BCCNM is making changes to nurse practitioner (NP) registration requirements to remove barriers for NPs and support the standardization of NP regulation across Canada. In spring 2025, the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) will be removed as a requirement for practising nurse practitioner registration in British Columbia.
B.C. is the only nursing jurisdiction in Canada that requires successful completion of an OSCE – in addition to passing a written regulatory exam – before an applicant is eligible for practising NP registration. When the requirement was put in place in 2005, NP education and scope of practice varied greatly across the country. The OSCE helped BCCNM assess the competence of applicants prior to granting registration in B.C.
What’s changed?
Over the last 20 years, NP education and practice has become more consistent. All Canadian NPs are now masters-level prepared, and education programs base their teaching on nationally approved entry level competencies. OSCE pass rates have been consistently high over the last five years, demonstrating that Canadian NP education programs are preparing their students to practice safely and competently. Removing the OSCE requirement reflects the evolution of NP practice in Canada and will substantially reduce the cost and time to become registered as an NP in British Columbia.
What’s not changing?
NP applicants will still have to pass a written regulatory exam before they are eligible for practising registration with BCCNM. All NP regulators in Canada have this requirement.
What’s next
BCCNM Registration Services is contacting individuals currently applying for NP registration directly to let them know how they will be impacted by this change.
The bylaw amendments to support this change must be posted for consultation and then filed with government before they take effect. We anticipate that the OSCE requirement will be removed in May 2025, but we will share the effective date once it has been confirmed.