2026 Nurse Practitioner Conference – Program

Together we lead … Together we transform

Date: May 29-30, 2026
Location: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, 1000 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC

DAY 1 – FRIDAY, MAY 29
DAY 2 – SATURDAY, MAY 30

Day 1 – Friday, May 29

8:00 – 9:00 am
Registration & breakfast
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

9:00 – 9:30 am
Opening and land acknowledgement  
Featuring welcome remarks from BC’s Provincial Chief Nursing Officer Kerry Morrison and Alec Dan of the Musqueam Indian Band.
Location: Junior Ballroom

Description: As health systems face unprecedented constraints, traditional ideas of “scope of practice” are shifting toward models grounded in competency, agility and human connection. In this keynote, Dr. Matthew Chow, former president of Doctors of BC and current Chief Mental Health Officer at TELUS Health, reflects on how these changes are reshaping leadership in care delivery. He explores how nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to bridge clinical expertise, human connection and emerging technologies, including AI, to expand and strengthen care. The session highlights NPs as a potent force in a high-tech, high-touch future where skill and empathy — rather than titles alone — are transforming health.

10:30 – 10:45 am
Health break & exhibitor networking 
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

This presentation offers practical guidance on medication management for novice menopause providers, sharing essential tips, tricks, and lessons learned from real-world clinical experience in menopause care.

Presenter:
Dr. Joanna Stevenson, NP(F), DNP, MScN, MSCP, Menopause Society Certified Nurse Practitioner, TELUS Health Care Centre

This presentation offers an essential overview of the most recent guidelines in dyslipidemia assessment and management.

Presenter:
Patrick Teodosio, MN-NP, NP(F), Nurse Practitioner Lead, Fraser Street Medical

Presenter:
Olli Dickson, Clinic Owner, RMT, RMTBC Board Member

A fast-paced update on the newest National Advisory Committee on Immunization guidance, overlooked adult vaccines, RSV, and emerging prevention opportunities.

Presenter: Hazel Booth, NP, Medical Director, Hazelnut Health; Sessional Instructor, University of Victoria Faculty, Camosun College

12:45 – 1:45 pm
Lunch & exhibitor networking 
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

Menopause marks a significant hormonal transition that brings with it a unique set of nutritional needs. This training session explores how dietary choices can support patients through perimenopause and beyond — addressing key clinical concerns such as bone density, cardiovascular health, energy levels, and mood stability. From calcium and vitamin D intake to the role of phytoestrogens, healthy fats, and protein, clinicians will gain practical, evidence-based strategies to guide nutritional care at every stage of this transition. Whether you are new to menopausal care or looking to deepen your clinical practice, this session offers actionable guidance to help your patients thrive during and after menopause.

Presenter(s):
Lindsay Killam (she/her), MSW, RSW, Clinical Director, Counselling Services, TELUS Health MyCare
Lauren Rossong, Registered Dietitian, TELUS Health
Tethys Mo, Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CSEP-CEP), MKIN, BScKin, TELUS Health

The purpose of this presentation is to provide pediatric updates about new practice guidelines and pearls from recent studies that are practicable and actionable in a busy primary care setting. 

Presenter(s):
Amra Dizdarevic, BSc, BSN, MN-NP, Harrison Healthcare

This presentation outlines Island Health’s structured Nurse Practitioner (NP) mentoring program, designed to support NPs transitioning into new practice environments through intentional, relationship‑based mentorship. Participants will learn how a 12‑month, guided mentor–mentee model strengthens clinical confidence, professional identity, and organizational integration. Early implementation insights highlight how adaptable structures, regular check‑ins, and tailored learning resources foster safe, sustainable NP practice while also supporting leadership growth among mentors.

Presenter(s):
Janice Robinson, MN, NP, Director, Nurse Practitioner Strategy & Practice, Island Health
Elaine Clark, MN, NP(F), NP Clinical Lead, Nurse Practitioner Strategy & Practice, Island Health

2:45 – 3:00 pm
Health break & exhibitor networking 
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

This presentation introduces an Indigenous‑led online cultural safety and humility course for prescribers, highlighting how culturally safe prescribing reduces harm and improves care for Indigenous patients. Participants will learn how Indigenous-led content, reflective practice, and clinical scenarios strengthen equitable, relational approaches and support system‑level change. The session explores how culturally safe prescribing enhances access, how reflective practices build stronger NP‑patient relationships, and how NPs can help drive broader transformation through culturally grounded, anti‑racist care.

