Nurse practitioners
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education, advanced knowledge and nursing experience, and a specialty of practice. They provide a range of health services to patients and deliver preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Nurse practitioners work in conjunction with physicians and collaboratively with other nursing colleagues and health-care providers, or they may work independently. They are employed in community health centres, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centres. Nurse practitioners may specialize in primary healthcare or acute care.
Employment Outlooks
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Salary Information
Average: CA$60.02/hr
90.1% of workers in this occupation receive non-wage benefits
Source: Job Bank Canada. Wages may vary by region and experience.
Examples
- extended class registered nurse
- nurse practitioner
- pediatric nurse practitioner
- acute care nurse practitioner
- adult care nurse practitioner
- advanced nurse practitioner
- advanced practice nurse
- anesthesia nurse practitioner
- cardiovascular nurse practitioner
- extended class registered nurse
- geriatric nurse practitioner
- nurse practitioner
- pediatric nurse practitioner
- primary health care nurse practitioner
Main Duties
- May coordinate or manage primary patient care.
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Examine patients and take their medical histories and consult with physicians and other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
- Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
- Inoculate and vaccinate patients
- Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
- Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team such as family physicians, therapists and nutritionists to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
- Perform a patient advocacy role
- Prescribe and administer medications
Requirements
- Nurse practitioners usually require a master's degree in nursing; or completion of a nursing program with additional advanced or extended primary health care nursing education; and several years of practice as a registered nurse.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required for nurse practitioners in all provinces and territories.