RPNAO applauds government's move to expand roles of health care professionals

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - The Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario (RPNAO) applauds the Ontario Government's bold leadership to expand the scopes of practice of several regulated health professionals in order to provide higher quality and more timely care to a growing and aging population.

"This is an extremely encouraging announcement – one that represents an important step forward for our health care system and the people it serves," says Dianne Martin, Chief Executive Officer of RPNAO. "By enabling registered practical nurses (RPNs) and other health care providers to utilize their full knowledge and competencies, the Ontario government has taken a significant step to help improve access and timeliness of care."

In today's announcement, Minister Hoskins said the government is making a number of important changes to optimize the roles and responsibilities of chiropractors, dietitians, midwives, nurses (including RPNs, NPs and RNs), pharmacists, physiotherapists and other health care providers.

These changes will remove a number of outdated barriers to practice that unnecessarily restrict health care providers from using their full knowledge, skills and competencies. These barriers make it harder for patients to receive quality care. The timing of this announcement is especially important given the government's ongoing efforts to shift care when appropriate closer to people's homes and communities. Enabling our inter-professional teams of health care providers to optimize their practice in keeping with their ever-evolving education will improve patients' access to quality care in all health care sectors.

"We are looking forward to working with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and our nursing partners to move this work forward for the benefit of all Ontarians," says Martin. "By using the full scope of their skills and knowledge and working in a collaborative manner, Ontario's health care providers will help transform our health care system and make it more efficient and more patient-focused. This is really putting patients first."

About RPNAO
Founded in 1958, RPNAO is the voice of registered practical nursing in Ontario. There are approximately 41,000 RPNs working in Ontario, playing a vital role in the province's health care system. For more information about RPNAO, its mandate and how RPNs contribute to Ontario's health care system, please visit rpnao.org.

SOURCE Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario

Dianne Martin, Chief Executive Officer, 905-602-4664 ext. 226