Quebec expands Nurse Practitioners’ role

Nurses in Québec may now carry out some professional activities previously reserved for physicians. Since January 11, nurses have had the authority to prescribe, conduct lab exams, diagnose, and more. Lucie Tremblay, president of the Quebec Order of Nurses, welcomed the change.

“This date is one to celebrate!  We now have better, increased access to care and are advancing our profession at the same time," she stated.  "January 11 marks a significant step towards greater professional autonomy."

As examples, qualified nurses will be able to prescribe hormonal contraception, IUDs or emergency oral contraception. One reason for the change is to better respond to the proliferation of sexually transmitted infections (STI).

To prescribe, nurses will need specific training, regular updating, and they must maintain their qualifications. Nurses can access this online.

The changes, now in effect, were introduced by health minister Gaétan Barrette in October 2015, after some consultation. The minister insists this will improve access to health care.

“This is an improvement because we are enabling nurses to provide medical services in some, but not all, situations -- not necessarily in an emergency department, for instance,” stated Minister Barrette. “As for STIs, nurses in schools will have the capacity, legally- and professionally-speaking, to provide care to either the infected person or the partner. In terms of access, this means that they don't have to go to a clinic or an emergency room; they don't even have to go to a hospital to access care. We can multiply this example over a broad spectrum of health challenges, meaning it's better access to care.”

The minister stressed that this change will benefit seniors who receive home care for some health problems.

“The nurse can go to the patient's home, evaluate, assess the situation, prescribe lab tests and care, dressings, and all that. So, for that patient, for that elderly person, in his or her home, being visited by a nurse from the CLSC, there is only one step. It is going to be the nurse in their home, instead of having the patient going to a clinic or a CLSC. That is an added cost to the public purse.”