Nurses in Quebec say if the provincial government wants to cut costs, it should allow nurses to exercise the powers they have been granted in law.
In 2003, Bill 90 granted nurses several new powers, including prescribing medication and treatments for certain conditions, or altering prescriptions given by a doctor.
But the Nurses' Federation says there has not been a cultural shift in the medical establishment to allow these powers to be exercised.
Pharmacists have refused to fill drug prescriptions signed only by a nurse, and nurses say in many establishments doctors have been unwilling to give up control of patients.
Meanwhile nurses say they are continually being pressured to do more in less time.
"If we have no time, or less time to do the proper care, we have to go fast on every step of the process," said LIne Larocque.
Nurses are asking for a 13.5 percent pay increase over the next four years .
Treasury Board president Martin Coiteux said recently that he did not think that was possible, but he would negotiate in good faith.
Contract negotiations between the provincial government and nursing associations begin in January 2015.
