NP geography of practice

[noworries]

Hi,

I'm just wondering where NP's are allowed to work?

Or more importantly, where are the jobs available for them?

My friend told me that while working at BBY hospital, she saw someone who looked like a paediatrician (white coat blahblah), and introduced herself.. turns out she was a NP student w/ UBC!

I'm just wondering if after she grads.. will she also be able to work in big cities like.. BBY or Vancouver/Richmond?

Or will she only be limited to places like Prince George or other rural areas?

[Fiona59]

Check your private messages.

[noworries]

Thanks Fiona!

[lalaxton]

NP's are very new in BC but much more established in Ontario. You will also see them in NS, and now Newfoundland and Saskatchewan. We are becoming more and more visible in Canada. Check out the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative, which can be found on the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) website.

[Sarah, RNBScN]

I live in Northern Ontario, we have a number of NP.

They range from working in family medicine practice clinics, community and public health facility, hospital facility, and out post areas.

They usually work under a physician with whom they consult with on a needs basis.

Hope this helps.

[shouldhavebeenapoet]

Where did lalaxton and SarahRNBScN do your NP training? How did you like the programs and did they prepare you for the type of work you are doing now?

[Sarah, RNBScN]

Hello

I am not a NP, I would like to do my MScN though. I have friends who practice in the community where I live and work.

NP of one was done through Laurentian University (Sudbury).

NP of another was done through University of Toronto.

I can find out more information for you from them if you would like.

Hope this helps.

Sarah...

[lalaxton]

I am Canadian but did my training while living in the US at the U of South Carolina. In Ontario, all Universities that offer Nursing (COUPON) also offer the Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program, presently a post-BSN certificate but within a few years will probably be a Masters. Only the U of Toronto offers the Acute Care NP program which is a Masters.

I loved my training at U of SC and feel that I was very prepared to be a primary care NP however once out of school I drifted into Acute Care because of job availability and my prior ICU experience and have never looked back!

[shouldhavebeenapoet]

Thanks for the replies! I did my direct entry MSc(A) in Nursing at McGill and really like the flexibility that we have with it in terms of the types of positions that my classmates got coming out. I'm still trying to decide where my true niche will be though.

Sarah