New campaign highlights the important role of Nurse Practitioners in New Brunswick healthcare

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“NPs are ready to care” campaign launches ahead of Nurse Practitioner Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FREDERICTON, NB – November 6, 2026 – Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick (NPNB) is launching a new public awareness campaign to better understand the role of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and the comprehensive primary care they provide.

Launching ahead of Nurse Practitioner Week, November 8–14, the NPs are ready to care campaign highlights NPs' broad scope of practice and their important contribution to strengthening access to quality healthcare across the province.

“Many New Brunswickers may not realize just how much a Nurse Practitioner can do,” said Natasha Stephen, NP, President of Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick. “NPs are highly educated healthcare professionals who can diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, order tests and refer patients to specialists. They can also be your ongoing primary care provider, building relationships, and supporting your health through every stage of life.”

As New Brunswick works to strengthen access to primary care, the campaign highlights the important contribution of Nurse Practitioners and helps New Brunswickers better understand how NPs can support their healthcare needs.

Through the campaign's No problem for a Nurse Practitioner creative concept, New Brunswickers will learn the many ways NPs support their health, from everyday illnesses and preventive care to managing chronic and complex health conditions.

Nurse Practitioners can provide primary care independently or work collaboratively with physicians and other healthcare professionals to meet patients' needs. Their advanced clinical expertise, combined with a focus on prevention, health promotion and ongoing patient relationships, makes them an important part of New Brunswick's evolving healthcare system.

“Improving access to primary care means making the most of the skills and expertise of all our healthcare professionals. Nurse Practitioners bring valuable expertise and capacity to primary care teams, working alongside physicians and other healthcare professionals to support more people,” said Dr. John Dornan, Minister of Health, New Brunswick Department of Health. “This campaign will help New Brunswickers better understand their important role as we continue to build a stronger, more collaborative healthcare system.”

The campaign will be featured across digital and social media channels, encouraging New Brunswickers to learn more about the role and capabilities of Nurse Practitioners.

“Ultimately, we want New Brunswickers to understand that Nurse Practitioners provide much more than one-time care,” added Michelle Pittman, NP, VP of Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick. “They get to know their patients, understand their health histories and provide comprehensive, ongoing care. We hope this campaign helps more people recognize the important role NPs play in their health and in our healthcare system.”

To learn more about Nurse Practitioners and the care they provide, visit NP Campaign — NURSE PRACTITIONERS OF NB / INFIRMIÈRES PRATICIENNES DU N.-B.

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Media Contact:

Natasha Stephen, NP, President, NBNB
506.608.2433, npnbexecutiveoffice@gmail.com

NPNB Calls for Immediate Halt to Forced Redeployment of Nurse Practitioners from Primary Care to Emergency Department RN Positions

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick (NPNB) is calling for an immediate halt to the forced or involuntary redeployment of nurse practitioners from their primary care practices to fill registered nurse vacancies in emergency departments.

NPNB is deeply concerned by reports that nurse practitioners in the Restigouche area (Zone 5) are being required to leave their established primary care practices to work as registered nurses in the emergency department at Campbellton Regional Hospital. The New Brunswick Nurses’ Union raised similar concerns in its October 16 statement, including the potential risks to patients and the need for voluntary, collaborative approaches to redeployment.

“We cannot solve a staffing shortage in one part of our healthcare system by creating another shortage in primary care. This is not an acceptable or sustainable approach to workforce planning,” says Sharon Hamilton, President of Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick.

NPNB recognizes the significant pressures facing emergency departments and the importance of maintaining safe services for patients. Nurse practitioners can contribute valuable expertise to emergency care when appropriately deployed within their competencies. However, requiring NPs to abandon their primary care practices to fill registered nurse vacancies raises serious concerns about patient safety, continuity of care, and the appropriate use of healthcare professionals.

Patients must not become the casualties of workforce planning

Nurse practitioners provide essential primary care services, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, chronic disease management, preventive care, and ongoing support for patients with complex health needs.

When an NP is removed from an established practice, patients may lose timely access to the provider who knows their medical history, manages their conditions, and coordinates their care. Abruptly disrupting these relationships without adequate planning for continuity of care could leave patients with few alternatives other than seeking care through already pressured emergency departments.

“Primary care is not an optional service that can be set aside whenever another area experiences a staffing crisis,” says Hamilton. “Patients depend on their nurse practitioners. Any decision that disrupts these relationships must consider the consequences for those patients and ensure that safe, appropriate alternative care is in place.”

Redeployment must be collaborative and voluntary

NPNB supports collaborative workforce solutions that enable healthcare professionals to contribute where they are most needed while protecting patient safety and continuity of care.

The concerns raised by NBNU regarding the voluntary nature of its redeployment initiative reinforce the importance of collaboration rather than last-minute decisions that place additional pressure on healthcare professionals and the patients they serve.

NPNB believes that sustainable solutions require meaningful engagement with nurse practitioners and their professional representatives, appropriate consideration of existing patient rosters, adequate notice, and a clear plan to maintain access to primary care.

The longstanding nature of staffing pressures must also be acknowledged. Where shortages are foreseeable, workforce planning should anticipate them rather than rely on measures that risk destabilizing other essential services.

NPNB calls for immediate action

NPNB is calling on Vitalité Health Network and the New Brunswick Department of Health to:

• Immediately halt forced or involuntary redeployment of nurse practitioners from established primary care practices to fill RN vacancies in emergency departments.

• Protect continuity of care for patients whose NPs may be affected, with appropriate arrangements for timely access to another qualified provider before any practice disruption occurs.

