PEI expands nursing roles to improve healthcare access

The Government of Prince Edward Island is introducing regulatory amendments to enhance healthcare across the province. 

The changes include adding a new nursing profession, registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs), and allowing registered nurses (RNs) and RPNs who possess advanced education to apply for a special authorization to prescribe medications. These updates, effective August 10, 2024, will improve access to care, ensure Islanders’ safety, and align the nursing practices in PEI with other jurisdictions.

“It’s all about giving Islanders better access to healthcare. These regulatory changes will help us deliver the highest standard of care and represent a modern approach to healthcare in PEI. By expanding the nursing profession to include registered psychiatric nurses and enhancing the prescribing capabilities of RNs, we are taking concrete steps to improve healthcare access and outcomes for all Islanders."

- Health and Wellness Minister Mark McLane

The new regulations officially recognize RPNs as a distinct profession, making PEI the first province in Eastern Canada to recognize psychiatric nursing. RPNs are trained to care for people with mental and developmental health needs, working closely with other healthcare professionals to provide patient-centered care. They focus on mental, developmental, and physical health, as well as mental illness, and addictions. RPNs will work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, patient medical homes, and community mental health centres.

"Nurses bring immense expertise and knowledge to healthcare settings across the province, benefitting Islanders every day," said Marion Dowling, Chief Nursing and Professional Practice Officer. "These new regulatory changes allow nurses to do more to care for patients by expanding their scope to include prescribing while also bringing more healthcare professionals into the province as we introduce RPNs to our mental health teams."

The regulations also allow RPNs and RNs with advanced certification to prescribe, dispense, and administer certain medications. This change will significantly increase access to services by expanding the scope of practice of available health professionals in our system

Additionally, the changes allow RN diabetes educators to prescribe new doses of diabetes medications as approved by Health Canada, providing essential support for those managing diabetes.

“The Council and staff of CRNMPEI worked hard over many months, in collaboration with our system partners, to see these important amendments come to fruition.  These innovative changes will support our health system and improve health outcomes to the benefit of Islanders,” Chief Executive Officer and Registrar for the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of PEI, Melissa Panton.

To support these changes, the Province, through the Health Innovation Optimization of Scope of Practice for Health Care Professionals Grant, provided a grant to the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of PEI (CRNMPEI) in Spring 2024 to help with the education and training needed for these expanded roles. 

Media contact:
Autumn Tremere
Department of Health and Wellness
agtremere@gov.pe.ca