Nurse Practioner Issue in Digby County

Medical personnel filling in at Digby Neck health centre
The Chronicle Herald

Fri. Jan 15 - 4:46 AM
Starting Monday through to the end of February, the Islands Health Centre will be open 27 of a possible 30 days, says SouthWest Heath.

On more than half of those days, a doctor will be in the clinic working with a nurse practitioner and each will see patients, stated a news release.

SouthWest Health continues to "vigorously pursue a permanent solution" to the lack of a full-time nurse practitioner for the clinic, located on Long Island at the tip of Digby Neck.

Nurse practitioner Karen Snider was fired by the district health authority in October. Many residents said she was let go after she wrote an article in a local newsletter, suggesting the need for a full-time office clerk in a health clinic on the island.

Residents were told at a public meeting an apology would have to be signed by Ms. Snider before further talks could take place to rehire the well-liked nurse.

The health authority said earlier that care provided by the nurse practitioner was never an issue.

Beginning next week, a temporary nurse practitioner and a doctor will see patients every Thursday and Friday, the release said.