ONTARIO-The Ontario government is proposing regulation changes which will expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and registered nurses to order more tests and provide additional services in a variety of settings including hospitals, interprofessional primary care teams and long-term care homes.
“The changes announced today to expand the scope of practice for NPs and RNs will ease system challenges that people in Ontario are facing accessing timely care. They demonstrate confidence in the knowledge and skills of nurses who are at the very centre of our health system. These expanded scope will lead to a higher functioning system and improved health outcomes for Ontarians.” said Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO)
Starting July 1, 2025, nurse practitioners will be able to:
- Order and apply a defibrillator to provide faster care to someone in cardiac arrest.
- Order and apply a cardiac pacemaker to make it faster for people to receive care if their heart isn’t beating regularly.
- Order and perform electrocoagulation, a process to treat skin conditions and lesions, such as skin tags, helping people get them removed sooner.
- Certify a death in more circumstances.
Additionally, these scope of practice changes will allow registered nurses to certify a death when the death is expected, helping ensure death registration is completed in a more timely manner while preserving dignity of the deceased for their family.
“Ontario is proud to be home to world-class health care professionals and our government continues to make innovative changes to allow them to work to the full extent of their expertise and training,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Expanding the roles of highly skilled nurse practitioners and registered nurses is another step our government is taking to provide more people with the right care, in the right place.”
Expanding scope of practice for nurse practitioners and registered nurses builds on the government’s previous investment to bring more nurses into the healthcare system by educating new nurses, increasing opportunities for current nurses to access specialized training to upskill while on the job and reducing barriers for internationally educated nurses, allowing them to register to work in Ontario faster and start caring for Ontarians sooner.
“NPAO applauds the provincial government’s initiative to expand Nurse Practitioners’ scope of practice. These changes represent a necessary shift to enhance our ability to provide timely and comprehensive care across a plethora of practice settings, improving access for all Ontarians. By leveraging the full extent of our training and expertise, Nurse Practitioners can play a crucial role in ensuring a more integrated health system in Ontario.” said Dr. Michelle Acorn, CEO of the Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO)
