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Last modified: Nov. 3, 2005  

Connecting with Council

September 2005

Connecting with Council provides updates on key decisions made at the most recent Council meeting. The motions passed at the Council meeting are also at www.cno.org.

Highlights of key decisions made at the September 28 and 29, 2005 Council meeting:

The College’s submission to the RHPA Review

The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) sets out the public protection mandate and the obligations of Ontario’s health regulatory colleges. It also establishes the powers to support the colleges in carrying out their role. The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) is undertaking an extensive review of the legislation and has asked the health regulatory colleges for submissions on the regulatory framework.

Council reviewed and provided input on the College’s submission. Council agreed that, in addition to addressing the regulatory framework, the College’s submission will proactively address issues of relevance to nursing practice. For example, the College has requested that additional controlled acts be authorized to nursing.

Proposed changes to the registration regulation related to the Transitional Class

Council decided to amend the Registration regulation for consultation purposes and is requesting member and stakeholder feedback. In March, Council will review the feedback and make a final decision.

RN(EC) drug, laboratory and diagnostic test lists

It is in the public interest that the clients of primary health care nurse practitioners, Registered Nurses in the Extended Class [RN(EC)s], have access to the most up-to-date therapeutic agents. The drugs, laboratory and diagnostic tests that RN(EC)s can prescribe are listed in regulation and legislation. To keep these lists as up-to-date as possible, they are regularly reviewed. Through an extensive consultative process involving RN(EC)s
and other professions (e.g., medicine, pharmacy), a list of proposed changes was identified and published in the June 2005 edition of The Standard.

Twenty-seven members responded to the published proposals. Council received a report of the feedback and approved the lists for forwarding to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for final approval.

The list-based approach to identifying the prescribing authority of RN(EC)s has
posed ongoing challenges in keeping the lists current and responsive to client needs. In the College’s HPRAC submission, Council recommended that the Nursing Act be revised to allow for a broader approach to articulating the prescribing authority of RN(EC)s.

A practice standard and practice guideline approved

Council approved the practice standard Decisions about Procedures and Authority in Nursing Practice and the practice guideline Telepractice. Both documents will be posted on the website in early December and included with the December issue of The Standard.

The practice standard Decisions about Procedures and Authority in Nursing Practice expands on and replaces the Guide to Decide practice guideline. In response to member requests for clarification, the new practice standard clearly articulates the College’s expectations regarding the decision-making process for the performance of procedures, acceptance of delegation, and the use of initiation and orders.

The practice guideline Telepractice replaces the current practice guideline Telephone Practice. It provides more up-to-date guidance and addresses a broader range of telepractice.

Statutory committees

As part of the committees’ accountability to Council, the statutory committees presented semi-annual reports of their activities. For more information on the role of statutory committees, see the Council supplement in the September issue of The Standard.

Bylaw amendments

The information collected on the College’s Annual Membership Renewal form is a vital source of human resource data for the nursing profession and the government. All members are required to properly complete the form each year. Council is proposing to amend the College bylaws to include provisions that support the integrity of the College’s data without incurring additional costs to the vast majority of members who complete their forms properly.

The proposed amendments include revisions to Article 44.2 of the General Bylaw to identify specifically that members must fully complete the form and return it to the College by December 31. The Fees Bylaw will be amended so that members who do not meet this requirement will receive a written notice and those who do not submit the form on or before January 31st of the following year will be charged a fee of $23.36 + GST ($25).

The proposed amendment was published on the College’s website on September 30. Council will review member response and make a final decision in December.

Council also amended articles 52.01 and 53.04 of the General Bylaw to clarify that the requirement for election candidates to complete a Conflict of Interest form relates only to candidates seeking election as a Council member.

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