[Sharon]

Think about the term Scope of Practice. How would you define it?

Describe in your posting why the response “It depends” is correct for the question “Can RPNs do…?

[Melanie]

I would define Scope of Practice as applying the skills, education and hands on learning that apply to my career into action. Providing care to patients competently and safely. While also making sure that I adhere to the scope of practice for the provincial regulatory body/(ies) that I belong to.

Why is the response “it depends” correct for the question “Can RPN’s do..?

This response would be correct for a number of reasons. It truly does depend on the organization region you work for/in. Does my organization allow me to work full scope and is the particular task/action within my scope?

Is it a skill that I am comfortable with or feel competent to do with the specific patient/population and what are the risks?

Am I fully knowledgeable or do I have experience for the required task/action to perform it safely?

I would want to ensure I can answer all of these before I go ahead and perform the task/action.

[Marion Catherine]

Hi Melanie, Your post is instrumental in forming my awareness of what it is I can and cannot safely do in regard to patient care. I am a new RPN with 2 years experience and finding my niche work environment has been evolving. Regardless of where I work, the points you list are crucial and a greatly appreciated reminder that checking in with what I can and feel I can safely accomplish for a patient/resident/client is as important as knowing as much as I can about said individual.

[Alexandra]

Thank you Melanie for your perspective on the definition of scope of practise it is helpful to gain the knowledge and each individuals interpretation of the term as it is so widely unknown/misunderstood or misused I have found talking with fellow nurses both RPN’s and RN’s that there is work to be done to better understand the term and use it to the best of our ability.

[Marion Catherine]

The It’s all about Synergies Report findings is a comprehensive list and the 7 items noted were expanded upon throughout the research results. However, what I found lacking was commentary on the personal reflective process exploring and utilizing the findings so that one may reach for excellence within whatever aspect of their scope of practice they may be addressing.
What scope of practice means to me is the ongoing study of the care plans, how the pharmaceutical interventions impact the client and how nursing non-pharmaceutical interventions bridge gaps that support or conflict with facility policy. Documenting these findings and bringing areas of concern to the next in line leader.

[Alexandra]

I would define the term “scope of practice” as the utilisation of the skills, competencies, and hands on learning through education and on the job training put into practise to best serve the patients and facility you are working with to the best of your ability and comfort level.

The term “it depends” when speaking of what an RPN can do definitely applies as it is reliant on personal skills, comfort level with the task, and the training/requirement of the facility the individual works for.

[Teresa]

Scope of Practice can be very broad or very narrow, depending on the nurse and the practice environment. It involves anything the nurse can do, is able to do and is within their legislated body of knowledge.

“It depends…” is great as it gives the nurse the ability to decide if they have the knowledge, skill or judgement to do the task or care requirement. Nurses must have the critical thinking ability to make this determination, as many concept or questions go into “it depends…”.

I am being purposefully general here, as this applies to all nurses, not just RPN’s. Nurses’ ability to do a task or skill “depends” on their knowledge, skill and judgement. If they don’t have the knowledge, skill or judgement, then they shouldn’t do the task.

[Sadie]

Hi Teresa. I liked how you described scope of practice as being broad or narrow depending on both the nurse and the practice environment. That aligns with my experience as a nurse and highlights how nuanced scope of practice can be.

[Adella]

“It depends” can be both a positive and a negative as it really relies heavily on the individuals experience, knowledge, skills and judgement. Along with an organization staying current and updating roles, job descriptions and responsibilities.

Positive – you have worked for and with other nurses that have fostered growth and inclusion allowing you to work to your fullest and/ or expand your knowledge through educational courses, and hands on training.

Negative – some organization may still rely heavily on listing skills, they can be stuck in the past. It even sits true with legislation e.g., Public Health Nurse legislation was written in 1990 and has not be updated to reflect the change in PNs being registered, or the increase in education now from a certificate to a college diploma.

[Rebecca]

Scope of practice refers to the activities nurses’ have the authority to perform as defined in provincial legislation. Whether or not a nurse performs these activities depends on if they have the ability and competence to to provide safe patient care while doing so.

[Sadie]

I would define scope of practice as what a nurse is educated, competent, and authorized to do within their role.

The idea of “it depends” really resonates with me. I believe scope of practice is not just about whether something falls within a legislated scope, but also depends on the individual nurse’s knowledge, experience, and competence.

For example, an RPN who has spent their career working in long-term care may technically be authorized to perform many of the same nursing activities as an RPN working in an emergency department, but would not necessarily have the experience or competencies needed for that role without additional orientation, support, and/or education.

[Author]

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