I fully understand the challenges of trying to place nurses and nurse practitioners in the system and I’m very pleased that the Minister is committing to meet with or have her staff meet with the nurse practitioner students. I know they’d like that as well.
Secondary, sort of, to this is the IAP Program, it’s delivered by the same instructors who deliver the Nurse Practitioner Program and it’s all interrelated with the Community Health Nurse Development Program. For instance, IAP is an integral part to the CHN Development Program. My question to the Minister is: after the assessment, if the program is going to be eliminated, Nurse Practitioner, will there be additional consideration given the IAP to make sure that we continue to deliver it in some capacity? We need to think long term on this one. This is long-term planning. That program is critical. All nurses that work in health centres need it or should have it. The CHN Development Program is dependent on it. I’d like to know that it’s going to be given some consideration separate and above and apart from the Nurse Practitioner Program as well.