Nurse practitioners are increasingly being recognized in Nova Scotia. I know that 23 nurses are currently doing their master's degrees at Arthabaska University in order to become nurse practitioners. There are some Francophones among those 23 nurses. Others want to register for the program. Nurse practitioners are increasingly in evidence in Nova Scotia. There remain some details and agreements to be finalized with the doctors, but we are putting a lot of hopes—especially in the rural communities—in nurse practitioners. I entirely agree with you—I'm also a nurse by training—that nurses can do a lot of things. That would free up doctors and enable them to manage their time better.
On November 7th, 2006. See this statement in context.