The Manitoba government is celebrating the second annual Nurse Practitioner Day by doubling the number of first-year seats for training nurse practitioners from nine to 18 to train more nurses to provide important health-care services to Manitobans. This announcement was made by Health Minister Sharon Blady and Education and Advanced Learning Minister Peter Bjornson to mark Nurse Practitioner Day in Manitoba.
“This year, there will be 18 first-year master’s nurse practitioner seats for this specialized training,” said Minister Blady. “By providing important services to Manitobans, such as staffing two mobile clinics that serve residents in rural communities, nurse practitioners are relieving pressure on the traditional system and providing care for patients skillfully and effectively.”
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with a master’s level education and clinical experience that qualifies them to diagnose illnesses, treat certain conditions, prescribe medications and order diagnostic tests.
“Highly skilled and well-trained nurse practitioners are increasingly making positive contributions to health-care delivery,” said Minister Bjornson. “The province will also continue its Nurse Practitioner Education Grant program, which provides conditional grants to students and recent graduates in return for one year of service in a rural community after graduation.”
Students are eligible for a one-time grant of $10,000. Applications will be accepted through the Manitoba Student Aid website until Nov. 28.
“We recognize the valuable role nurse practitioners have in the modern health-care system, so we are pleased to support the efforts of those aspiring to this important area of service, helping people right here at home,” said Minister Blady. “Nurse Practitioner Day is a time to shine a spotlight on the efforts of these dedicated professionals and the positive effect they continue to have in health-care delivery.”
More than 120 nurse practitioners currently provide health-care services at hospitals, QuickCare clinics, primary care clinics and personal care homes across the province.
“Nurse practitioners have been legislated in Manitoba and caring for patients since 2005 and will continue to be committed to providing quality care to people living in Manitoba,” said Brenda Dawyduk, president, Nurse Practitioner Association of Manitoba, and Manitoba’s first nurse practitioner. “We are very excited to celebrate the value that nurse practitioners bring to Manitobans and our health-care system.”
