At the rate things are going, the Quebec government will not be able to achieve its objective of having 2,000 specialized nurse practitioners (IPS) in the network in 2025.
A total of 111 new specialized nurse practitioners (IPS) will join the ranks of the profession in 2024 in Quebec, the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ) said in a press release on Wednesday.
This brings their total number to 1,425. However, the Ministry of Health had set itself the objective of having 2000 in 2025.
With more advanced training than regular nurses, NPs can diagnose illnesses, determine what treatments to give to patients and monitor pregnancies. They can also prescribe tests and medications.
They are in great demand in the health network while dozens of job offers are currently posted to recruit them.
In December 2022, seven new IPS clinics opened their doors in the network. But as reported The duty On Wednesday, only 15,000 patients could be treated this year in these clinics. The government plans to open 16 such clinics by 2028.
IPS are specialized in five areas: primary care (IPSPL), adult care (IPSSA), mental health (IPSSM), pediatric care (IPSSP) and neonatology (IPSNN).
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