Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says he'll consider easing the flow of traffic at the province's hospitals by allowing nurse practitioners to admit and discharge in-patients.

McGuinty, speaking to the Registered Nurses Association's annual general meeting in Toronto on Friday, said he's open to discussions about the plan and will start consultations.

The Registered Nurses' Association said nurse practitioners can already admit, treat and discharge patients in emergency rooms and those who are in primary care.

But only doctors can discharge patients who are hospitalized, and the association says that often clogs up the system.

Director Doris Grinspun said that means a patient might get stuck in hospital all weekend because no one was able to get to them early enough on Friday to arrange their discharge. She said the change would mean patients could move through the system more quickly and get better care.