NPs and highlight the tremendous work you do every day.
NPIG and RNAO are seeking more information about your practice to aid in our advocacy efforts in achieving full utilization and fair compensation for NPs across the province. Let us know more about you and your practice by completing this survey by February 23, 2018.
The follow positions on the NPIG are still vacant:
- Communications executive network officer
- Social media executive network officer
- Finance executive network officer
- Membership executive network officer
- Policy and political action executive network officer
If you are interested in applying for one of these positions, please complete the attached form and forward your interest to us by March 23, 2018 at 5pm at lgadsby@rnao.ca and mkatt@rnao.ca.
Thank you to those who have already joined the NPIG. All RNAO members, including NPs, RNs, and nursing students are eligible to join and there is no fee for the 2017-2018 membership year. To learn more about the group, or to join NPIG for the 2017-2018 membership year, visit RNAO.ca/NPIG or call 1-800-268-7199.
If you are a member of RNAO, please accept our sincere thanks for being part of our winning team.
If you aren't a member of RNAO, a mature, reliable nursing body with a strong, influential voice of over 41,000 RNs, NPs and nursing students – join today. Professional liability protection (PLP), a mandatory requirement of the CNO, is included at no extra charge and takes effect the moment your application is accepted.
RNAO membership - inclusive of PLP, cyber liability protection (CLP), and all taxes - costs only $256. The ONA group rate is only $175. The fee for colleagues working less than 15 hours per week or on mat leave is only $87.83 per year. PLP and taxes are already included in all fee categories.
NPs, RNs and nursing students that join RNAO enjoy many other membership benefits including the association's award-winning Registered Nurse Journal, monthly newsletter In the Loop, advocacy actions, free educational offerings including the NP Knowledge Exchange leadership development opportunities, the NP electronic forum and endless networking opportunities.
To optimize your benefits, join today online at MyRNAO.ca/join or call 1-800-268-7199.
Warm regards,
Larissa N. Gadsby, RN (EC), BScN, MScN, NP-Paediatrics
& Mae Katt, RN(EC), HBScN, MEd, NP-PHC