AAN Website > Member Benefits > Professional Liability Protection

Professional Liability Protection Discount (RNs and NPs)

What is Professional Liability Protection and why do I need it to practice? 

Professional liability protection (PLP) provides financial compensation for members of the public who have been harmed because of malpractice or negligence by a health professional. For instance, if a court found that a patient suffered injury because of nursing care that falls below accepted standards, the court could require that the nurse who provided the negligent care compensate the patient. In such case, a PLP provider would normally cover the cost of legal representation for that nurse and pay the compensation ordered by the court on their behalf. As a result, the public is protected because an adequate source of compensation is available to them. The healthcare professional is also protected because they benefit from legal representation when facing a claim for compensation and do not have to personally bear the full cost of the legal proceedings and the compensation, should the court order that it be paid.

The Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS) has been the professional liability protection provider for CRNA registrants since 1988. The CNPS is a not-for-profit society providing legal advice, risk management services, legal assistance and professional liability protection related to nursing practice to over 140,000 Canadian nurses across all Canadian provinces and territories. To learn more about CNPS Core Services, please visit https://cnps.ca/services/plp-core/.

How do I get the group rate for professional liability protection?

The Alberta Association of Nurses (AAN) is the jurisdictional member for the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS).  As an AAN member (RNs and NPs only), you have access to the group rate for CNPS Professional Liability Protection and Core Services. To receive the group rate, you must 1. Become an AAN member here and find your membership number under “my account” after purchase, then 2. Register for professional liability protection here, using your CRNA license number and AAN membership number.

How much does the professional liability protection cost?

As an AAN member, you can register for CNPS Core Services at the group rate:

RNs/Graduate RNs: $68 +GST (Non-member price: $88 +GST)

NPs/Graduate NPs: $159.50 +GST (Non-member price: $179.50 +GST)

Can RPNs or LPNs access the CNPS group rate as an AAN member?

The CNPS group rate applies to RNs and NPs only. If you practice nursing in Alberta via a different licensure method (CLPNA or CRPNA), you may register for CNPS Core Services at the applicable CNPS individual rate. Fees are determined by the CNPS and can vary according to your professional designation. They can also vary depending on whether you practice in a province where all or less than all practicing nurses of the same professional designation are CNPS beneficiaries. For more information, please visit: Eligibility and Fees – Canadian Nurses Protective Society (cnps.ca) or contact the CNPS.

Why has the process for obtaining Professional Liability Protection changed?

In August 2020, the CRNA began the work of divesting itself of association functions and moving towards a single mandate. In December 2020, with the adoption of the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2020, this became a legal requirement. As such, while the CRNA will continue to mandate that the professional liability requirement set forth by the Health Professions Act and the Registered Nurses Profession Regulation continue to be fulfilled through registration with the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS), it can no longer maintain its membership in the CNPS or collect CNPS fees as part of your CRNA registration. Accordingly, the provincial membership has been transferred to the Alberta Association of Nurses (AAN) effective for CRNA’s 2022-2023 permit year.