As part of Ontario’s Action Plan for Health Care, the Ontario government is expanding the nursing scope of practice. This will help to provide patients with access to the right care, at the right time and in the right place. The government will work with the College of Nurses of Ontario to expand the scope of Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses so they can dispense medication in certain circumstances such as when patients do not have quick access to a pharmacy.
The government is also working with the nursing community and will identify additional prospects to expand their scope of practice. Possible future changes may include allowing Registered Nurses to prescribe certain medications and Nurse Practitioners to prescribe controlled substances.
You can read the news release, “Enhancing the Role of Ontario Nurses” on the Ontario government website.