Nursing ‘milestone’ to see some RNs play larger roles
Will be able to prescribe drugs, order X-rays
New Alberta rules set to CALGARY take effect next spring will allow some registered nurses to prescribe common medications and order X-rays.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman announced the changes to nursing students at Mount Royal University Friday, noting another amendment to the current regulation will allow nurse practitioners to set bone fractures.
“We want to unlock the best possible use of our expertise and enable you to practise the full range of skills you have to your abilities, for the benefit of your patients,” Hoffman told students.
“This expanded scope of practice will enable registered nurses and nurse practitioners to play a bigger role in health care in communities right across Alberta.”
Dennie Hycha, president of the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA), said the amendments to the Registered Nurses Profession Regulation are historic for registered nurses.
“Not only is it a milestone but, most importantly, it is an important step to providing more access to medications and tests for Albertans when they need them,” she said.
“The 38,000 nurses that (MRU nursing grads) will be joining are the largest health profession in this province. They are everywhere in the health system and they touch the lives of every community across this province. These changes can improve access to timely and cost-effective health care.”
Hycha said the changes don’t mean that all registered nurses will be prescribing. The expanded scope will be introduced gradually, and only qualified nurses in certain areas who take an extra course will be able to prescribe.
“We’re taking a very measured approach to implementing this,” Hycha told reporters. “We’re starting with pilot projects and we’re going to learn from that, and then take a look at where else we can further develop this type of care and services.”
Alberta Health Services is planning to introduce registered nurse prescribing in three settings initially, CARNA said: in sexually transmitted infection control clinics, in travel clinics and by occupational health nurses in hospitals after a health-care provider has received a needle-stick injury.
CARNA officials added Indigenous
It is an important step to providing more access to medications and tests for Albertans when they need them.
Services Canada is also interested in implementing registered nurse prescribing in rural and remote regions of the province to improve access to care.
Murray Holtby, chairman of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at MRU, said the university and Canadian nursing schools across the country have been discussing with all levels of government how registered nurse prescribing could benefit patients.
“Because nurses spend more time with patients than any other health-care providers, RN prescribing will be an effective means of improving patient access to care and the timeliness of that care when it happens,” Holtby said.
CARNA said the new authorization for registered nurse prescribing will remove barriers to the direct administration of Schedule 1 drugs under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which currently requires a prescription from a doctor or nurse practitioner (a registered nurse with a graduate degree and advanced skills). Some examples of those drugs include vaccinations and antibiotics. The amendments to the regulation will not allow registered nurses to prescribe controlled drugs and substances such as opioids.
The changes will come into effect next May 1.