New provincial regulatory changes give nurses expanded powers
As Ontarians continue to struggle with a shortage of family physicians, nurses have also been working to fill the gap in the stretched system and now the province has now implemented regulatory changes that will enable nurse practitioners and registered nurses to provide additional services.
The province changes will improve care and access for Ontarians at a time when many are struggling to access a primary care physician amid the healthcare crisis.
The province is taking another step to expand roles for nurse practitioners and registered nurses.
“It is high time that we see this, nurse practitioners have the expertise, they have the education to perform these added duties, and we welcome this,” Erin Ariss, President, Ontario Nurses’ association.
Starting July 1st, nurse practitioners can apply defibrillator and cardiac pacemakers, order and perform electrocautery and certify a death in more circumstances, changes that the Ontario Nurses Association says will help to streamline care without physician approvals, while also speeding up wait times.
In Ontario, 2.5 million people are without a family doctor, but the Ontario Medical Association says that number could double in just under two years. However, with 5,400 nurse practitioners in the province, advocates argue that while they can fill the gap, they should also be compensated.
“We should be using nurse practitioners to their full scope of practice and primary care so Ontarians have access, it avoids hospital stays it avoids all kinds of expenses but of course nurse practitioners should be compensated for all that they do but in Ontario right now that is not the case,” said Ariss.
Nearly a year ago, nurse practitioners saw their role expanded further when the province expanded access for nurses to prescribe certain types of birth control medication and administer some vaccinations.
“I think the government is working hard at utilizing people to the best of their availability and nurse practitioners as you know have great outcome they are safe and effective they can reduce discharge times so if we are going to catapult attaching patients to attaching to a primary care provider this the time for nurse practitioners,” said Dr. Michelle acorn, CEO, nurse practitioners association of Ontario.
Advocates say they continue to welcome the added and expanded roles and say they will be monitoring the impact it will have on the health care system here in Ontario and while they hope even more barriers will be removed in the future, they add that it is important that nurses continue to be supported both financially and professionally as well.
