Maidstone and area patients are now able to access the services of their first-ever Nurse Practitioner (NP) in the community.
NP Christine Arcand has joined the Maidstone and area primary health care team and has begun seeing and caring for patients at the Maidstone Clinic, within the scope of health care services she is trained and licensed to provide.
Maidstone is the main site of the Primary Health Care (PHC) area established for the communities and districts of Maidstone, Cut Knife, Neilburg, Lashburn and Paradise Hill. The area became Prairie North Health Region's sixth PHC site in November 2009. The aim was to improve patient access and stabilize health care services for the area. Transition to the Primary Health Care model of service delivery included addition of a nurse practitioner position.
"Due to the demand for NPs, it has taken us time to recruit a nurse practitioner to the Maidstone Primary Health Care site," explained Gary Nolin, director of Primary Health Care for Prairie North Health Region. "But now that Ms. Arcand has joined the PHC team, we are confident Maidstone and area residents will quickly see the value of the level and quality of services a nurse practitioner can provide," Nolin stated.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced clinical training. Nurse practitioners bring their advanced nursing skills and knowledge to work with physicians and other members of the Primary Health Care Team. An NP is a key member of the PHC Team.
NPs assess, diagnose and treat patients with common illness. NPs complete patient assessments and physical examinations, and send patients for diagnostic testing. NPs prescribe medication and monitor stable chronic illness. NPs play a vital role in promoting health in the community. Nurse practitioners also provide health teaching and counselling.
"I look forward to working at the Maidstone and area Primary Health Care Clinic," stated Arcand. "Thank you for the warm reception and support that I have received from the physicians and staff at the Maidstone Clinic."
Arcand has 10 years experience as a nurse practitioner. After completing the specialized NP training, she was the third nurse practitioner to be registered in Saskatchewan. Her first primary care nurse position began in 2000 with Battlefords Family Health Centre in North Battleford. Most recently, Arcand was in Stony Rapids as manager of home care/health promotion. Arcand holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Saskatchewan and spent most of her early nursing career in the north.
Nolin stated that Arcand's experiences in Primary Health Care make her an invaluable addition to the Maidstone/Cut Knife/Neilburg/Lashburn/Paradise Hill team."
The Maidstone Clinic is operated by Municipal Health Holdings (MHH), Maidstone. MHH partners with Prairie North Health Region under the Primary Health Care model.
