Amendments to Nursing Acts
Legislation introduced today will define and strengthen the role of nurse professionals in delivering health care in Nova Scotia’s various health-care sectors.
The Registered Nurses Act will honour government’s commitment to support nurse practitioners. The Licensed Practical Nurses Act is being modernized to reflect this important group’s growing contribution to health-care delivery.
Health Minister Jamie Muir said this is another step in government’s efforts to support a positive and rewarding workplace for nurses.
"Yesterday, we released the province’s first nursing strategy -- designed by nurses for nurses," said Mr. Muir. "Today, I am pleased to introduce legislation -- again in co-operation with nurses -- that reflects the current role and reality of their profession. The legislation will help ensure we have the right team of care providers, and the right mix of services in place throughout Nova Scotia."
The Registered Nurses Act recognizes the role of nurse practitioners, who can help tremendously in rural areas. Nurse practitioners -- registered nurses with specialized skills -- can work with family physicians and increase public access to a wider range of health-care services in their communities.
Nurse practitioners can play a role in health assessment and promotion, disease prevention and management of selected health- care problems. They work as part of collaborative teams with doctors and other health-care providers in Newfoundland, Ontario, Alberta, Canada’s North, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Specialty nurse practitioners provide care to individuals with certain medical conditions, such as premature babies or cancer patients. Currently, 19 specialty nurse practitioners work at the IWK Health Centre and at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
Primary health-care nurse practitioners provide a range of services with emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention and management. They are currently working in collaborative practice in Springhill, Pictou, Caledonia and Halifax.
"The Registered Nurses Act has been nearly two years in the making," said Donna Denney, president of the Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia. "We are proud to have been involved with the development of this legislation, which will move the nursing profession and the delivery of health services in Nova Scotia forward."
A Licensed Practical Nurses Act was also introduced. It will allow for better use of licensed practical nurses as part of a modern health-care system. The scope of practice, defined in the legislation, will enable employers to more fully and uniformly utilize their skills, abilities and training.
"This is a pivotal point for licensed practical nursing in Nova Scotia," said Ann Mann, executive director of the Practical Nurses Licensing Board. "The Act reflects our curriculum, adds clarity to our role and makes it possible for us to practice to our full potential."
Both pieces of legislation include a move to the name "college" for the professional associations involved. This designation means that the organization ensures that appropriate professional standards are in place and maintained. This name change reflects a trend for self-regulating professions across Canada. In Nova Scotia, some professions that have a college designation include doctors, occupational therapists, medical laboratory technologists, chiropractors and psychologists.
The Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia will become the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia. Similarly, the Practical Nurses Licensing Board will become the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia.
"We have worked closely over the last year-and-a-half with all the organizations involved to make sure the legislation supports their members," said Mr. Muir. "These changes will most certainly benefit Nova Scotians, the nursing profession, and our health system as a whole."
Mr. Muir thanked the staff and members of the Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia, the Practical Nurses Licensing Board, the Licensed Practical Nurses Association of Nova Scotia and others for their vital input and support.