At the end of the day 5 resolutions were passed by the conference participants. There should be a national process to develop guidelines for the scope of practice of NPs. There is an enhanced skills set and specific education required by NPs. The activities within the role of NPs are location specific. Funding models must be developed to enhance cooperative and collaborative care.
Innovative education is needed to provide core competency and an enhanced skills set.
Late last fall the province passed unanimously an NP program, with the help and support of many players, including rural doctors. The NP program was set up because of public demand. It was recognized that there needed to be more than one way to deliver the service. Minister Aylward emphasized that NPs are not meant to replace physicians but should be used wherever they can improve services in conjunction with physicians, health care boards and the public. Much remains to be resolved and the government is working on a number of issues, including the definition and scope of practice, what NPs can and cannot do, guidelines and the payment method.