The Ontario government is asking the public to weigh in on the idea of allowing nurses to prescribe some medications including contraceptives, immunizations and smoking cessation drugs.
The province has asked for public feedback on the changes outlined in a proposal from the College of Nurses of Ontario, which regulates the profession.
The proposal says nurses should also be empowered to prescribe drugs related to wound care and travel health.
The college says nurses could help provide quicker access to those medications and shorten wait times for certain services.
It also says relaxing prescribing rules for nurses could free up doctors and allow them to focus on more complex patient cases.
The government supports the proposal, with a spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott noting that broader prescription powers could improve convenience for patients.
This report by the Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2019.
