A new model of health-care will be available in the South Shuswap in the near future.
The Sorrento & Area Community Association has been successful in its application to bring a nurse practitioner to the community.
The nurse practitioner will be located in space above Munro’s Sorrento Prescriptions.
The position is being established in a partnership between Interior Health (IH) and the association.
The association offers thanks to Dr. Melany Dyer and community partners, who have provided support for this project.
The association suggests residents be on the lookout for more information to become available in the next month or so, announcing when the nurse practitioner’s office will open to the public.
Nurse Practitioners began working in Interior Health in 2005, with support from, and collaboration with, a “community of practice” set up to integrate them into the health-care system.
In an NP/family physician primary health-care model, nurse practitioners augment services provided by doctors and bring a patient-centred perspective to the health-care team.
Patients who received this type of care in other areas of IH reported feeling empowered, included in decision-making and able to become active members of their own health-care team, says the IH website.
Doctors reported enhanced job satisfaction in the sharing of decision-making, responsibility and workload.