The Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (NP-PC) is a healthcare professional who holds a university master’s degree in nursing sciences and medical sciences and is qualified to take comprehensive care of a patient, meaning that she:

• addresses needs related to both physical and mental health,
• reviews lifestyle habits, collects data on personal and family history, and involves the family in the patient’s health experience,
• provides care to individuals of all ages, from newborns to the elderly,
• has the skills to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or high cholesterol,
• assesses and treats common health issues (ear infections, respiratory infections, minor injuries, etc.).

The NP-PC and Medical Prescriptions

The nurse practitioner can prescribe diagnostic tests or medical treatments and can also write prescriptions. Her role focuses on disease prevention and health promotion, meaning she teaches patients concepts to help improve their lifestyle habits and supports them in their journey to prevent the development of chronic diseases.

The NP-PC also performs, among other things:

• screening for sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer,
• smoking cessation counseling,
• pediatric follow-up,
• monitoring of attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, etc.

She works in partnership with other health professionals (physician, clinical nurse, licensed practical nurse, nutritionist, occupational therapist, social worker) to provide quality care to patients and also improve accessibility to healthcare services.

Jacinthe Audette-Gariépy, NP-PC
PRAXIS Family Health Clinic