News and Notes
News and Notes is CNO’s regular roundup of nursing news you can use.
SPEP reaches new milestone
The Supervised Practice Experience Partnership (SPEP) reached yet another milestone.
In June, the program achieved over 2,000 registrations of nurses, who have the knowledge, skill and judgment to practice safely, since it launched.
In January 2022, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) partnered with Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health to launch SPEP. Supervised Practice Experience Partnership helps applicants, including internationally educated nurse (IEN) applicants and nurses returning to practice, to meet the evidence of practice and language proficiency requirements, by matching applicants with Ontario employers.
Working collaboratively with Ontario Health and employers expedites the opportunity for applicants to meet their final registration requirements and broadens our reach in connecting applicants to employers with workforce needs.
As of June 23, SPEP has matched 3,025 nursing applicants with 638 approved employers in the province. That includes 163 applicants who were willing to relocate to be matched with employers in northern and rural communities.
CNO is the authoritative source of information for nursing statistics in Ontario. Visit our Applicant Statistics and CNO’s Registration Totals at a Glance for the most up-to-date statistics.
Scope of Practice Standard takes effect
CNO protects the public by promoting safe nursing practice. This includes setting and maintaining practice standards and guidelines that support and ensure all nurses practice safely and competently.
On June 8, 2023, Council unanimously approved a Scope of Practice standard that outlines nurses’ legislative accountabilities and other key requirements nurses need to consider when deciding whether to perform an activity or not. Nurses are now accountable to this new practice standard.
“Nursing is a dynamic and ever-evolving profession,” said Catriona Mill, Manager of Practice Quality at CNO, “and nurses deserve a Scope of Practice standard that reflects the modern, evolving nature of the profession, while keeping client safety front and centre.”
The Scope of Practice standard outlines accountabilities under three concepts: authority, competence and the context in which a nurse works. It also integrates key information and replaces CNO’s practice standard, Decision About Procedures and Authority and CNO guidelines, Authorizing Mechanisms and RN and RPN Practice: The Client, the Nurse and the Environment (referred to as the Three Factor Framework).
To help nurses understand the Scope of Practice standard and how to apply it in practice, we’re hosting virtual information sessions. We are also updating learning resources for nurses.
The Scope of Practice standard is available on our Standards and Learning webpage. If you have specific questions related to the Scope of Practice standard, contact Practice Support.
Ministry extends COVID-19 regulations
In a move to expedite the administration of COVID-19 vaccines and continue the fight against COVID-19, Ontario has renewed the exemption in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. The exemption enables health care professionals to continue to have an active role in vaccine distribution without the need for an order.
The renewed exemption authorizes RNs, RPNs and pharmacist professionals to administer the COVID-19 vaccine without requiring an order from a physician or NP. This aims to streamline the vaccine rollout process, ensuring that vaccines reach as many people as possible in a timely manner.
The exemption also grants permission for any person to administer a COVID-19 vaccine if a physician, RN, NP or pharmacist is present and accessible during the administration. This further enhances the accessibility and availability of vaccines across various health care settings.
Nurses are accountable for understanding and complying with the requirements and maintaining competence to provide safe and effective care to the public. This includes having the necessary knowledge, skill and judgment to safely administer vaccines. If they do not feel competent to perform this activity, they are obligated not to do so, prioritizing patient safety.
If you have questions about this exemption or your accountabilities for administering COVID-19 vaccines, read our FAQs or contact our Practice Quality team.
Looking out for Quality Assurance
The Quality Assurance (QA) Assessment deadline is around the corner.
In June, some randomly selected nurses were notified via email to participate in QA Assessment. Completing QA Assessment is an accountability for all nurses who are selected for the program.
It provides nurses an opportunity to reflect upon their practice and receive feedback from peers. In an effort to support continuous improvement, we are here for those selected to guide and support them throughout this process, with tools, resources and peer coaching. Nurses selected for QA Assessment have until Tuesday, Aug. 8 to complete their assessment.
Quality Assurance isn’t limited to nurses who are selected for QA Assessment. It’s also an ongoing accountability for all nurses to engage in QA everyday. Nurses reflect on their practice each day to identify opportunities for continuous improvement to support professional learning and growth.
Did you know our QA team is available to address your practice quality questions? If you have questions about quality assurance or the QA Assessment, contact the QA Program team at QAassessment@cnomail.org, 416-963-3922, or 1-800-387-5526 (ext. 3922).
You can find more tools and resources to support your QA everyday reflection here.
