MONTREAL — As of Jan. 25, specialized nurse practitioners (IPS) will be able to diagnose and make treatment plans without the supervision of a doctor for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and lung disease and chronic obstructive disorders, as well as carry out pregnancy follow-ups.
This “historic advance” which “fully recognizes the skills of IPS” will result, according to Quebec, in better access to health care for everyone, said the office of Higher Education Minister Danielle McCann on Friday. McCann is also responsible for the application of professional laws.
“I hope that the IPSs can contribute to the improvement of our health care up at the level of their ambitions and their skills,” the minister said in a statement. “The entry of this law into force is undoubtedly the culmination of one of the matters I am most proud of in my political career.”
The change is made possible by Quebec’s approval of the Regulation respecting specialized nurse practitioners and implements the Act to amend the Nurses Act and other provisions in order to promote access to health services.
McCann introduced the bill in October 2019 when she was Minister of Health and Social Services.
– This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2020.
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