A Lively resident and recent graduate of Laurentian University's Nurse Practitioner class is the newest member of the Nurse Practitioner team.
Jana Carter is one of 24 new nurse practitioners (NP) who will be entering the job force this year after graduating from Laurentian's class. This means that thousands of orphan patients will have access to healthcare in the north.
Orphan is the term used to refer to patients who do not have a family doctor and therefore are required to rely on medical walk-in clinics and the hospital Emergency department for medical treatment, prescriptions and refills, and testing.
"Nurse practitioners order laboratory tests, diagnose illnesses and prescribe medication and treatments," stated Marilyn Butcher, a nurse practitioner(NP) and clinic director of the Sudbury District Nurse Practitioner Clinics, in a press release.
"NPs also practice with a team approach which means that they consult with a variety of health care providers. Among these are physicians, pharmacists, social workers, midwives, and more, ensuring the individual and family receive the best possible care."
To become NPs, the students must already have a nursing degree and years of professional experience. Before practising as NPs, students must then pass a "grueling licensing exam," stated the release.
"The NP program was an incredible amount of work, but well worth it. I'm looking forward to working in an environment where I can use the full scope of practice to optimize patient care," said Carter.
The Sudbury District Nurse Practitioner Clinics is making history as the first NP-led clinic to open in Canada, and will only accepts orphan patients.
It is expected to open in Jan. 2010 on Main Street in Lively, in the building formerly occupied by the Greater Sudbury Police and the local fire department.
For more information about the Sudbury District Nurse Practitioner Clinics services, visit www.sdnpc.ca.
