ABRN-Summer14

NEW
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT
SERVICE
Beginning in August, internationally educated
nurses (IENs) will have a single, simple
point-of-entry to become assessed for any
one of the three categories of professional
nursing in Canada – RNs, LPNs and RPNs.
CARNA CEO Mary-Anne Robinson is the board
chair for the National Nursing Assessment
Service (NNAS), a federally-funded, non-profit
organization comprised of 22 member boards
of all registered nurse, licensed practical nurse
and registered psychiatric nurse regulatory
bodies across Canada (excluding Québec and
the territories).
“We have created a new web-based portal
that will speed up the application process for
internationally educated nurses and create
a common national approach among regulatory
bodies,” says Robinson. “International recruitment
is an important factor in maintaining
the strong nursing workforce needed to meet
the health needs of Canadians now and in
the years ahead. The portal will ensure that
the international nurses can navigate the application
process more easily and contribute their
training and skills in a more timely fashion.”
Features of the NNAS process include:
One central location to send documents.
A centralized credential assessment process.
Ability to complete applications and pay
initial assessment online.
Access to a 1-800 customer care telephone
number (with service in English or French).
Ability to track their application online.
NNAS hopes to provide greater transparency,
timeliness and predictability across Canadian
jurisdictions, in addition to applying rigorous
standards for qualification assessment (in the
interest of the public). The service does not
impact each provincial regulator’s authority
to register or issue practice permits but merely
streamlines the initial steps for applicants.
Once an initial assessment of international
credentials is completed by NNAS, applicants
may then apply to CARNA to for eligibility to
become an RN in Alberta.
RNs and NPs key professionals in preventing and
controlling vascular disease deaths in Alberta
“89%
of deaths in Canada are
caused by non-communicable
disease (NCD) particularly
those that are vascular.”*
Over 90 per cent of Canadians
have at least one of the following
vascular risk factors:
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• detrimental nutrition
• alcohol intake
• physical inactivity
• obesity
The good news is that many vascular
risk factors are preventable or controllable.
The bad news is that many
Canadians are either unaware of the
risk factors, or the risk factors remain
untreated or treated sub-optimally. In
Alberta, the Vascular Risk Reduction
(VRR) project was established with
the long-term goal to reduce deaths
from vascular disease.
A strategy adopted to achieve
this goal is to promote common,
consistent, evidence based messaging
to health professionals and all
Albertans in the following three
key areas: vascular risk assessment,
tobacco use and healthy living.
Improve Vascular Risk Assessment
• assess vascular risk in all men 40+
and women 50+
• assess Albertans who have evidence
of increased vascular risk
• optimize dyslipidemia management
according to recommended
guidelines
• promote statin therapy (in the
absence of contraindications)
at high risk
Reduce Tobacco Use
• assess tobacco use of every
individual
• support tobacco users in quitting
smoking
Promote Healthy Living
• support healthy eating and
physical activity
VRR is led by the Alberta Health
Services Cardiovascular Health and
Stroke Strategic Clinical Network and
includes a series of projects involving
various health professionals and
stakeholders. CARNA is represented
on the VRR knowledge translation
working group which will support
the success of this initiative and
improve the health of Albertans.
Registered nurses and nurse
practitioners have an opportunity
to take a leadership role in helping
Albertans to live longer, healthier
lives. In the coming months, we will
identify ways how you, in your everyday
practice, can keep more Albertans
healthier for longer by reducing their
risk for vascular disease.
* World Health Organization
16
Alberta RN Summer 2014 Volume 70 No 2
www.nurses.ab.ca