The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) is expressing outrage and deep frustration over the Liberal government’s failure to fulfill its promise to complete the Nurse Practitioner Job Evaluation System (NP JES) process before calling an election.

The Liberal government committed to Nurse Practitioners that this process would be finalized prior to the next election. That promise was repeated on multiple occasions. Yet today, with the election now being called, that promise has been broken.

RNU submitted all nine Position Description Questionnaires (PDQs) required for the JES process in February 2025. More than seven months later, the process remains unfinished.

“This is a betrayal of trust,” said Yvette Coffey, President of the Registered Nurses’ Union NL. “Nurse Practitioners have been promised repeatedly that this evaluation would be complete before an election was called. That promise has been broken. It does not take seven months to review nine documents. This is bad faith on the part of the Liberal government.”

The NP JES process is essential to ensure fair and appropriate recognition of Nurse Practitioners in Newfoundland and Labrador. With an election underway, the government’s failure to act demonstrates disregard for the commitment made to these highly skilled professionals.

“Our Nurse Practitioners are angry and rightfully so,” said Coffey. “They have carried enormous responsibility for the health of our communities, and they deserve more than broken promises and empty assurances. The Liberal government’s failure to act before the election is a clear failure of commitment.”

Coffey noted that the broken promise must be weighed in the context of the upcoming election.

“The number one question at the ballot box this year is our public healthcare system and who has a real plan for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Coffey. “Anyone who suggests otherwise has been asleep at the wheel. I urge our members to remember these past years, remember this broken promise, and decide for themselves who has earned their trust and support.”

The Registered Nurses’ Union NL will continue to hold all parties accountable for delivering real solutions to the healthcare crisis, ensuring that nurses – including Nurse Practitioners – are recognized, respected, and supported to provide the care that people in this province depend on.

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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador

The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents over 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. The Union advocates for its members and the public healthcare system to improve access, quality, and sustainability of care in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Phone: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca