6.3 Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse

Minimum Education / Qualifications

All Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPN) must, as a minimum, have:

1. Graduated from a Practical Nursing Program approved by Council of the College of Nurses
2. Unrestricted licence and in “good standing” with the provincial or territorial regulatory body in the province/territory of practice
3. A Certificate of Standard First Aid and BLS for Healthcare Provider or equivalent such as CPR/AED Level C
4. Been fit-tested for an N-95 (or equivalent) mask in the last two years or sooner, if a change in physiognomy occurs that may affect efficacy of determined size to wear

Minimum Experience

The LPN or RPN shall possess, as a minimum, one (1) full time equivalent year of experience in the last five (5) years in nursing practice conducting patient assessment and providing direct nursing care for a broad range of diseases in the population in a primary care, public or community health, ambulatory, or acute care setting.

The required services/tasks may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Perform within defined scope of practice in accordance with the regulatory organization in the province of work
• Perform triage assessment during walk-in hours and patient assessments that include medical or incident history, physical examinations, and Periodic Health Assessments (PHAs) Part I including vital signs measurement and vision acuity test
• Perform nursing interventions such as taking vital signs, applying aseptic techniques including sterile dressing, ensuring infection control, and conducting specimen collection
• Develop a nursing care plan based on the result of the assessment and refer to a physician or other health care provider
• Administer medication as per doctor’s order as per provincial scope of practice and observe and document therapeutic effects
• Complete nursing documentation immediately after each patient interaction
• Communicate any changes or abnormal findings of the patient’s status or condition to the senior clinician. Abnormal is defined as any deviation to the norm, average, or expected
• Perform therapeutic procedures such as injections and wound care
• Administer and monitor established respiratory therapy and intravenous therapy, where competency has been demonstrated
• Monitor patient’s progress and evaluate effectiveness of nursing interventions;
• Provide health education to patients
• Perform administrative tasks including written or telephone responses to patient queries, preparation of medical files for physicians or other health care providers, and to return of medical files to health record department
• Assist physicians or other health care providers with treatments and procedures
• Act as the point of contact for the care coordination and preparation of responses, information requests, and patient inquiries in the specialty clinic
• Monitor all medical supplies and inventory including ordering and replenishing
• Clean all patient care areas between patient
• Clean, sterilize and package surgical instruments
• Provide pre-operative and post-operative patient teaching such as clinical and procedural information or instructions and comfort care
• Prepare patients for minor surgery procedures by shaving and washing with antiseptic solution on the patient’s operative areas
• Other associated tasks relevant to this occupational group