Job description Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (PHCNP) in Nova Scotia

Find out what work is like for a primary health care nurse practitioner (PHCNP) in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Allied primary health practitioners (NOC 31302).

Nurse practitioners

Description

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education, advanced knowledge and nursing experience, and a specialty of practice. They provide a range of health services to patients and deliver preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Nurse practitioners work in conjunction with physicians and collaboratively with other nursing colleagues and health-care providers, or they may work independently. They are employed in community health centres, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centres. Nurse practitioners may specialize in primary healthcare or acute care.

Work week duration

Nurse practitioners usually work more than 40 hours per week.
More than 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Nurse practitioners have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Examine patients and take their medical histories and consult with physicians and other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
  • Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
  • Inoculate and vaccinate patients
  • Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
  • Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team such as family physicians, therapists and nutritionists to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
  • Perform a patient advocacy role
  • Prescribe and administer medications
  • May co-ordinate or manage primary patient care.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Standing
  • Handling material manually
  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Nurse practitioners are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Clinics
  • Community health centres
  • Hospitals
  • Rehabilitation centres

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Biological agents
  • Dangerous chemical substances
  • Skin injury
  • Standard safety equipment

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Physically touching or very close

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 31302), and a list of similar occupations:

  • advanced practice nurse
  • extended class registered nurse
  • nurse practitioner

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Nurse practitioners in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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