RNs begin prescribing addiction treatment medications, a Canadian first

published on February 8, 2021 in Province of British Columbia

VICTORIA – The first cohort of registered nurses (RNs) is on track to begin prescribing medications for treatment of opioid use disorder, as part of B.C.’s leading-edge overdose response plan.

Thirty RNs and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) will complete their training this month to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone (commonly known as Suboxone), which is a first-line opioid agonist treatment (OAT) medication. This is the first step in a phased approach to expand RNs and RPNs’ scope of practice to include prescribing addiction treatment medications. It represents a significant change in B.C.’s health-care system and an important move to better support people in under-served, rural and remote areas.

“We are coming up on five years since British Columbia declared overdose a public health emergency, and more than 6,000 people have died because of toxic street drugs since that time,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer. “The COVID-19 pandemic has put people who use drugs at much higher risk for overdose. This crisis isn’t unique to our province – it’s a national issue – but B.C. is breaking ground when it comes to our response. I want to thank the nurses who have stepped forward to blaze this trail and help build B.C.’s health-system capacity to reach more people and save lives.”…

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