• Engage directly with NPs and their professional representatives to develop collaborative, sustainable staffing solutions.

• Provide transparency and accountability regarding the rationale for these decisions, the anticipated impact on primary care access, and the alternatives considered.

• Develop long-term workforce plans that address emergency department staffing shortages without undermining primary care services.

“Nurse practitioners are an essential part of the solution to New Brunswick’s healthcare challenges, not a resource that can be moved without considering the consequences,” Hamilton says. “We urge Vitalité and government to work with the professionals delivering care, protect patients who depend on primary care, and find a solution that addresses staffing pressures without transferring the risk to another group of patients.”

NPNB is ready to work collaboratively with government, the Regional Health Authorities, NBNU, and other healthcare partners to develop solutions that support both emergency services and accessible, continuous primary care.

Patients should not lose access to their primary care provider because the healthcare system has failed to plan adequately for predictable staffing needs.

Contact:

Sharon Hamilton, President, Nurse Practitioners of NB. npnbexecutiveoffice@gmail.com

About Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick is dedicated to advancing the role of nurse practitioners in the healthcare system, ensuring that all residents have access to high-quality, comprehensive primary care.

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick Call for Provincial Action Following Federal Health Policy Clarification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2026

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick Call for Provincial Action Following Federal Health Policy Clarification

Today marks an important step forward for equitable access to healthcare in Canada. As of April 1, 2026, the federal government is reinforcing the application of the Canada Health Act to ensure that patients are not charged for medically necessary services — regardless of whether those services are provided by a physician or another qualified healthcare professional.

This clarification recognizes the evolving role of nurse practitioners and other regulated providers who are delivering physician-equivalent care across the country.

What this means:

• No patient charges for medically necessary care: Patients should not be required to pay for services that would be publicly insured if provided by a physician.

• Support for team-based care: Nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other regulated professionals play a critical role in improving access to care.

• A more equitable system: Access to necessary care should be based on need — not on the ability or willingness to pay.

In New Brunswick, this federal policy creates a clear expectation: provincial health systems must ensure that medically necessary services provided by nurse practitioners are publicly covered when those same services are insured if delivered by a physician.

This represents a significant opportunity to improve access to care, reduce barriers, and better utilize the full scope of nurse practitioners within the healthcare system.

Nurse practitioners are already providing high-quality, accessible care to patients across New Brunswick. This policy reinforces that patients should not face financial barriers when accessing that care. We now need provincial action to ensure this is reflected in practice.

The Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick call on the Government of New Brunswick to act swiftly to align with this federal direction and ensure patients can access care without out-of-pocket costs.

New Brunswickers are encouraged to contact their elected officials and advocate for their right to accessible, publicly funded healthcare.

Modernizing New Brunswick’s Healthcare: Empowering Nurse Practitioners to Bridge the Primary Care Ga

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 10, 2024

Modernizing New Brunswick’s Healthcare: Empowering Nurse Practitioners to Bridge the Primary Care Gap

Fredericton, NB – With approximately 180,000 New Brunswickers currently lacking a primary care provider, the time has come to modernize our healthcare system. Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick are calling for a transformative approach that will enable nurse practitioners (NPs) to launch their own or join other publicly funded team-based primary care clinics, ensuring timely and comprehensive healthcare access for all residents.

“We have more than two hundred nurse practitioners in the province, and that number is growing.” Chantal Ricard, Nurse Practitioner and President of Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick. “If allowed to practice to our full scope of expertise in publicly funded team-based primary care clinics, we can ensure all New Brunswickers have access to primary care.”

Nurse practitioners are experienced registered nurses with graduate-level education in advanced clinical practice in primary care. They often earn additional certifications and advanced degrees.

Nurse practitioners evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, refer patients to specialists, and oversee comprehensive care. They provide a wide range of services within their scope of practice, training, and expertise, ensuring all aspects of a patient's health are addressed.

“British Columbia and Alberta have successfully implemented a model that allows nurse practitioners to lead primary care clinics or join existing team-based settings,” says Ricard. “Nurse practitioners in Alberta are paid directly by the province at a set salary and, in some cases, receive initial funding to establish their clinics. A similar model can be applied in New Brunswick to expand access to primary care, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient satisfaction.”

Benefits for New Brunswickers

• Expanded Access: More primary care options, especially in underserved areas.

• Cost Efficiency: Lower overall healthcare expenditures due to timely preventative care and chronic disease management.

• System Relief: Reduced burden on emergency rooms and shorter wait times.

• Professional Satisfaction: More attractive working conditions for NPs, leading to better job satisfaction and improved retention.

• Patient Satisfaction: Quicker access to healthcare fosters stronger relationships with providers and enhances the overall patient experience.

“We recognize it’s not a one-size-fits-all model that will address all the growing healthcare strains,” adds Ricard. “Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick are eager to collaborate with provincial politicians, departments, and health authorities and the medical community to modernize our primary healthcare system. It is time we all come together to make our healthcare system better for everyone—New Brunswickers and healthcare professionals. Let’s ensure all New Brunswickers have access to primary care in 2026.”

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick have reached out to all the provincial party leaders for meetings to discuss the next steps to modernize primary care and how to empower nurse practitioners to transform health care.

Contact:

Sharon Hamilton, President-Elect, Nurse Practitioners of NB. npnbexecutiveoffice@gmail.com

About Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick

Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick is dedicated to advancing the role of nurse practitioners in the healthcare system, ensuring that all residents have access to high-quality, comprehensive primary care.

Eliminating barriers for Nurse Practitioners

Campaign urges private health insurers to amend policies.