Chief Nursing Officer (Canada)
| Chief Nursing Officer of Canada | |
|---|---|
| L’infirmier en chef | |
since 23 August 2022 | |
| Health Canada | |
| Abbreviation | CNO |
| Reports to | Assistant Deputy Minister of Health |
| Term length | 2 years |
| Inaugural holder | Verna Huffman Splane |
| Formation | 1968 |
The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is the most senior advisor on nursing matters in the Canadian government. The office is associated with the Department of Health's Strategic Policy Branch.[1]
Role
The CNO position has been credited with creating nurse educator positions in hospitals, targeting federal funding for research on nursing working conditions, and enabling access to federal databases to research healthcare findings.[2]
Since its restoration in 2022, the role has included advising on health workforce planning, long-term care, home care, palliative care, mental health, substance use, and models of care. The CNO also engages with provincial and territorial governments, nursing organizations, regulators, educators, and members of the public.[3]
History
In 1968, the inaugural Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) was appointed in Canada.[4] The first CNO was Verna Huffman Splane.[5] Sources differ on the length of her tenure, with some indicating that she served until 1972 and others suggesting she continued until the early 1980s.[6][7] The role's scope was expanded in 1999 with the establishment of the Office of Nursing Policy within Health Canada's Strategic Policy Branch. In 2012, during a realignment of resources, the CNO position at Health Canada was eliminated by the Harper administration.[8] The position was vacant for about ten years until it was restored in 2022 by the Trudeau administration and filled for the first time in a decade.[9]
Officeholders
| Name | Term start | Term end | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verna Huffman Splane | 1968 | 1972 or early 1980s | First Chief Nursing Officer of Canada[10] |
| Leigh Chapman | 23 August 2022 | present | First CNO in ten years, appointed by the Trudeau administration[11] |
References
- ↑ Government of Canada (10 October 2020). "Department Listing - Strategic Policy Branch". geds-sage.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ↑ Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia (September 2020). "The Need for a National Chief Nursing Officer" (PDF). Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ↑ "Government of Canada announces Chief Nursing Officer for Canada". Government of Canada. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ Health Canada (23 August 2022). "Government of Canada announces Chief Nursing Officer for Canada". Government of Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ↑ Splane, Richard B.; Splane, Verna Huffman (1994). Chief Nursing Officer Positions in National Ministries of Health: Focal Points for Nursing Leadership. San Francisco: University of California.
- ↑ "Verna Huffman Splane obituary". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Verna Huffman Splane passes away". BC Nursing History. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ Pinkerton, Charlie. "Restore position of Canada's top nurse, nursing group urges Trudeau". iPolitics. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ↑ Canadian Nurses Association (23 August 2022). "CNA welcomes Leigh Chapman as the new chief nursing officer for Canada". Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ↑ "Verna Huffman Splane obituary". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ↑ "Government of Canada announces Chief Nursing Officer for Canada". Government of Canada. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2025.