The family doctors of the Upper Grand Family Health Organization provide the majority of medical primary care. The Upper Grand FHT is complimenting these services with nurse practitioners who provide a holistic nurse based approach to managing most common illnesses and providing preventative care and education for healthy living. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional training and an extended scope of practice so they can provide a full range of health care services to individuals, families and communities.

Nurse practitioners provide care to patients of all ages, with a focus on preventing disease, promoting good health and curing illness. Part of the healthcare team, nurse practitioners play an important part in helping you to maintain a healthy active lifestyle, and to understand and/or treat your illness.

Nurse practitioners can:

• diagnose and treat illnesses and/or injuries
• perform physical check ups
• order and interpret diagnostic tests
• write prescriptions
• provide counselling and education
• provide supportive care through illness
• provide treatments and/or procedures and
• make referrals to family physicians, specialists and other health professionals