The role nurse practitioners play in providing health care
Nova Scotia is highlighting nurse practitioners this week and the important work they do.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are independent health-care professionals who provide a range of duties, including:
- assess patients
- diagnose patients
- provide diagnostic tests like CTs, MRIs, bloodwork
- send referrals to specialists and follow up on important care
- admit and discharge patients from hospitals
The president of the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Nova Scotia, Aprill Susin, says nurse practitioners in the province have a wider scope of care than those working in other provinces.
“So, it’s different among every province what the scope of nurse practitioners is. Ideally, we will come to a stage where we have NPs throughout Canada all doing the same work,” said Susin. “But in Nova Scotia, we have one of the largest scope of practises, meaning that we can do more activities, such as admitting and discharging patients from hospital.”
In the past four years, the number of nurse practitioners in Nova Scotia has doubled to more than 430 employees.
“They’re working in both adult and pediatric settings. So that can be acute care, such as in the hospitals in the intensive care units, we have nurse practitioners that provide 24-hour care in the neonatal intensive care unit, we have NPs who work for virtual care, long-term care, primary care,” Susin said.
“Not only do NPs work as clinicians, but they’re also advocating, educating, conducting research, and leaders who collaboratively work with other health-care professionals to provide optimal care for Nova Scotia.”
Susin started her health-care journey as a registered nurse for about 10 years before deciding to become a NP – a job she’s now held for 11 years.
She said she decided to make the transition because she wanted to work to the full scope of practise of a nurse.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to work with some amazing people and be at their most vulnerable stage, which is extremely humbling and has allowed me to have a really good perspective and appreciation of life every day,” said Susin.
As far as recruiting and retaining more NPs to Nova Scotia, Susin says, first and foremost, the province speaks for itself.
“Well, Nova Scotia is beautiful and we have amazing, kind people here. So, NPs would be really happy to come and work here,” she said.
“Besides this, I think allowing NPs to work to optimal scope of practise and creating alternative health models, similar to Alberta and B.C., where NPs are overseeing NPs through health care.”
For those interested in joining the field, Susin describes being a NP as an amazing job, but hard at the same time.
“You get to meet these amazing people and be apart of their life and help them become the best person that they can be and be healthy and live a good life,” she said.
Nurse Practitioners Week is from Nov. 10 to 16.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
This is how much money you need to make to buy a house in Canada's largest cities
The average salary needed to buy a home keeps inching down in cities across Canada, according to the latest data.
'My two daughters were sleeping': London Ont. family in shock after their home riddled with gunfire
A London father and son they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.
Smuggler arrested with 300 tarantulas strapped to his body
Police in Peru have arrested a man caught trying to leave the country with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants strapped to his body.
Boissonnault out of cabinet to 'focus on clearing the allegations,' Trudeau announces
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced embattled minister Randy Boissonnault is out of cabinet.
Baby dies after being reported missing in midtown Toronto: police
A four-month-old baby is dead after what Toronto police are calling a “suspicious incident” at a Toronto Community Housing building in the city’s midtown area on Wednesday afternoon.
Sask. woman who refused to provide breath sample did not break the law, court finds
A Saskatchewan woman who refused to provide a breath sample after being stopped by police in Regina did not break the law – as the officer's request was deemed not lawful given the circumstances.
Parole board reverses decision and will allow families of Paul Bernardo's victims to attend upcoming parole hearing in person
The families of the victims of Paul Bernardo will be allowed to attend the serial killer’s upcoming parole hearing in person, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) says.