|
CAAPN is a national Canadian organization consisting of over 500 members, mainly Advanced Practice Nurses, encompassing a multitude of specialties. The common and integral bond that links members is advanced nursing practice. All members function as advanced practice nurses or are students of advanced practice programs, generally at a master of nursing or doctorate prepared level, across Canada.
CAAPN is a member of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA). Advanced Practice Nurses, also known as Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Acute Care (or Specialty) Nurse Practitioners (ACNPs) and Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners (PHC NPs), work with patients and their families across the continuum of care (acute, family practice, rehabilitation, home, and long-term).
As Advanced Practice Nurses, we work collaboratively with other members of the healthcare team to not only provide individual patient care, but also to improve practice and community/population health, using evidence-based, best practice research to develop, implement and evaluate care.
Clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners provide care at an independent level, working both autonomously and in collaboration with physician colleagues. CAAPN is the voice for all Advanced Practice Nurses, with the goal of advocating for reducing barriers and supporting APNs who wish to achieve a master of nursing preparation in their specialty.
Our membership has representation from all regions of Canada. The largest cohort of CAAPN members resides in Ontario. There is also significant representation from British Columbia, Alberta, and the Atlantic provinces, and membership is growing all the time!
Our members practice across a range of clinical areas, function in a variety of roles (most commonly Clinical Nurse Specialist and/or Nurse Practitioner), and are found within both the public and private sectors of our health care system. The common and integral bond that links members is advanced practice nursing. All members either function as advanced practice nurses or have an interest in this realm of the nursing profession.
The history of advanced practice nursing in Canada is highlighted in several articles written by the pioneers of nursing who have made it their mandate to move nursing forward! CAAPN is proud of Canada's pioneers, and we hope to become a strong resource to all who want to learn more about the history of advanced practice nursing.
Please view our membership organizational structure description.
Standards of practice refer to the Canadian Nurses Association's description of the advanced practice roles. The standards of practice for CNS's and NP's have been recently updated on CNA's website.
|
