| MPP
Arnott Announces Plans for Nurse Practitioners to Provide
More Health Care Services to Residents of Waterloo-Wellington
Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott has received word from the Ministry of
Health and Long Term Care that Waterloo and Wellington
have priority for 18 nurse practitioners as part of
the Government’s plan to increase the availability of
health care by enabling nurse practitioners to provide
some services traditionally provided by doctors.
“I
am very encouraged by the Government’s commitment to
increase the availability of primary health care by
planning to have nurse practitioners provide more services
in our communities. Nurse practitioners have the ability
to take care of many patients and their expertise can
ease the demand on doctors’ time – something that is
especially important for areas that are facing a shortage
of doctors,” said Mr. Arnott.
In
their scope of practice, nurse practitioners are qualified
to order x-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, communicate
health findings to patients, provide stitches, and prescribe
immunizations among other services that they are authorized
to perform.
The
Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has indicated
that the regional areas of Waterloo and Wellington have
priority for 11 and 7 nurse practitioners respectively
and that annual funding of up to $110,000 per nurse
will help cover salaries, benefits and a portion of
the overhead costs.
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