About the NPAO

The Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) was founded in 1973 by a group of Nurse Practitioner (NP) graduates from the two newly established NP education programs in Ontario: McMaster University and the University of Toronto. NPAO was founded to represent nurse practitioners primarily functioning in primary care in Ontario. This group of pioneers worked hard at raising the visibility of the role of the NP by promoting the role through media interviews. They also lobbied elected officials and the leaders of other disciplines to create an awareness of the real contribution that nursing could make in the health care system. NPs even influenced nursing leaders who were still unfamiliar with the potential for this role.

NPAO became an expert group of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario in 1985. It changed its mandate in 1998 to include NPs in all levels of health care: primary, secondary and tertiary care.

The goals of the Association are:

provide professional support group for NPs
provide advice and expertise to membership and to professional nursing organizations on practice issues
provide continuing education programs which meet the specific needs of NPs
lobby government and other health disciplines on behalf of NPs
lobby government on critical health care issues which affect the well-being of individuals, families and communities
foster the role of the NP as an autonomous health care provider
provide networking opportunities for NPs and other nurses through membership in the RNAO
promote public visibility and consumer awareness of the role of the NP with the current health care system

NPAO is served by a voluntary Board elected by the membership. NPAO sponsors an annual conference; maintains the web site, publishes a regular e-newsletter, facilitates local continuing education programs and offers five awards/bursaries to members.

Application information on how to join NPAO is available through RNAO or by calling NPAO at 416-593-9779. If you are joining in the middle of the year it is best to call RNAO directly and ask to speak with a staff member in the Membership Department.

Disclaimer: Although care has been taken in preparing information contained in this website, NPAO does not and cannot guarantee the accuracy thereof. Individuals using the information do so at their own risk and shall be deemed to indemnify NPAO from any and all injury or damage arising from such use.