The Role of Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

5.3.5 The Role of Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
  • NPs work alongside family physicians in primary care practices or within primary care reform models.
  • NPs are main primary care providers in smaller communities.
  • See note below map.
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
AB BC MB NB NL NT NS NU ON PE QC SK YT

Notes:
Manitoba (Blue): NP-led Quick Care clinics provide acute care and Mobile Clinics provide well baby care, immunizations, diagnoses and referrals in smaller/underserviced areas.
In Ontario, there are also some NP-led primary care clinics.

For a summary of the key roles of primary care providers by Canadian jurisdiction click here

Source: CICH map created using data adapted from Guttmann, A., Gandhi, S., Hanvey, Li, P., Barwick, M., Cohen, E., Glazer, S., Reisman, J. & Brownell, M. (2017). Primary Health Care Services for Children and Youth in Canada: Access, Quality and Structure. In The Health of Canada’s Children and Youth: A CICH Profile. Retrieved from https://cichprofile.ca/module/3/ -accessed July 24, 2017.

Nurse practitioner involvement in primary care is increasing across Canada, with the majority of nurse practitioners working in a primary care practice or primary care reform models with family physicians.

In more remote locations, nurse practitioners may work independently.  In some provinces, particularly in smaller communities, nurse practitioners provide primary care through nurse practitioner-led clinics and acute care clinics, where they are responsible for well-baby care, immunizations, diagnosis and referrals.