Recent U of A grad serves rural Alberta community as sole primary care provider

Rural health care in Alberta has seen specific problems, from closed emergency departments to insufficient maternity care. A shortage of health care personnel has also caused issues. University of Alberta alumna Christie Brulhart saw this shortage in her work and wants to help address it.

While providing rural health care as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brulhart noticed the gap between the capacity and demand for rural primary care.

Although providing care during the pandemic was emotionally and physically draining, Brulhart’s experience convinced her to pursue becoming a nurse practitioner. 

“I felt during COVID-19, there was space for a [nurse practitioner],” Brulhart said.

A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who has completed advanced clinical training and education. They can often provide services like a physician. As a nurse practitioner, Brulhart can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications.

”It was a really difficult mind switch,” Brulhart says

In April 2024, Brulhart completed a master’s in nursing at the U of A. The program offers students the opportunity to become a licensed nurse practitioner.

Before Brulhart’s return to being a student, she taught professionally for six years alongside being a nurse. This made the transition back to student life smoother, according to Brulhart.

“I do love to study. I do love to do school,” Brulhart said. This, coupled with her passion for rural health care, contributed to her positive experience completing the nurse practitioner program at the U of A.

However, Brulhart experienced challenges despite her enthusiasm for school.

“I found that it was weird. Being an expert as a [registered nurse] … and then going into a newer area and then being a complete novice. It was a really difficult mind switch,” Brulhart said.

Near the end of her master’s, Brulhart became aware of a job opening in Consort, Alberta through one of her professors. Consort — a village with a population under 1,000 — was looking for an independent contractor for its primary care clinic.

“The job posting had closed three weeks prior to when I applied, but I just thought, let’s give it a shot,” Brulhart said. This decision led to Brulhart getting the position in Consort, allowing her to start practicing right after graduation.

Funding and scope of practice should be increased for nurse practitioners, according to Brulhart

Before Brulhart’s arrival in Consort this June, the people of Consort had to outsource health care. To receive primary care, residents drove up to “30 to 45 minutes away,” according to Brulhart.

Although primary care is now available in Consort, the emergency room (ER) within the Consort Medical Clinic remains closed for the time being. According to Brulhart, “the goal for long-term is to reopen the ER with nurse practitioners.”

Brulhart said that emergency care can be a “huge burden” without the proper funding and resources.

According to Brulhart, “increasing the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, but also increasing the funding for it,” would be steps in the right direction. She commended Alberta’s Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program, which aims to expand opportunities for nurse practitioners to provide primary care.

Additionally, Brulhart proposed funding other areas of rural health care, including emergency care and in-patient care.