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Publications & Resources > The Standard > June 2005

   Last modified: June 6, 2005

Letters

Collaboration on the Team

Durham College’s practical nursing program educators would like to express their appreciation in for this article in the March 2005 issue. This concept is fundamental in creating healthy nursing partnerships within the categories of nursing.

However, reading that "RPNs are prepared to care for stable, less complex clients with more predictable outcomes. This isn’t a theoretical discussion, but a public safety and regulatory issue" could lead the public to believe that an RPN’s role does not go beyond that of a novice.

We Want to Hear From You

When submitting a letter or e-mail please include: your full name, address and phone number.

Send letters to:
The Editor, Deborah Jones
College of Nurses of Ontario
101 Davenport Rd.
Toronto ON M5R 3P1
E-mail: dmjones@cnomail.org

The Standard reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

This is incorrect. We have considerable concerns in how the finality of this statement impacts the public image of nurses and understanding of the RPN role. We feel that rather than making reference to the expectations of the beginning practitioner, it would have been more accurate to refer to the College document RNs and RPNs — Working Together.

This document from the College's website clearly outlines the client factors and environmental circumstances that influence the level of RN and RPN autonomy consultation.

It articulates client stability/instability as levels of risk categories (low, medium, high) within which the RPN has a defined role in all three. We, as practical nursing faculty, feel that the RNs and RPNs — Working Together document better represents the overlapping and collaborative roles of RNs and RPNs in caring for stable and unstable clients.

– Terri Healy, RN, BScN, B.ED
    Adult Education
    Via e-mail

 

Dear Reader
Thank you for referring other readers to our Web document RNs and RPNs — Working Together. This document was developed after our Collaboration feature was completed, which explains why there is no reference to it in the March issue.

You can read more about Clairifying the RN, RPN role in this issue.

 

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