A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse with additional education and training allowing them to diagnose conditions, order tests, prescribe medications, and manage patient care independently or collaboratively with physicians. NPs complete master's or doctoral nursing degrees with specialized clinical training. Provincial regulatory colleges set scope of practice for NPs. Nurse practitioners help address physician shortages, particularly in primary care and underserved areas. Municipal relevance includes NPs working in community health centres, long-term care facilities, and public health departments. Some municipalities have recruited NPs to improve healthcare access for residents lacking family doctors.