Practice Support FAQs (formerly Ask Practice) are questions and answers about a variety of practice-related issues that nurses may face during their careers.
The questions come from nurses and the answers are written by CNO’s Practice Support team. These FAQs are updated on a regular basis, so come back often to see what new questions have been added to the list.
Do you have a practice-related question that isn’t answered here? Contact the Practice Support Team..
Discontinuing or declining to provide care
Accountabilities when discontinuing or declining to provide care
Care transitions: Transfer of accountability
Code silver
Overtime
Documentation
Abbreviations in documentation
Charting by exception
Designated recorder and co-signing
Documentation and artificial intelligence
Documenting assessments
Documenting for unregulated care providers
Electronic documentation
Signing for narcotic wastage
Title use when working in different roles
Use of educational credentials
Medication
Administering methadone
Administering, distributing and teaching the use of Naloxone
Complementary Therapies
Evidence-informed medication practices
Medical cannabis
Medication samples
Narcotic storage and disposal
No directives for controlled substances
Products and Medication
Recommending over-the-counter medications
Scope of practice
Authority
Authority to initiate intravenous lines
Communicating test results
Delegating the communication of a diagnosis
DNR orders
Initiating a packing dressing
Psychotherapy and the controlled act component of psychotherapy
Competence
Continuing competence
Context
Practice settings where health services are routinely performed
Other
Signing prescriptions with “as per…”
Understanding your scope of practice
Therapeutic nurse-client relationship
Accepting gifts from clients
Accountability to report
Caring for a family member
Communicating with clients online
Professional versus social relationships
Providing care to a sexual partner
When patients attempt sexual touching
Witnessing abuse
Conflict prevention and management
Disagreeing with the Care Plan
When employer policies conflict
Consent
Obtaining informed consent
Directives
Communicating directives
Do directives expire?
Guidance on nurses’ roles in medical assistance in dying
NP students and MAID assessments
Independent Practice
Advertising
Fees
Record keeping - documentation
Record keeping - retention
Virtual Care
Nursing accountabilities when working with robotics
Providing virtual care
Unregulated Care Providers
Assigning, supervising or teaching an activity
Can a UCP or PSW call themselves a nurse?
Delegating sliding scale insulin
Teaching an unregulated care provider
Working with UCPs
Aesthetics
Administering Botox
Considerations when administering cosmetic injections
Health Canada-approved products and medical devices
What patients should consider before getting Botox by a nurse
Other
Am I practicing nursing in my new role?
Can I register as a psychiatric nurse in Ontario?
Medical leave
Nurses working in different roles
Risking fatigue by working long hours
Sleeping during shift breaks
Working with physician assistants