Conclusion

Ontario is in the process of implementing RN prescribing for various medications, including vaccines. This shift is meant to support patient access to health care by optimizing scope of practice for safe and effective care by RNs and follows a similar trend for pharmacists in Ontario. Policy action that supports nurse prescribing of vaccines is an important step in increasing vaccination rates across the life cycle (International Council of Nurses, 2018). Achieving higher vaccine coverage rates to improve population health is an important goal and Ontario is taking steps towards this through implementing RN prescribing authority for vaccines.