Bill 179

(Regulated Health Professionals Statute Law Amendment Act, 2009)

Laboratory and Specimen collection Centres Licensing Act

Healing Arts Radiation Protection Ac

•  NPs can order any lab test appropriate for client care. No longer restricted to a list.

• NPs can dispense, sell, compound and broadly prescribe drugs in keeping with CNO regulations. No longer restricted to prescribing off a list.

• NPs can set or cast a fracture of a bone or dislocation of a joint

• NPs can give RNs and RPNs patient care orders

• The application and ordering of a prescribed form of energy is still pending. This section of Nursing Act, 1991 has been amended and will be in force as of October 1, 2011. However, to be truly enabled it must have regulation from the government to determine the exact meaning of a “prescribed” form of energy. This regulation is still pending.

• The changes authorizing NPs to broadly order x-rays, including CT scans, are still pending. Bill 179 amends the Healing Arts Radiation Protection Act to allow these changes but we are waiting for government regulations to enable this aspect of the bill. Currently, NPs are restricted to ordering x-rays of the chest, ribs, arm, wrist, hand, leg, ankle and mammography.

• The list of diagnostic ultrasounds that NPS can order is still in place. NPs are currently restricted to ordering abdomen, pelvis (including OB) and breast ultrasounds.

Public Hospitals Act

• NPs can order diagnostics, treatments and discharge for hospital in-patients

• NPs can sign death certificates in hospital

•  NPs will be authorized to admit patients to hospital