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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Care Can Family Practice Nurses Provide?
(Professional scope of practice, individual scope of practice, and scope of employer must be taken into consideration)

  • Comprehensive health assessment and physical exams

  • Health prevention screening

  • Population health promotion strategies (e.g. family planning, sexual health teaching etc.)  

  • Well-woman visits (cervical screening)

  • Breast Exams

  • Prenatal care

  • Post-partum care

  • Breastfeeding support

  • Well-baby visits

  • Injections

  • Immunizations

  • Memory testing

  • Wound care

  • Suture & staple removal

  • Ear syringing

  • Intrauterine Device (IUD) string checks

  • Cryotherapy

  • Medication reviews

  • Ankle-Brachial Index testing (ABI)  

  • New patient intake visits

  • Hospital Discharge follow up visits

  • Chronic disease management

    • Diabetes

    • Hypertension

    • Obesity

    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)  

  • Liaise with community resources

  • Identify and prioritize patient goals

  • Support behaviour change (e.g., smoking cessation, healthy eating)

  • Coordinate referrals, as appropriate, to care providers and services  

  • Procedure assist (excisions etc.)

  • AND MUCH MORE

What are the benefits of having a Family Practice Nurse on the Health Care Team?

  • Improved access to primary health care services

  •  Improved patient care flow

  • Person and family-centered care

  • Comprehensive screening, health promotion and early detection of illness and disease

  • Promotion and support of healthy lifestyle behaviours

  • Enhanced chronic disease management

  • Increased support for patients with complex care needs

  • Enhanced access to programs, services and community resources.

  • Maximizing efficient use of resources, energy, and time

  • Clinical supervision, preceptorship, education and mentoring for student health care providers.

  • Potentially reduced emergency department visits and hospital admissions

Is there a FPN Program?

The Family Practice Nursing Education Program is offered by the Nova Scotia Health Learning Institute for Health Care Providers. It is designed to prepare Registered Nurses to work in primary health care settings. This performance-based program supports RNs to advance their clinical judgment, critical thinking, and clinical leadership in family practice.

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Learn more here

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