Presenter(s):
Tarah Reece, NP(F), Nurse Practitioner, Camas Lelum Primary Care Clinic, Island Health; Clinical lead for nurse practitioners, First Nations Health Authority

This practical workshop will help participants build confidence in assessing and managing back pain in the working adult. By the end of the session, participants will be able to demonstrate and practice a back examination that can be completed during an average primary care visit, discuss the appropriate use of imaging, identify acute injuries that require emergent or urgent orthopedic referral, and recognize recent legislation that may affect patient requests for return-to-work support alongside WorkSafeBC supports.

Presenter(s):
Dr. Tamir Ailon, MD, MPH, Spinal neurosurgeon, Vancouver General Hospital, Clinical Associate Professor, UBC
Dr. Celina Dunn, MD, CCFP, Manager, Medical Services, WorkSafeBC

This presentation shares RAPIDS‑derived outcome data from an NP‑led primary care practice managing anxiety, depression, bipolar spectrum illness, insomnia, and ADHD without timely psychiatry access. Findings show significant improvement when diagnostic nuance is uncovered, bipolar presentations are identified earlier, and follow‑up occurs every 2–3 weeks with active treatment recalibration. Participants will learn how structured measurement, iterative diagnosis, relational continuity, and integrated non‑pharmacologic strategies drive transformational change and redesign primary care mental health for complex patients.

Presenter(s):
Hazel Booth, NP, Medical Director, Hazelnut Health; Sessional Instructor, University of Victoria Faculty, Camosun College

4:00 – 5:00 pm
Nurse Practitioner Leadership Committe (Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC) Open Council meeting 
Location: Junior Ballroom

5:00 – 7:00 pm
Networking reception for NPs, partners and sponsors
Join fellow NPs, partners, sponsors and exhibitors for a relaxed networking reception featuring delicious catered appetizers, drinks, music from a live DJ and time to connect informally with colleagues from across the province.
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

Day 2 – Saturday, May 30

8:30 – 8:55 am
Registration & breakfast
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

8:55 – 9:00 am
Opening and land acknowledgement  
Location: Junior Ballroom

Learn more about practical prescribing, dosing, and patient selection for clinicians.

Presenter:
Laura Ellis, MN-NP(F) (she/her), IVIT Nurse Practitioner Lead, TELUS Health 

This presentation will provide an update on the treatment guidelines of hypertension in Canada in 2026.

Presenter:
Dr. Ka Hong (Casey) Chan, MD MHsc FRCPC FACP CHS CHE

This presentation offers practical information on updates to pharmacological and CGM application in diabetes care.

Presenter:
Dr. Shivraj Singh Riar, MB BCh BAO, FRCP(C), Endocrinology and Metabolism, UBC Clinical Instructor, Fraser Health, BC Cancer

This practical, case-based session will review the indications, mechanisms, benefits, and risks of aeroallergen immunotherapy, with a focus on safe administration and real-world management of local and systemic reactions for nurse practitioners.

Presenter: Dr. Kateryna Vostretsova, MD FRCPC Program Director, UBC Adult Clinical Immunology and Allergy fellowship program; Providence Health Care; Vancouver Coastal Health

11:00 – 11:15 am
Health break & exhibitor networking  
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall 

This session equips NPs with practical tools to diagnose pediatric asthma, implement evidence-based management strategies, and educate families using the 2025 Child Health BC guideline and related resources.

Presenter:
Dr. Minna Miller DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NP(F), FAANP, FNPAC, FCAN, Nurse Practitioner, Asthma Clinic, Division of Respiratory Medicine, BC Children’s Hospital; Adjunct Professor

This session will equip nurse practitioners with the knowledge and practical tools to recognize, evaluate, and facilitate early referral of asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis, emphasizing the importance of early detection and evolving evidence supporting timely intervention.

Presenter:
Eddie Rozentul, BSN, MN-NP, NP(F), Regional Transcatheter Heart Valve Program, Kelowna General Hospital

This presentation will review the care pathway to support a straightforward diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated ADHD in adult patients and discuss how this pathway will support NPs in practice.

