Issues and Events
What's New?
Nursing Issues
This section includes information about a variety of current and emerging
local and national issues affecting nursing and health care.
Advocating for Health - Territorial Election Registered nurses are very familiar with the health care system. The Yukon Registered Nurses Association (YRNA) is presenting some ideas regarding health reform in the lead up to the territorial election on 11th October.
Click here 
for a copy of the report.
Territorial Election Questions
The Yukon public, health professionals and policy experts have examined research and innovative practices related to health over the last 12 years in a number of consultations. During these consultations, many ideas for improving the health of Yukoners and the health care system were suggested. Some recommendations have been implemented - however, fundamental, integrated changes have yet to be made towards a Yukon health care system which is more efficient and more sensitive to patient and community needs.
Click here for a copy of the questions
which reflect some of the critical issues and recommendations made in these consultations.
Addressing the Issue of Access to Health Care
In August, YRNA sent letters to the Minister of Health and to the local newspapers regarding issues related to access to health care for Yukoners.
Click here for a copy of the letter to Glenn Hart, Minister of Health.
Click here for a copy of the Letter to the Editor.
Latest Nursing Statistics Released
(December 2009)
Click here for a printable pdf version of YRNA's press release related to the publication Regulated Nurses: Canadian Trends, 2004 to 2008 published by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). The full report can be obtained from the CIHI website.
Legislation Opens Door for Nurse Practitioners
(December 2009)
Click here for a printable pdf version of YRNA's press release related to the passage of the new Registered Nurses Profession Act by the Yukon legislature.
Smoke-Free Places Legislation & Key Points
(September 2007)
Public consultations are currently taking place in Yukon communities on Smoke-Free Places Legislation. YRNA has developed key points which can be used to develop statements or letters of support.
Click here for a printable pdf version of this document.
Response from Premier Fentie to YRNA's November Letter
About Health Care Delivery in Yukon Communities
(January 2006)
Premier Fentie replied on January 17th, 2006 with the letter which can be viewed here.
Letter to Premier Fentie in Response to Comments
About Health Care Delivery in Yukon Communities
(November 2005)
The following letter (29 November 2005) was sent to Premier Dennis Fentie in response to a statement attributed to him in the November 23, 2005 Yukon News article entitled Doctors Grill Fentie. In the article, Mr. Fentie is quoted as saying: “The problem is especially evident in remote communities, where the state of health care is ’deplorable‘ for First Nation Yukoners, said Fentie.”
Click here for pdf version.
Registered Nurses Call for Collaborative Community Health Centre in Whitehorse
(February 2005)
The Yukon Registered Nurses Association (YRNA) says that it is time to change the way health care is delivered in the Yukon. Responding to recent media coverage about a lack of family physicians in the territory Lee Ash, President of the association, said “The issue is not simply a case of a shortage of doctors, but rather that we are not making full use of the health professionals we already have in the territory.” Click here for the full media release.
Yukon Registered Nurses Named to National Working Group
(February 2005)
he Federal Government, in recognition of the positive impact nurse practitioners are having on the health of Canadians, has provided a considerable amount of funding to the Canadian Nurses Association for the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative. The Yukon Registered Nurses Association (YRNA) will be actively involved in the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative with a number of Yukon nurses participating on various committees. Click here for the full media release.
Nurse Practitioners and Issues for the Yukon
(August 2004)
The August 2004 newsletter included a YRNA paper called Nurse Practitioners and Issues for the Yukon. YRNA intends that this paper will be the starting point for discussion on the future direction for nurse practitioners in the Yukon. This paper has been posted on the website in the YRNA Publications section. Click here to link to the paper. A number of broad questions have been developed for those of you who would like to provide feedback and be involved in some of the decisions that will need to be made regarding our future direction. Click here to link to the questions. Please take some time to read the paper and provide feedback. You can respond by phone, fax, e-mail or in person at the YRNA office. Copies of the paper will be sent to nursing and non-nursing stakeholders locally and nationally. Their feedback will also be taken into account as we move forward with this issue.
Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada Final Report
(November 2002)
In April 2001, the Prime Minister established the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, to review medicare, engage Canadians in a national dialogue on its future and make recommendations to enhance the system's quality and sustainability. In November 2002, Roy Romanow, the Commissioner for this endeavour, released his landmark report Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada. To see the final report, click here.
Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee Final Report
(September 2002)
The Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee (CNAC) was created in 2001 in response to the first recommendation of the Nursing Strategy for Canada. This strategy was developed by the Advisory Committee on Health Human Resources and approved by the Ministers of Health in October 2000. The primary goal of the CNAC was to formulate recommendations for policy direction that would improve the quality of nursing worklife at the federal, provincial and territorial levels. CNAC, chaired by Michael Decter, released its final report Our Health, Our Future: Creating Quality Workplaces for Canadian Nurses in September 2002. To see the final report click here. 
YRNA Statement to the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada
(April 2002)
YRNA was selected to appear before the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, headed by Roy Romanow during the Yukon consultations in April 2002. YRNA's submission to the Commission, The Preferred Future for Health and Illness Care in Canada, is downloadable from the Publications page or by clicking here.
Quality Professional Practice Environments
A quality nursing professional practice environment is one in which the needs and goals of the individual nurse are met at the same time as the patient or client is assisted to reach his or her individual health goals, within the costs and quality framework mandated by the organization where the care is provided (O'Brien-Pallas, L., Baumann, A. and Villeneuve, M., 1994).
Quality of work life is determined by many factors, many of which are inter-related. The diversity of the nursing workforce and of practice settings means that there is no single work life issue to be addressed, but rather a constellation of issues each contributing in a different way to professional and personal job satisfaction. The range of issues includes appropriate workload, professional leadership and clinical support, adequate continuing education, career mobility and career ladders, flexible scheduling and deployment, professional respect, protection against injuries and diseases related to the work place, and wages that commensurate with education, experience, responsibility and performance.
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Yukon Nursing Events
Registration Renewal 2012
Registration renewal paperwork will be mailed to members in late January. The deadline for completed renewal applications along with the continuing competence annual reporting form to be received at the YRNA office is March 1st. Applications for renewed RN (Practising) licensure received after March 1st will be charged a late fee of $52.50.
Upcoming Coffee Talk
On Tuesday, February 21st, several YRNA members will provide an update on current international research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) based on the findings at the international conference they attended. Discussion will cover a variety of topics related to FASD and their significance for nursing practice in the Yukon.
This Coffee Talk will be held at the YRNA office beginning at 7:00 p.m. Come join your colleagues for what will be an interesting and informative presentation.
YRNA Annual General Meeting
The 2012 YRNA AGM was held on Friday evening, April 20th and Saturday, April 21st in Whitehorse.
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National and International Nursing Events
Inclusion of events/links on this page does not necessarily indicate YRNA endorsement.
Members are encouraged to learn more about each event by linking to the website provided.
2012 CNA Biennial Convention
The 2012 CNA biennial convention will be held June 18th to 20th in Vancouver. The theme of the convention will be Nurses: Movers and Shapers. For more information, click here to go to the CNA website.
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