Ontario nurse practitioners get expanded powers

The Ontario government is giving nurse practitioners the power to admit and discharge patients from hospital.

Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Friday that nurse practitioners can start discharging patients this July, and will be able to admit patients to hospitals starting in July 2012.

"Ontario's nurse practitioners are leading the way in North America. Now we want to give them the ability to admit and discharge patients, which would help patients get home to their families sooner," the premier said in a news release.

Nurse practitioners can already admit, treat and discharge patients in emergency rooms and those who are in primary care, but only doctors can discharge patients who are in hospital.

The Registered Nurses' Association wants nurse practitioners to admit and discharge patients to help ease congestion, and prevent patients from being stuck in hospital on a weekend if they don't see a doctor on Friday.

Ontario is the first province to give nurse practitioners the additional authority, which the government says will help patients get home to their families sooner.