Elsie Duff, NP, BScN, MEd, ANP, has been a registered nurse/nurse practitioner (NP) for 23 years. She is an educator, leader and clinician who has advanced the role of nursing for the benefit of Canadians. Elsie is a visionary. With a positive spirit, she strives for change in the face of challenges.
After becoming a nurse practitioner, Elsie contributed to a task force that developed a national strategy on advancement of the NP role and a position statement regarding entry-level education for NPs in Canada, which was adopted and advanced by the Canadian Nurses Association. Today, that original framework continues to advance the NP role in Canada. Elsie has also been instrumental in the development of the nurse practitioner role in Manitoba.
Elsie’s clinical, teaching, and research experience is providing a foundation to address front-line health care needs. As an NP who has lived and worked in rural and remote Canadian locations, with populations who have a high burden of illness, she sees that the health workforce is central to providing safe, competent patient care. Elsie’s goal is to examine how access to advanced practice care, by those marginalized within mainstream society, will reduce strain on the Canadian health-care system.
Elsie is also an enthusiastic volunteer within student councils, governance committees, employment agencies, and recently with her appointment to the International Council of Nurses’ advanced practice nurse/nurse practitioner research group. Elsie also donates time and support to the community and various other nursing organizations.