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Changes to Emergency Class registration requirements take effect
CNO Council now authorized to open the Emergency Class in emergency circumstances
The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) protects the public by promoting safe nursing practice. This includes implementing changes to regulations that protect the public interest whenever government amends legislation.
On August 31, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care approved changes under the Nursing Act, 1991, amending the registration requirements of the Emergency Class, which CNO opened twice during the pandemic.
The changes to the Nursing Act align with recent amendments in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). These amendments were approved by the Health Ministry through Bill 106, Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Act, 2022.
“By changing regulations under the Nursing Act, we are making sure that we are prepared for a public health emergency in the future,” says Erin Tilley, CNO’s Manager of Regulatory Policy and Research. “Such registration regulation changes will enable the public to have continued care from nurses during these emergencies, without disruption.”
The regulation changes grant Council the authority to determine when emergency circumstances exist, and whether it is in the public interest to open the Emergency Class. They also specify
- The registration requirements for a certificate of registration in the Emergency Class
- The terms, conditions and limitations that support public protection
- The exemptions related to registration requirements when transferring from the Emergency Class to the Temporary Class of registration
Visit cno.org for more details about the Emergency Class, including registration requirements and the terms, conditions and limitations.
