The Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Western Canada: A Cross-Sectional Practice Analysis Comparison.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing Practice
• Health Workforce Studies

Background:

• Regular health workforce data examination is vital due to rapid health system and legislative changes.
• Nurse practitioner (NP) studies are needed to address gaps in practice, policy, and population needs.
• Limited Canadian provincial-territorial NP workforce data hinders effective health planning and policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine similarities and differences in Canadian nurse practitioner (NP) practice patterns across multiple jurisdictions.
• To provide essential jurisdictional comparison data for government health workforce planning and policy.
• To offer insights into NP demographics, education, integration, and employment activities.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed.
• An electronic survey was distributed to 852 registered NPs in three Canadian provinces.
• A convenience sample of 375 NP respondents provided data for analysis.

Main Results:

• Canadian NPs leverage extensive registered nurse expertise.
• NPs effectively serve diverse patient populations, including medically complex cases, in varied healthcare settings.
• NPs across all surveyed jurisdictions practice to their full scope in both rural and urban environments.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to compare NP workforce data across multiple Canadian jurisdictions.
• Findings highlight the significant value and broad applicability of NP roles in Canadian healthcare.
• The data can assist governments in addressing health workforce deficiencies and improving service planning.