On June 27, 2024, the BCCNM board approved revisions to the
Registered Nurse Scope of Practice: Certified Practice Limits and Conditions and
Registered Psychiatric Nurse Scope of Practice: Certified Practice Limits and Conditions.
These revisions reflect that responsibility for managing the Certified Practice–Reproductive Health (Sexually Transmitted Infections) decision support tools (DSTs) will now rest with the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). They also clarify which DSTs RN(C) and RPN(C)s must follow. These changes take effect July 10, 2024.
Certified Practice competencies
We are also pleased to share that effective July 10, 2024, NNPBC will assume responsibility for housing and managing the competencies for Certified Practice–Opioid Use Disorder (CP–OUD). This change means NNPBC will now manage the competencies for
all areas of Certified Practice, ensuring consistency and clarity. We thank NNPBC for their leadership in this important work.
Visit the
NNPBC website to access the
unified competencies document.
Background
In April 2024, the Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC (NNPBC) and BCCDC notified BCCNM they would transfer responsibility for updating and housing the Certified Practice STI DSTs from NNPBC to BCCDC.
BCCNM policy staff revised the
Registered Nurse (RN) Certified Practice Limits and Conditions to reflect this change, and also made minor revisions to both the
RN and
Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) Certified Practice Limits and Conditions to provide clarity regarding which certified practice DSTs certified practice nurses must follow.
The BCCDC STI provincial program is well positioned to take on the accountability, responsibility, and stewardship of the Certified Practice STI DSTs. The transfer of responsibility from NNPBC to BCCDC will support timely incorporation of current evidence into the Certified Practice STI DSTs, which will support safe STI care by Certified Practice STI nurses.
BCCDC is committed to supporting Certified Practice nurses to provide quality, person-centred, and culturally safe STI care. It will collaborate with its clinical team and colleagues including Indigenous partners, BCCNM, NNPBC, and regional health authorities to support Certified Practice nurses. BCCDC is also responsible for the STI Certified Practice Education Program and maintains the provincial communicable disease manual.
Questions?