First nurse-led clinic-school opens in Laval to relieve overcrowded ERs

The first specialized nurse practitioner-led clinic-school in Laval began operating on Monday to help relieve pressure on the area's heavily-taxed emergency rooms.

The health and social services centre in Laval (CISSS) will operate the clinic-school in partnership with the University of Montreal's faculty of nursing in the hopes of taking pressure off of nearby hospitals, particularly the Cite-de-la-Sante Hospital on Rene-Laennec Boulevard in Laval's Vimont district.

That hospital is operating at 120 per cent capacity, according to erinfo.ca.

"The situation in the region's emergency rooms is difficult for both staff and users," said Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete. "The establishment of this very first school clinic is good news. It is an innovative solution that will provide new availability for the population of Laval."

Of the five specialized nurse practitioners (SNP)-led clinics, the one in Laval is the first clinic-school that will also train new nurses at the U de M's campus on Jacques-Tetrault Street.

Three nurse-led clinics are operating on the Island of Montreal at the Notre-Dame Hospital, CLSC Verdun, and CLSC Olivier Guimond.

One clinic is running in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean at the Chicoutimi Hospital.

Nurses at the clinic will accept adult and child patients from Laval and the Lower Laurentians with specific health problems as well as any referred by ER staff at Cite-de-la-Sante.

Operating hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to noon.

"This clinic-school model also allows us to offer an additional solution to the need for human resources through the training of new SNPs and nurse clinicians by offering internship positions," said Minister of Health Christian Dubé.

The ministry says that the clinic-school will open 210 new front-line slots per week.

SNPs can diagnose chronic diseases and minor illnesses, as well as prescribe diagnostic tests and medication, and determine treatments.

They can also monitor pregnancies with other health professionals.