MONTREAL – In a bid to reduce overcrowded emergency rooms, the Quebec government is granting new powers and responsibilities to nurses – including prescribing some medication – starting next year.
“This is something we need to celebrate,” said Lucie Tremblay, President of the Quebec Order of Nurses.
“We are amongst the first nurses in this country who will be able to prescribe medication.”
Starting in January 2016, certain specially-trained nurses can start dressing bed sores themselves instead of calling in a doctor.
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If they assess those sores need further treatment, they can then order diagnostic tests without consulting a doctor first.
In terms of medication, nurses will be allowed to prescribe birth control pills and prescriptions to treat STDs.
They can also prescribe smoking cessation pills and medication for babies with thrush.
The Order of Nurses said it takes some of the burden away from doctors and will benefit Quebecers.
“Right now, we are not using our full scope of nurses,” Tremblay said.
“We will be able to better serve the population. You are treating the patient faster and this means there is less suffering for the patient.”
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The reality, though, is the new powers they will have are quite limited in scope.
The nurses union said it wishes the government had gone even further.
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Health Minister Gaetan Barrette insisted this will alleviate pressure on overcrowded emergency rooms and put care back in the community.
“It means they don’t have to go to a clinic or an emergency room. They don’t have to go to a hospital to have access to care,” he said.
“At the end of the day, it’s better access to care.”
Quebec is one of the first provinces in Canada to grant nurses these powers, after British Columbia.
Only 10,000 of Quebec’s 75,000 nurses will qualify for the new responsibilities.
They will have to take a training course over the next few months, and can start administering medication starting in January.
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