A new pilot program is helping seniors in long-term care facilities and at home get access to more care faster, with nurses trained to prescribe medication for common ailments.
Registered nurse prescriber Allana Bowles (right) walks with Christina Seward, a resident of the Cove Guest Home in Sydney. Ms. Bowles is one of 13 nurses in continuing care who recently completed advanced training to prescribe medications for common ailments. (Communications Nova Scotia)
Thirteen registered nurses working in continuing care completed Dalhousie University's certificate in registered nurse prescribing program in December. A second group of continuing care nurses started in early January, and a third will start in the fall.
The Province is covering the full cost of tuition for nurses working in continuing care to complete the training through the pilot.
"By supporting nurses to work to an expanded scope of practice, more seniors are getting the care and treatment they need faster, where they live, whether it is in a long-term care facility or in their own home. It will also help reduce trips to emergency rooms for conditions that often affect seniors," said Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care. "This is an exciting step forward for the highly skilled nurses working in continuing care."
Graduates from the program can prescribe medications for common health conditions and ailments such as urinary tract infections, nausea and dermatitis. They can also renew prescriptions. They work closely with either a nurse practitioner or physician for support when needed and are certified by the Nova Scotia College of Nursing.
The curriculum is the same as that completed by nurses authorized to prescribe in acute care. Part-time classes over one year allow nurses to continue working while they study.
The recent graduates work at seven long-term care homes and a home nursing agency:
- the Cove Guest Home, Sydney
- Harbourstone Enhanced Care, Sydney River
- Maplestone Enhanced Care, Halifax
- Northwood, Bedford campus
- Northwood, Halifax campus
- Parkstone Enhanced Care, Clayton Park
- Shoreham Village, Chester
- VON, Cape Breton.
Supporting registered nurses to do advanced training so they can prescribe for certain ailments in continuing care is part of Action for Health, the government's strategic plan to improve healthcare, specifically: providing the care Nova Scotians need and deserve, becoming a magnet for health providers and cultivating excellence on the front lines.
Quotes:
"I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to study to be a registered nurse prescriber at Dalhousie University. It's my honour to use my new prescribing skills to improve care for our residents at the Cove Guest Home. Since starting this work in early January, I've prescribed medications for minor and common ailments, such as eye drops, creams and other treatments, about six to 10 times a week. Using my new skills to prescribe medications for minor and common ailments allows our physician to focus on other care, providing all residents with faster access to care."
Allana Bowles, registered nurse prescriber, Cove Guest Home, Sydney
"We at the Cove Guest Home, are so very proud of Allana's recent accomplishment of becoming one of the very first registered nurses in long-term care to achieve this level of success by obtaining her advanced prescriber designation. Our residents will greatly benefit from Allana's ability to now prescribe medications, as well assisting our medical advisor, Dr J. Archibald, on days when he is not scheduled to visit the Cove for his rounds. The collaboration and benefits will be remarkable."
Cheryl Deveaux, CEO and Administrator, Cove Guest Home, Sydney
"This is an exciting initiative that will improve access to timely healthcare for long-term care residents. Nurses bring a vast body of knowledge to healthcare and those with the added education and authority to prescribe medications will continue to make an impactful difference in the lives of Nova Scotians."
Sue Smith, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, Nova Scotia College of Nursing
Quick Facts:
- the government is providing $400,000 in funding to support the pilot program, including tuition for students, this fiscal year
- nurses with advanced training have been doing this work at Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health Centre since 2021
- the Homes for Special Care Regulations were amended in December to allow registered nurses with advanced training and certification to prescribe certain medications in long-term care
Additional Resources:
- More information on Dalhousie's certificate in registered nurse prescribing program is available at: https://www.dal.ca/faculty/health/nursing/graduate-programs/CertificateinRNPrescribing.html
- Continuing care supports: https://www.nshealth.ca/continuing-care
- Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/
