UNP Membership Drive

UNP and the Nominations Committee would like to thank the candidates and members who kindly participated in this year's voting ballot! It was greatly appreciated!

In 2023, we are focusing on increasing our UNP membership numbers. Did you know when UNP works with our state legislators, they ask about membership numbers to gauge how important the changes in law matter to Utah's Nurse Practitioners?  UNP is your professional NP community and legislative voice in Utah. As of November 15th, Utah has 4,698 licensed advanced practice nurses.  Only 500 are UNP members representing 10.6% of Utah's APRNs members who participate in their state organization. To put this in perspective, the immediate surrounding states have closer to a 30% state professional advanced practice organization membership. 

During the past several years, the medical organizations and lobbying have not taken kindly to the expansion of the advanced practice professional role in Utah, which allows APRNs to practice at the full level of their education and training. Senior and experienced NPs clearly remember having to undergo chart audits by a physician who charged thousands of dollars (or who were offered thousands by big healthcare organizations to manage NPs). In most cases, the supervisory physician could be in any specialty and may not even be present in the same clinic as the NP. Let us not forget the inability to write certain prescriptions without a physician co-signature. These are just two examples of how UNP and its legislative committee has worked for you. Without a strong state nurse practitioner organization, the UMA will be deciding your practice and pay.

We understand the apathy towards organizational culture and climate and respect how busy everyone is. These have been trying times for everyone. NPs who have participated in the legislative system, and are fighting for your rights, say it is a process, and networking must be politically achieved to successfully pass supportive advanced practice bills. These few nurse practitioners patiently and continually lobby (for free) on your behalf and for the patients you take care of. 

UNP asks you to join because your dues solely pay for our Foxley & Pignanelli Lobbying Firm who helps us move our legislation through. If you already are a member, please consider how you can be of service in our advanced practice community. This can often be done from your favorite chair in the comfort of your home. Did you know UNP committee work usually requires only 3-6 hours a month? If you can't sit on a committee, please volunteer for participation in one of our activities.

Now is the time to grow and strengthen our UNP organization to better serve you and your patients. If we don't stay professionally strong in Utah, other organizations' voices and votes will determine our future.