We benefit tremendously from the work nurse practitioners do in Vancouver Acute and Vancouver Community. In honour of  Nurse Practitioner Week, we profile two of our NP members. Lisa Kolkman is one of our longest serving NPs, having started at VGH in 2012, where she has been a fixture in our Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic. Sharon Vogan, who has 21 years as a nurse practitioner under her belt, is one of VCH’s newest NP hires; she started in the Liver Transplant Clinic in September.

Nurse Practitioner Lisa Kolkman

“I was an RN for eight years and what l liked best was the clinical aspect of my work and interacting with patients,” remembered Lisa. “Becoming a nurse practitioner was a way to continue to work with patients while making better use of the experience and knowledge I had gained.”

Much has changed at VGH since Lisa joined our then very small group of nurse practitioners. There was little to no structure or support and NPs were siloed: single individuals who worked within their practice groups. If VCH was rolling out new initiatives, there was no department head to pass on information.

“I don’t think a lot of people understood or could identify what a nurse practitioner was or what we are able to do,” said Lisa. “I distinctly remember one of the respirology colleagues introducing me as a fancy charge nurse.”

Misconceptions about the role of nurse practitioners are common, especially in places like VCH where the profession is still relatively new. In the US, where Sharon comes from, NPs are more well established.

“Though NPs have been in the US since 1965, the role has been evolving and new and experienced NPs may not know the total scope of their practice and what we can do based on our education and training,” she said. “We often need to explain what we do and can do to our colleagues and patients and by doing so it can spark ideas of ways we can add to the health-care team to best benefit the patients.”

Nurse Practitioner Dr. Sharon Vogan

Before joining VCH, Sharon, who holds a doctorate in nursing practice along with her nursing practitioner master’s degree, spent eight years working in academia at a university in California. While she enjoyed her work there, she missed working with patients and wanted to return to that type of work. She had previously worked with the University of California San Francisco’s liver transplant program and, when there were no openings there, she started looking further afield.

“I wasn’t planning to move to Canada now, but this opportunity came up,” said Sharon. “After my interview, I realized the great opportunity sitting in front of me: the chance to return to directly caring for patients and families, to be a part of a transplant team, and to see a part of North America I have always wanted to explore. While I was considering the possibility, I ran into an NP friend at our state conference in March and he told me he was moving to Vancouver the next week – I felt the stars were aligning, trying to tell me this was the best choice.

When asked what they love most about their jobs, both Sharon and Lisa are quick to respond that it’s their interactions with patients.

“Pulmonary hypertension is a lifelong condition so when I meet someone from the time of diagnosis, I get to walk with them through their whole journey,” said Lisa. “It’s valuable both to me and them to have all of their care concentrated with a few providers as it allows for continuity. This is a very difficult disease to have so I feel honoured to be able to go on this journey with patients. It’s kind of like we’ve grown together.”

“I love working with patients and families,” said Sharon. “When someone is ill or dealing with a diagnosis they don’t understand or need support with, I enjoy providing the education and support they need to feel in control of their treatment plan and understand what they do and don’t have control of during the disease process. I love empowering people; and transplant is such a unique field that requires the input from all professions on a cohesive team.”

Lisa also appreciates how supportive VCH has been of her career. The health authority funded her studies in genetics so she can further support patients. She works with physicians who she deeply respects and, when admitting patients to hospital, trusts that they are getting the very best care possible.

The California Association for Nurse Practitioners played a large role in Sharon’s life; she lobbied for bills to be passed that allow NPs to practice in ways that have a direct and positive impact on patient care. Once she’s more settled, she intends to get involved in similar activities here. In the meantime, she is grateful for how welcoming and supportive everyone at VGH has been.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for us as we continue to build our team and continuously improve the quality of care we provide,” said Nurse Practitioner Department Head Jennifer Buck. “Our 2025 recruitment campaign has yielded impressive results, particularly at VGH, UBCH, and Vancouver Community where we will have successfully onboarded around 40 new nurse practitioners just this year. Notably, our new colleagues bring a wealth of diversity, including some recent graduates and many experienced professionals from across the continent.

“The integration of these talented individuals significantly enhances our already exceptional team. Nurse practitioners currently practicing at VGH and UBCH tell us that the reason they stay in their roles is because they love working with their teams. They tell us that these sites are truly great places to work, with truly great colleagues. Our existing nurse practitioners have established a high standard of care and excellence, and this new cohort, with their extensive clinical, academic, and leadership backgrounds, will undoubtedly elevate patient care to even greater heights.”