Nursing Advocacy
YRNA is a regulatory organization created by the Yukon Registered Nurses Act (the "Act"). As a "creature of statute," the YRNA is only allowed to do those things specifically authorized in the Act.
The Act limits the object of the YRNA to serving and protecting the public interest by:
Regulating the practice of nursing
Governing members
Developing, maintaining and enforcing standards for
Knowledge
Skill
Qualifications
Practice
Professional Ethics
The Act further limits the activities YRNA may undertake by specifying that it must regulate nursing practice and govern members "in accordance with the Act and regulations." This reinforces the fact that the YRNA can only do things consistent with the Act and Regulations.
The Act does not provide a wide advocacy mandate for the YRNA. YRNA is able to advocate for issues consistent with its legislative mandate -- those being focussed on Patient Safety, Cultural Safety and Public Protection.
YRNA recognizes a pressing need for more broad advocacy for and about the profession and the practice of nursing. Nurses play a critical role in healthcare delivery and in the health and sustainability of healthcare systems. They have unique insights and contributions based on their professional expertise, training and lived experiences. Their voice is an important one that needs to be heard. For all of these reasons, YRNA established an internally restricted fund to support the creation of a Yukon specific nursing advocacy organization that will be independent from YRNA. In 2024 we incorporated a new organization, the Yukon Nurses Alliance under the Societies Act and hired a contractor to help establish an independent Board of Directors and establish a business plan for a sustainable advocacy organization.
We are pleased to announce that as of October 2024 the inaugural Yukon Nurses Alliance Board of Directors have been installed into office. Sarah Harrison, RN will chair the Board through its start-up phase. The Board is fully independent from YRNA - while YRNA filed the application for incorporation under the Societies Act, not YRNA board or staff members are on the YNA board.
Membership in YNA is open to any nurse (NP, RN, LPN, RPN, etc) who is currently registered to practice in the Yukon or who has been registered to practice in the past. A website is under development. Any nurse interested in contributing to YNA activities, or interested in membership with YNA can send an email to: yukonnurses@gmail.com.