We’re the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives
(BCCNM). As a health regulator, our legal obligation is to protect
the public through the regulation of five distinct professions—
licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses,
registered psychiatric nurses, and midwives. Regulation allows
BCCNM to set standards for nurses and midwives. These
standards ensure the public receives safe, competent, and
ethical care.
We exist to ensure unshakeable confidence in nursing and
midwifery care. We nurture confident practitioners armed with
a clear understanding of their scope and standards. We honour
the trust that the public puts in our hands and aspire to create
unwavering confidence in their every interaction with nurses
and midwives.
What we do
It’s about trust. We firmly believe that British Columbians are entitled to exceptional care. And so, we see the designation of nurse or midwife as a commitment—a commitment that each of our registrants is trained, credible, and ready to support those at their most vulnerable.
We are adaptive and agile. We recognize gaps in competency and address them through meaningful engagement across the professions. We support anti-sexism, anti-racism, decolonization, and reconciliation, in progressive and constructive ways.
We define. We set the standards of safe, ethical practice, assess nursing education programs and midwifery education programs, establish requirements for registration with BCCNM, and address complaints about nurses and midwives. We work closely with educators, regulators, government, and other partners to ensure that the standards of practice remain current, culturally safe, and person-centred—in a world where public needs are constantly evolving.
We protect. We rigorously guard these standards
from registration to retirement. Protecting the public,
but also protecting the reputation and credibility
of registration—and the safe, ethical care that
registration stands for.
We uphold. We ensure accountability, and consequences, for not meeting BCCNM's standards. Right-touch regulation where it counts—delivered justly and transparently.
Because
being passionate about safe, ethical practice isn’t only BCCNM's goal.
Safety and ethical practice are at the core of how care is delivered.
They're the goals of every party involved.
The fuel for why we do what we do—regulator, nurse, and midwife alike.
Simply put, quality care
matters.