FREDERICTON — The province of New Brunswick is taking a page from the health plans of remote communities and giving nurses a lot more responsibility in hospital emergency rooms.

Health Minister Elvy Robichaud announced Wednesday that from now on, ER nurses will be assessing, treating and discharging patients who don't require the immediate attention of a physician.

Robichaud said the idea is to reduce waiting times in emergency rooms by clearing out the daily backlog of people who are there for minor problems.

"Until now, all patients who came to an emergency room had to be seen by a doctor,'' Robichaud said.

"With this initiative, patients will no longer have to wait to see a physician to receive care that can be offered by a nurse.''

He used the example of a person coming into the ER with a cut requiring cleaning, bandaging and a tetanus shot. He said from now on, nurses can handle such care.

As well, he said nurses will be able to fast track patients for x-rays and laboratory tests.

Sue Ness, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Association, endorsed the plan, saying it will give nurses the opportunity to use their training to full advantage.

"This is good news,'' she said.

"Provincial reviews have indicated that over 60 per cent of patients presenting to emergency departments can be seen and treated by a registered nurse.''

Robichaud said he believes New Brunswick is the first province in Atlantic Canada to give nurses more ER responsibility.

Ness said it has been done in other parts of Canada.

"Certainly, it has been the practice for decades in the North and in remote communities across the country,'' she said.

New Brunswick is facing a shortage of physicians and hospitals have been forced, on occasion, to scale back ER hours in some communities.

Robichaud said that giving nurses more responsibility will not reduce the need for more doctors.

He said the initiative is aimed only at reducing the wait times in emergency rooms for people with minor ailments.