Empowering lectures are a big draw at the YEG Jewish Senior Citizens’ Centre

By Regan Lipes

(AJNews) – It is no secret that Canada’s national healthcare system is bursting at the seams.  There are efforts to recruit talent from abroad in hopes of relieving some of this burden as healthcare workers domestically buckle under the immense reality of total burnout. Perhaps the answer is closer to home. As Albertans struggle to find family physicians, the question is no longer whether the patient is matched with a doctor they like and trust, but whether they can secure one altogether.

On July 4, CBC reported that Hinton, Alberta, a community of approximately 10,000 is being serviced by eight over-worked family doctors. This leaves residents with no other option than to drive to Edmonton for routine health and wellness concerns. Astronomical wait times in Edmonton’s emergency rooms also leave inhabitants debating whether to seek out medical care at all in times of crisis.

As Olga Muradov, an Edmonton-based Nurse Practitioner (NP) explained in a public lecture at the Edmonton Jewish Seniors Centre on July 4, there is a practical and accessible solution to alleviate some of this strain. Her lecture, entitled Empowering Healthcare: Unveiling the Vital Role of Nurse Practitioners” demystified some of the misunderstanding community members may have had regarding what nurses do. Muradov, who graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing in 2008, built a successful career as a Registered Nurse (RN) at the Misericordia Community Hospital in West Edmonton. She enjoyed her work and found nursing to be a rewarding professional path, but realized that with her skills, aptitude, and determination, she could make an even greater impact.

“If you have ever been treated by someone who identified themselves as an NP, this means that they are a Nurse Practitioner,” explained Muradov. “People can, understandably, be confused, because they have an idea of what a ‘nurse’ does but aren’t aware of the different designations.” She proceeded to elaborate that Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), RNs, and NPs have very different responsibilities when addressing patient care, while still all falling under the titular umbrella of ‘nurse.’

“NPs provide patients with autonomous care,” she told the group of seniors. “We can order tests, we interpret the results, we diagnose, and can then prescribe treatments.” To even qualify to train as an NP, a person needs to have completed 4,500 clinical hours of practice. “I think that the greatest difference in these tracks of the healthcare field is the foundation of training. NPs are trained from the vantage point of nursing and providing care in this way, while the training that physicians undergo is guided by a different approach. One isn’t better than the other, and we all work together.”

Muradov then explained that the type of training an NP receives is a Master of Science level degree. “After someone works as an RN for a minimum number of hours, and they can demonstrate significant experience, they can apply for an NP program. It’s a two-year MA in nursing, but since I was working throughout my degree, I took three years.” After completing this degree, a NP has to pass licensing examinations and register with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta.  Muradov graduated in 2020 from the University of Alberta and is now an NP specializing in internal medicine at the same hospital where she worked for more than a decade as an RN.

On April 25, Minister of Health for the Province of Alberta, Adriana LaGrange announced that fifteen million dollars would be allocated to the funding of medical clinics run by NPs. This will result in fifty new NP hires for the province, and the more even distribution of resources for routine patient needs.

As Albertans continue to struggle to find a family physician, Muradov surprised her listeners by informing them that Primary Care Networks (PCNs) have NPs on staff ready to take on new patients. “The Edmonton West Primary Care Network is currently accepting new patients. You just have to call to make an appointment for an initial meet-and-greet. There are two NPs in the clinic who can see to all the same primary care and routine health concerns as a family physician.”

NPs are focused mainly on their patients, but they are also instrumental in training the next generation of NPs to help serve the community. “80% of my work is clinical, directly with my patients, but 20% of my responsibilities are scholarly or educationally based.” This additional 20% includes things like research, leadership advocacy, and education.

Muradov has been the lead-author on two academic articles published in medical journals, presents at conferences, and mentors NPs in training. She projects that within the next decade, more people will be turning to NPs for their primary care needs. “The public should feel confident when they are treated by an NP, and a lot of this will come with greater awareness and understanding of what it is that we do. We all work as a team: doctors and nurses.” The mother of two remains committed to tikkun olam by improving the health and wellness of Edmontonians.

This type of enriching community engagement, like Olga Muradov’s lecture, is always on the go at the Jewish Seniors Centre in Downtown Edmonton. It is not just about socializing over scrumptious lunches, but facilitating access to useful and impacting information that empowers the community.

Regan Lipes is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.