The Ontario government is giving nurse practitioners the power to admit and discharge patients from hospital.
Premier Dalton McGuinty will announce later today that nurse practitioners can start discharging patients this July, and will be able to admit patients to hospitals starting in July 2012.
Nurse practitioners can already admit, treat and discharge patients in emergency rooms and those who are in primary care, but only doctors can discharge patients who are in hospital.
The Registered Nurses' Association wants nurse practitioners to admit and discharge patients to help ease congestion, and prevent patients from being stuck in hospital on a weekend if they don't see a doctor on Friday.
Ontario will become the first province to give nurse practitioners the additional authority, which the government says will help patients get home to their families sooner.
Mr. McGuinty will make the announcement this afternoon as he speaks to the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.