Nurse Practitioners: Part of the Health-care Team

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are health-care professionals who care for patients in hospitals, homes, community clinics and other practice settings across Alberta. There are more than 1,000 NPs registered in the province who provide safe, competent and ethical care.

In order to practise as an NP in Alberta, individuals must be registered with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) and they are regulated under the Health Professions Act. To become a registrant with the CRNA, NPs are required to continually meet registration requirements, including having a master’s degree from an approved NP program and passing the national registration exam. NPs are required to follow professional guidelines, meet standards, and keep their knowledge and skills up to date.

As part of their role and responsibilities, NPs can:

• Diagnose and treat illnesses
• Prescribe medications
• Order and interpret diagnostic tests
• Provide referrals

NPs are eligible to operate their own clinics and provide care independently under the Government of Alberta’s Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program (NPPCP). NPs have a broad, autonomous and independent scope of practice, and are essential members of the interdisciplinary team and within independent practice.

Understanding the role of NPs can help patients and families make informed health-care decisions.