CFPNA History

The age-old adage, “you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been” is actually very true. History gives us our roots. This page is dedicated to the seven dynamic nurses who met at a conference in 2006 and discovered they all shared a passion for family practice/primary care nursing. They also shared a vision of forming a national association to help minimize the isolation often experienced by nurses working in primary care. In two short years, their vision became a reality and in June 2008 they were elected as the founding executive for the CFPNA.

Making things happen!

  • June 1982:  Terry O'Neil, RN, along with a dedicated group of nurses from London, Ontario, organized the first family practice nursing conference "Current Trends and Future Goals". The conference was a success and group consesus was to continue to hold an event every two years.
  • April 1996:  the Ontario Family Practice Nurses (OFPN)  were approved as a Pending Associated Interest Group of RNAO.
  • June 1998:  the OFPN were approved as an Associated Interest Group with RNAO and membership included a small number of nurses from outside of Ontario.
  • June 2006: an open forum held with Dr. Louise Nasmith and participants at the OFPN conference in Toronto, sparked the group to recognize a need for a national association for family practice nurses.
  • October 2007:  family practice/primary care nurses nurses showcased their role at the Family Medicine Forum (FMF), held in Winnipeg. A social evening at the event once again engaged nurses and a decision was made to proceed with forming a national group.
  • June 2007: Family Practice Nurses Association of Nova Scotia (FPNANS) was formed. Carol Todd, RN elected president.
  • June 2008:  another open forum was held at the OFPN conference. Participants voted on a name for the national association and elected their founding executive: Ann Alsaffar, President (Ontario), Patsy Smith, Vice-President (Nova Scotia), Carol Todd, Secretary (Nova Scotia), Annie Dickson, Treasurer (Ontario), Michelle Allard, Membership (Manitoba), April Frego, Education (Manitoba), Marilyn Howlett, Public Relations (Alberta).
  • June 2008:  CFPNA was officially recognized as the 40th Emerging Group of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA).
  • July 2008:   the first teleconference meeting of the CFPNA executive.
  • August 2009:   in an effort to recruit members to the CFPNA, Michelle Allard, RN, BN  launched www.cfpna using a free website service
  • September 2009:  Manitoba Primary Care Nurses Association (MPCNA) was formed by co-chairs, April Frego, RN, CDE and Michelle Allard, RN, BN.
  • January 2010: CFPNA became recognized as Associate Members of the CNA.
  • June 2010:  First CFPNA AGM & Biennial Conference was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Conference Theme "Illuminating Horizons:  Advancing Family Practice Nursing".
  • November 2012:  Michelle Allard, RN, BN, Academic Primary Care Nurse from Winnipeg, Mantioba, becomes the second President of the CFPNA who brings a vision to grow memberhsip in Western Canada.