By Debbie Bathgate

Monday, May 6, 2013 the Saskatchewan Association of Nurse Practitioners, (SANP), hosted a successful MLA Reception in room 208 in the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, Regina. The aim of this advocacy event included obtaining commitment from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Advanced Education to work with Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to find meaningful and useful solutions to the problems of recruitment, retention, and providing sustainable, provide high quality, accessible, affordable and sustainable primary health care services in Saskatchewan.

The current government of Saskatchewan is trying hard to spin positives out of nothing, again. Both on April 9 and April 16, 2013 Rural and Remote Health Minister, Randy Weeks announced, on behalf of Advanced Education Minister Don Morgan, a "new program" that will encourage nurses and NURSE PRACTITIONERS to work in rural and remote areas of the province. The program will forgive Saskatchewan Student Loans of up to $4,000 per year up to a maximum of $20,000 over 5 years if Nurse Practitioners work in under-served rural and remote communities with a population less than 10,000.

http://gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=bd932453-f816-4c9f-ae91-a2381ba07bb7

Only a few remaining barriers remain to enable Nurse Practitioners to prescribe controlled drugs and substances. Maureen Klenk, RN(NP), and Chief Nursing Officer of SK, Lynn Digney Davis RN(NP) describe this in an interview by Janet French of the Star Phoenix published March 23, 2013.

http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=ba9b333c-fa4f-4fc0-aff7-0da288c0f7fc

9th Annual Nurse Practitioner Education Conference & AGM

April 16 & 17, 2013

Travelodge Saskatoon SK

Thank you to the Gold Level Sponsors

Thank you to the Silver Level Sponsors

By Debbie Bathgate

As of February 1, 2013, SK Workers Compensation Board newly recognized RN(NP)s as Primary Care Providers both formally and legally. An online manual describes the NPs scope of practice and accountability for providing the service.