Where to I get Professional Standards and Guidelines as a RN in Ontario?

Resources for the Registered Nurse 

 Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)

The CNA outlines a framework for the practice of Registered Nurses (RN) in Canada. Within this document they provide outlines for entry to practice competencies, a value of ethics, career outlines, scope of practice, and expectations of professional practice. This ensures that all nurses regardless of their province or region align to the same basic guiding principles for practice. According to the CNA (2015) definition of an RN is: 

“RNs are self-regulated health-care professionals who work autonomously and in collaboration with others to enable individuals, families, groups, communities and populations to achieve their best levels of health. At all stages of life, in situations of health, illness, injury and disability, RNs deliver direct health-care services, coordinate care and support clients in managing their own health. RNs contribute to the health-care system through their leadership across a wide range of settings in practice, education, administration, research and policy” (p.5). 

The CNA also has several position statements guiding practice and interprofessional collaboration. 

position-statements 

Framework_for_the_Pracice_of_Registered_Nurses_in_Canada__1_.pdf

College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) 

As a Registered Nurse I belong to the CNO, which is the professional governing body for all RN’s, Registered Practical Nurses (RPN’s) and Nurse Practitioners (NP) in the province. The CNO mandate is to keep safety for the public by guiding safe practice. The CNO does this by supporting requirements for practice entry, creating & promoting practice standards, QA programs, managing the standards, managing conduct, helping with legislative development and sharing statistics about Ontario Nurses (CNO, 2024).  In my practice as an RN and manager, this is one of my primary reference sources to guide change management. 

https://www.cno.org/ 

learn-about-standards-guidelines 

 Other Standards, 

Within the hospital various specialty services have unique practice standards. Below are a few examples. 

Cancer Care Ontario- SystemicCancerTreatmentAdminCompetenceStandardsforRNs.pdf 

Ontario Peri Anesthesia Nurses Association - https://www.opana.org/ 

Operating room nurses' association of Ontario  https://www.ornao.org/ 

These standards guide and direct practice and further support the development of organizational policy. 


Reference

Canadian Nurses Association. (2015,November). Framework for the Practice of Registered Nurses in Canada. - 2nd addition. Framework for the Practice of Registered Nurses in Canada 2015


College of Nurses of Ontario. (2024) https://www.cno.org/

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