The
Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework project was launched by the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators (CCRNR) to make regulation of nurse practitioners more consistent across Canada. As a member of CCRNR, BCCNM has been participating in the project since 2019. BCCNM and other Canadian jurisdictions are in the process of implementing the new regulation framework.
What’s changing
- In 2026, Canadian NPs – except in Quebec – will be educated and licensed to practice across all client ages and all practice settings.
- Regulators will no longer license NPs in adult, family, and pediatric streams. Specifics related to regulating neonatal NPs in B.C. are currently under development.
How we’ll get there
The NP Regulation Framework implementation has several deliverables:
- General NP regulatory class - coming in 2026
- Jurisdictions are updating requirements and bylaws to recognize a general NP class, removing streams of practice (i.e. adult, family, and pediatric).
- New Canadian written exam - coming in 2026
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- A new Canadian written licensing exam, the
Canadian Nurse Practitioner Licensing Exam (CNPLE) is currently under development.
- The exam will evaluate a candidate’s readiness to practice safely, effectively, and ethically with all client ages and in all practice settings.
- Updated NP Entry Level Competencies - in effect since 2024
- NP Entry Level Competencies were revised to reflect all client ages and practice settings; they came into effect in January 2024.
What this means for nurse practitioners in B.C.
There will be no interruption in registration or authorization to practice for NP registrants, but here's what to expect:
- Transition to a general NP registration class
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- In 2026, BCCNM will remove streams of practice from NP registration. This means that all current and new NP registrants will use the titles "nurse practitioner" or "NP," instead of NP (Adult), NP (Family), or NP (Pediatric). Your stream of practice will also be removed from the
BCCNM online directory.
- There will be no interruption in registration for current NPs in B.C. during this transition.
- NPs who practice in the family stream already practice across all ages
- All NPs will continue to be responsible and accountable to practice within their
own level of competence.
- The specific timeline for this transition is being determined and will be communicated to all NPs when available.
- End of OSCE requirement
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- Written exam still required
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Resources
Frequently asked questions
- I’m currently registered in B.C.as an NP in a practice stream (adult, family or pediatric). Will I have to retrain?
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- No. The registration of NPs will not be affected by these changes.
- NPs in the family stream already practice across all ages, which aligns with the future model where all NPs are licensed to practice with all ages.
- NPs will continue to be responsible and accountable to practise within their own level of competence.
- How are NPs being prepared for practice across client lifespan and all practice settings?
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- What can employers expect from NPs entering practice after the new regulatory model is implemented?
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- Newly graduated NPs will have the entry-level foundational knowledge, skills and judgement to start their career in providing NP care across all client ages and in all practice settings.
- Employers may choose to develop practice-setting training or residencies to assist NPs. Leveraging these training opportunities is a great option for NPs who desire or are employed in practice settings that may benefit from specialized knowledge and skills when they begin working as NPs.
- Why is the OSCE being discontinued?
- 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. 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.
Read our announcement to learn more.