Expanding Access to Nurse-Led Models of Care
- Cheyenne Johnson (BC Centre on Substance Use, BC)
- Steven Wintoniw (Association of Registered Nurses Manitoba, MB);
- Donna Cooke (Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, SK);
- Emilie Lizotte-Chin & Suzanne Brissette (University of Montreal, QC);
- Michael Lee & Janice Pyne (Addiction Recovery and Community Health Clinic, AB);
- Mae Katt (Thunder Bay, ON);
- Samantha Robinson (BCCSU, BC);
- Lynn Miller (NS)
Background
The nursing profession (registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses and registered psychiatric nurses) makes up the largest number of health care providers in Canada. In recent years, many regions have moved towards expanding the scope of practice for nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances, including opioid agonist treatments. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the nursing profession to practice at the top of their scope to improve the quality of care and promote evidence-based practice across Canada.
Objectives
To expand access to treatment for opioid use disorder through nurse-led models of care.
Project Components
National Scoping Review
CRISM is currently developing a report that reviews current practices, educational resources, and regulatory procedures for nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances. The review intends to identify:
- Variation in SUD regulation across provinces and territories
- Substance use disorder educational opportunities across Canada
- Key practices that could be implemented in other jurisdictions, and
- Gaps that could be addressed through the utilization of shared resources
Development of a Set of National Recommendations
Based on the findings of the scoping review, the leadership group has developed a set of 8 recommendations for provincial regulatory bodies and employers to expand the role of nurses to be involved in OAT care.
Knowledge translation (KT) and Advocacy Activities
To develop knowledge translation and implementation mechanisms, to build shared educational modules with standardized competencies and manuals for nursing-led models of care that could be implemented in various jurisdictions.
Pilot Implementation of a Nurse-led Model of Care
Adapted to the Canadian context, where nurse practitioners are authorized to prescribe when permitted, this standardized procedure manual is designed to support the implementation of this model in other Canadian jurisdictions and to evaluate its success in comparison with existing practice.