Presenters:
Chelsea Bruce, MN-NP, NP(F), Fraser Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC
Dr. Dean Brown, MD, FCFP, North Shore PCN Physician co-lead; Site Director, Coastal Site, UBC Fam Med Program; Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine

12:45 – 1:45 pm
Lunch & exhibitor networking 
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

1:15 – 1:45 pm
Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada – update
Junior Ballroom

This presentation reviews BC’s evolving drug policy landscape, adolescent substance‑use trends, and the rise of high‑potency substances. Participants will learn how historical policy decisions shape current harms, what youth data reveal about substance use and harm reduction, and practical clinical strategies for supporting young people who use substances. The session highlights evidence‑informed approaches—including OAT, withdrawal supports, and harm‑reduction interventions—to help Nurse Practitioners provide safe, responsive, youth‑centered care.

Presenter(s):
Zoe Chee (she/her), MN, NP(F), Nurse Practitioner, Provincial Health Services Authority and Vancouver Coastal Health; Adjunct Professor, University of British Columbia

This presentation highlights the transformation of the UBC Continuing Professional Development NP program, showing how a practitioner‑led needs assessment and diverse advisory committee created high‑impact, relevant CPD for BC NPs. Through partnership with NNPBC’s NP PIP, this work produced the Clinically Speaking: NP Webinar Series and the NP Moderator Program, strengthening leadership and engagement. Using a quality‑improvement lens, the program embeds trauma‑informed and culturally competent care into all offerings, ensuring CPD functions as a meaningful tool for clinical excellence and cultural safety.

Presenter(s):
Allison Macbeth (she/her), MAppSc, Program Manager, UBC Continuing Professional Development (UBC CPD), Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Kelvin Bei, Vancouver & Coastal Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC; Program Director, UBC CPD NP Program

This presentation provides an overview of NP Provincial Initiatives & Programs (NP-PIP) and the expanding resources available to support nurse practitioners in primary care across BC. Participants will gain clarity on this program’s background, governance and key partners, as well as available tools such as the NP Portal, Mobile Skills Team, UBC CPD offerings, cultural safety training, QI supports, and new initiatives like the CERA Project. The session highlights how NP-PIP, which is a program of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC, strengthens practice, wellness, and community connection for PCN and primary care NPs. 

Presenter(s):
Lise Dawson, NP(F), MN, BScN, Island Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC
Yandi Kwa, MSN, NP(F), BScN, Vancouver and Coastal Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC
Annie Liao, MN-NP, NP(F), Fraser Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC

2:45 – 3:00 pm
Health break & exhibitor networking  
Location: Foyer / Exhibitor Hall

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women, yet sex- and gender-specific risks and presentations are often overlooked. This session increases NP awareness of how heart disease uniquely affects women, highlighting underrecognized conditions such as INOCA, microvascular dysfunction, and POTS. Participants will learn how traditional risk tools may underestimate women’s risk and explore practical strategies—using Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance resources—to improve screening, early recognition, education, and management in NP-led care settings.

Presenter(s):
Rachel Ollivier, PhD, NP (F), MSCP

This presentation describes Island Health’s Clinical in 30 model, a brief, case‑based forum designed to enhance clinical integration, reflective practice, and peer connection for NPs working across diverse and often isolated settings. Participants will learn how low‑barrier access, psychological safety, and NP‑led facilitation strengthen clinical confidence, normalize uncertainty, expand practical knowledge, and reduce professional isolation. Early insights demonstrate how this adaptable model supports high‑quality NP practice and can be applied across varied organizational and clinical environments.

Presenter(s):
Elaine Clark, MN, NP(F), NP Clinical Lead, Nurse Practitioner Strategy and Practice, Island Health
Michael Gartner, MN NP(F), Nurse Practitioner Clinical Lead, Island Health

This presentation introduces the Health Data Coalition’s HDC Discover tool, which provides NPs with accessible, practical clinical measures benchmarked against community and peer data. Participants will learn how integrated data from over 350 clinics supports quality improvement by highlighting opportunities in areas such as cancer screening, seniors’ health, and mental health. The session will orient NPs to HDC Discover, demonstrate the value of the NP Provincial Group, and showcase real examples of how NPs use data to improve patient outcomes.   

Presenter(s):
Sarah Jesshope, NP(F), South Island Regional Lead, NP Provincial Initiatives and Programs, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC
Roxanne Joyce, Manager of Clinician Engagement, Health Data Coalition of BC

4:00 – 4:30 pm
Closing ceremony
Location: Junior Ballroom

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