VICTORIA - Soon an additional 45 new nurse practitioners will be working
around British Columbia, as part of government's commitment to
substantially increase the number of nurse practitioners employed in the
province.
"Nurse practitioners are a valuable part of our health-care team," said
Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid. "Adding 45 more nurse practitioner
will bolster resources available - particularly in primary and community
care settings - to improve access to care. Over the next three years, we
will be funding a total of 190 new nurse practitioner positions."
The new nurse practitioners are being funded by a $22.2-million
initiative, first announced in May, which committed to fund 190 nurse
practitioner positions over the next three fiscal years.
The nurse practitioners will be working in primary health-care settings,
including medical clinics, mental health clinics, residential care and
First Nations' health services. These nurse practitioners are expected to
start working as soon as possible, once contracts are signed with health
authorities.
"We know that many nurse practitioners have been frustrated by the lack
of opportunities for the profession in the province, and this will go a
long way towards solving that problem. My hope is that more British
Columbians will find out how nurse practitioners can help them better
access the health-care services they need," said Rosemary Graham,
president of the British Columbia Nurse Practitioner Association.
Nurse practitioners were introduced to B.C. in 2005 to assist in
improving access to primary health-care services. Currently, 252 nurse
practitioners are registered with the College of Registered Nurses of
B.C. B.C. has the ability to educate up to 45 nurse practitioners a year,
15 at each of the University of British Columbia, the University of
Northern British Columbia and the University of Victoria.
In October 2012, the ministry announced new regulations to allow nurse
practitioners to admit and discharge patients from health-care
facilities, working in collaboration with physicians and other health-
care providers.
British Columbia is the second jurisdiction in Canada to have qualified
nurse practitioners admit and discharge patients from hospitals, after
Ontario.
via Ministry of Health
