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Groups of Alberta family doctors will be granted $3 million this year to hire 30 nurse practitioners in an effort to improve patient access to health care, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said.

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced training who are qualified in Alberta to perform annual check ups, diagnose and treat patients, set broken bones, order medical tests and prescribe medication.

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Bonnyville, Strathcona County, Vegreville and Treaty 8 First Nations in northern Alberta are among the areas for which the new nursing practitioner positions have been approved, according to information released by government on Tuesday.

“Some of the nurse practitioners from outlying areas are really excited for this program because it allows them to maybe return to their home community to provide care when they haven’t been able to have that full scope of practice,” said Anne Summach, acting vice-president of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta, on Tuesday.