Collaborating to Maximize Scope of Practice Across Professions

Nursing regulatory colleges frequently receive questions about the roles of licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurses (RN) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPN) in specific practice settings. In today’s complex health care environment the answer to this question is multifaceted and requires the consideration of several factors.

In order to address the scope of practice of three nursing professions the registrars of the three nursing regulatory colleges in Manitoba came together to collaborate on a solution. The conclusion of this work is a principle-based document that provides a framework for employers that truly provides for each profession to practice to their full scope of practice: "Nursing in a Team Environment."

The session will discuss how the three regulators put aside long-held beliefs about rigid professional boundaries and collaborated to find a new approach. The registrars used the collaboration competencies from the National Interprofessional Competency Framework (2010) as a framework to guide their discussions as well as the Nursing in a Team Environment Document. The approaches used by the three registrars to establish a common understanding about scope of practice and the intersection between the three nursing professions will also be discussed.

An innovative approach was used to develop both a model for assessment of team composition and a care continuum. The model for team composition assessment begins with determining the population health needs and culminates with client need. This considers the broad scope of health services that are required to provide safe, competent care that is required. The care continuum takes into account the context of care, the practice setting and amount of available support to the health care team and patient needs. These two models are brought together to provide appropriate care to the assessed needs. Questions based on the National Interprofessional Competency Framework competencies are included for employer consideration as they apply the frameworks. The document was tested by practice and education leaders to determine its efficacy in real life situations and is currently being utilized in a concerted effort to optimize the scopes of practice of all members of the health care team during the pandemic.

Learning objectives:

1. Attendees will learn how three nursing regulators used the National Interprofessional Competency Framework to reconceptualize boundaries between their professions

2. Attendees will learn about a model for assessment of team composition

3. Attendees will learn about regulators contribution to the health system

Originally presented: August 2021

Presenters:

Deb Elias, Chief of Quality Practice, College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba
Ryan Shymko, Practice Consultant/Deputy Registrar, College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba
Brenda Wohlgemuth, Education Programs Evaluations Consultant, College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba