Nurse practitioners (NPs) in BC are registered nurses with advanced education and training that enables them to provide a broader range of health care services, including diagnosis, treatment, and management of various health conditions.
Tips & Links
Nurse practitioners have advanced education to provide comprehensive health care to patients of all ages in the hospital and community settings often specializing in the health needs of seniors and those with more complex health conditions.
Learn About
- Nurse practitioners hold a master’s degree and their scope of practice is governed by the BC College of Nurses and Midwives.
- Know that their scope of practice can include assessment and diagnosis, symptoms management, education, prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting tests such as medical imaging and bloodwork, and making referrals to a specialist and other health care professionals and services.
- Review the list of services that a nurse practitioner can provide from Healthlink BC.
Things You Can Do
- If you do not have and are looking for a NP, learn how to register with Health Connect through Healthlink BC.
- Review your complete medication list every year with your pharmacist, physician, or nurse practitioner, including all over the counter drugs, supplements, herbs, and vitamins. Remember, you are the only one that knows all the substances you are taking.
- Know that nurse practitioners can also complete disability benefits, ICBC, WorkSafeBC and travel assistance program (TAP) forms, and health benefits applications.
- An NP visit in a physician’s office or clinic setting, that is medically necessary, is paid for by your medical services plan (MSP). However, know that additional fees may be charged for certain items. Learn more from the Government of BC.
- Think ahead about the reasons for health care visits. With a nurse practitioner, you may be allocated more time to discuss one or two health issues. As with a physician, the visit with an NP can be in person or virtually, by phone or by using a computer screen and microphone, to address general health concerns.
- Prepare ahead for health care visits. Take time to review your health concerns and write down any questions you may have before your appointment. Choose 1-2 key concerns to discuss. Bring your health advocate with you to the appointment to take notes, remind you of your questions and concerns for the visit, and write down the answers and suggestions.
- Learn how to make your physician or healthcare visit more effective and productive from Healthlink BC.
- Know about your patient rights including informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, and the right to refuse or accept care.
- Develop your self-advocacy skills to ensure your questions are answered and your needs and decisions are heard.
- Ask questions of all your health care providers and seek clarification on anything you do not understand.
- Learn about ‘Patients as Partners’ from the Government of BC.
Add your Nurse Practitioner to your My Health Care & Business Professionals PDF tool found in My People. Include their contact information and any questions you have for them. Save to digital and print files.