"This discussion paper sets the foundation for future work that will enable registered nurses to more fully interpret their individual scope of practice, as it fits within the broad definition for the profession in Nova Scotia. This paper begins by providing a brief overview of health human resource planning at both the national and provincial levels. It also includes the broad definition of the practice of nursing found in the Registered Nurses Act (RN Act, 2006), introduces the principles and criteria that can be considered when determining the scope of practice of a healthcare provider, and identifies factors that affect the individual scope of practice of registered nurses. With this information, registered nurses and employers will have a greater understanding of how the role of the registered nurse fits in healthcare delivery and effectively contributes to decision-making in determining the skill mix required to meet the health needs of the population they serve"--P. 4.