Nurse Practitioner
The Nurses Act (1984)was amended in July 2002 to enable the practice of nurse practitioners in New Brunswick. The nurse practitioner role is regulated in addition to that of a registered nurse because the nurse practitioner performs activities that are not considered part of the scope of practice of registered nurses.
Competencies and Standards
The NP role is a nursing role, and nurse practitioners must practise in accordance with all NANB standards. In addition, NPs must practice in accordance with the Standards of Practice for Nurse Practitioners.
The document Competencies and Standards of Practice for Nurse Practitioner in Primary Health Care focuses on the responsibilities in nurse practitioner practice which require additional regulation by NANB.
Schedules for Ordering
The NP Schedules for Ordering outline the screening and diagnostic tests that may be ordered and interpreted, the drugs that may be prescribed and the forms of energy that may be ordered by the NP. These schedules are established through recommendations of the NP Therapeutics Committee (NPTC) and approved by the NANB Board of Directors and the Minister of Health.
The schedules are located in the NANB document Nurse Practitioner Schedules for Ordering ( Revised November 2009):
- Schedule “A”: Nurse Practitioner is authorized to order the x-rays, ultrasounds and other forms of energy designated in Schedule “A”.
- Schedule “B”: A Nurse Practitioner is authorized to order the laboratory and other tests designated in Schedule “B”.
- Schedule “C”: A Nurse Practitioner is authorized to prescribe the drugs found in the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program Formulary, including Appendix IV - Special Authorization, as amended from time to time, except as excluded or limited in Schedule “C”.
- Schedule “D”: The drugs listed in this schedule “D” may be prescribed by Nurse Practitioners.
Requests for changes to schedules may be made to the Nurse Practitioner Therapeutics Committee (NPTC) by submitting to NANB the form NP Request for Change to Diagnostic Tests and Drug Schedules. The NPTC meets at least annually to review change requests.
New Brunswick Prescription Drug Plan Formulary
The New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) Formulary is a listing of all drugs and drug products which have been determined by the Minister of Health to be entitled services. Such drugs and drug products must be listed in the Formulary in order to be considered current eligible benefits. The formulary is published semi-annually in April and October.
Special Authorization
The prescription of drugs found on Schedule “D” of the NANB document Nurse Practitioner Schedules for Ordering are subjected to a Special Authorization process for payment purposes. See the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) Formulary.
Prescriber Number
A nurse practitioner who is duly registered with NANB will receive a prescriber number from the Practitioner Registrar at Medicare. The prescriber number identifies the NP to the pharmacist as a provider with the authority to write a prescription.
