We are delighted to present CNA’s 2023 annual report, which is organized in accordance with our strategic plan (2023-2026). We take great satisfaction in reflecting on the past year’s successes and showcasing CNA’s work. CNA has undergone one of the largest transformations in its history, introducing a new governance structure and membership model. Last year was pivotal for us. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, we have begun to regrow our membership numbers on our arduous journey to sustainability. This marked a significant milestone in our organization’s evolution and commitment to serving the nursing community effectively for many years to come.
Throughout the year, we have focused on supporting nurses and the health system. We continued to collaborate with health partners and participated in initiatives that relate to nurses’ key priorities, including the Coalition for Action for Health Workers, whose aim is to alert governments to the impending crisis within health care. We also participated in the development of the federal government’s Nursing Retention Toolkit, which was developed last year and launched in early 2024.
One of our greatest achievements was the development and launch of the Stellar Certification Program, a significant step towards recognizing health-care facilities for their workplace excellence. Our first client signed on in late 2023, marking a milestone in our journey to improving working conditions for nurses and ensuring better care for people in Canada.
Our advocacy efforts have been strategic and focused on innovative solutions — such as enhancing roles for nurses and nurse practitioners working in primary care — in an effort to maximize nursing roles and improve access to care.
The permanent reinstatement of the federal chief nursing officer serves as a testament to nurses’ pivotal role in shaping health-care policy and practice. The Canada Health Transfer agreement has been finally signed and includes funding for tailored bilateral agreements with each province and territory to support key CNA advocacy priorities such as nursing retention, ensuring better data sharing, enhancing culturally safe health services, and stabilizing the nursing workforce. In Charlottetown, federal, provincial and territorial health ministers agreed to common objectives that reflect CNA’s advocacy efforts, including our health human resources policy recommendations, to solve the nursing shortage crisis.
We recognize the importance of addressing the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and are actively developing our reconciliACTION plan to guide our organization in implementing meaningful steps towards reconciliation. Through our collective efforts, we continue to advance nursing excellence and positively impact health-care outcomes for all Canadians.
To our members, nurses, health partners, and supporters, thank you for an extraordinary 2023.
Sincerely,
Tim Guest, RN, BScN, MBA, FFNMRCSI
Chief Executive Officer