1. careers
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April 2015
practical nursing
committed to excellence
Donagh Peters, LPN took part in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) Audit;
to learn more, please see page 24. To become a CCP Auditor, please see page 9.
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
President
Christy Froese LPN
Board of Directors
District I – Elisa Wiebe LPN
District II – Cheryl Geisel LPN
District III – Rodney Hintz LPN
District IV – Lindsay Maryniuk LPN
District V – Jodi La France LPN
District VI – Yvonne Maguet LPN
Public Members – Darlene Barbe
– Tricia Conroy
– Judy Harapiak
– Diwa Marcelino
– Susan Swan
Executive Director
Jennifer Breton LPN, RN, BN
Executive Office
Vicky Bering
Executive Assistant
Barbara Palz, HB Com, CGA
Business Manager
Renata Neufeld, BA (Hons), MPA
Consultant, Policy, Process and
Communications
Registration Department
Kathy Halligan, BA (Hons), CTESL, CACE
Consultant, Credential Assessment
Carrie Funk, LPN
Consultant, Registration
Professional Conduct
Department
Nikki Brett, LPN
Consultant, Conduct
Alyssa Harder
Administrative Assistant, Conduct
table of contents
President’s Message
3
Meet the New Vice President of the CLPNM
5
Nursing Competencies for Licensed Practical Nurses
in Manitoba
7
Ask a Practice Consultant
8
Wanted: Ccp Auditors
9
2015 Annual General Meeting & Awards and
Recognition Dinner June 1, 2015
11-13
Legal Issues in Nursing: Communication
Patient Safety – Everyone’s Responsibility!
14
Did You Know?
15
15-17
Getting Ready for the RHPA
The Centre on Aging: Spring Research Symposium
Self-Regulation
Rules of Order and Procedure
22
Annual General Meeting Agenda
23
Meet Donagh Peters LPN, CCP Auditor
24-25
Notice to Registrants: By-law Amendments by
the CLPNM Board of Directors
2015 Office Closure Dates
May 18, 2015
July 1, 2015
October 12, 2015
Education and Program
Evaluation Department
Michael Roach, BScN
Consultant, Education Programs
Evaluation
June 1, 2015
August 3, 2015
November 11, 2015
Advertising
To advertise in the Practical Nursing
Journal, please contact:
McCrone Publications Inc.
Email: mccrone@interbaun.com
Toll Free: 1-800-727-0782
Fax: 1-866-413-9328
18
20-21
Professional Nursing
Practice Department
Tracy Olson, LPN
Consultant, Practice
Reception
Dina Bering
Receptionist
10
25
September 7, 2015
Fragrance-Free Notice
In response to health concerns, CLPNM has a Fragrance-Free Policy and is a scent-free
environment. Please do not use scented products while on the CLPNM premises for
work, education, appointments, or other business.
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
463 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB R2M 3C9
Telephone: (204) 663-1212
Toll Free: 1-877-663-1212
Fax: (204) 663-1207
Email: info@clpnm.ca
Publications Agreement #40013238
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
3
President’s Message
I was recently reading through old journal articles from
various nursing regulatory colleges looking for inspiration
for the last article that I will write for the College of
Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba’s (CLPNM’s) Practical
Nursing Journal.
I stumbled upon Lynn Marks’ (former President of the
CLPNM) last journal article. Here is an excerpt from it:
As the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
(CLPNM) moves towards the Regulated Health Professions Act
(RHPA), all stakeholders, including licensed practical nurses
(LPNs), have the responsibility to stay informed regarding
the subject of professional self-regulation. Do you as a
registrant know the role of your regulatory college? What is
the difference between a professional association, a union,
and a regulatory college? Do you know your obligations as
a member of a self-regulated profession? Over the years, I
have often heard questions such as “What does the College
do for me?” or “What does the College do with my fees?” It is
important for all registrants to understand that the CLPNM
is not an association, and as per legislation, we do not
advocate on the registrants’ behalf. The CLPNM is a regulatory
body with a mandate of protecting the public through fair,
consistent nursing regulation. The role of CLPNM is defined in
legislation.
Unfortunately, little has changed since Lynn’s retirement
in 2012. The CLPNM still faces the same challenges and
is still being asked the same questions. As an LPN it is
our responsibility to understand what it means to be a
member of a self-regulated profession. If you are struggling
to answer any of the above questions, I challenge you to
participate in a Jurisprudence Education Session offered,
free of charge, at the CLPNM.
Participating in the
CLPNM’s Annual
General Meeting
(AGM) would also
give you a greater
understanding of the
role of the CLPNM.
I would like to take
this opportunity to
invite you to our
AGM on June 1st at
the Viscount Gort
in Winnipeg. Come
and hear about the
activities of the
CLPNM over the past
year and about some
of the proposed bylaw changes!
I would like to thank the CLPNM’s Board of Directors,
Jennifer Breton, Executive Director, committee members,
staff members, the practical nursing (PN) schools, other
regulators and the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) for their
friendships and collaborative spirit over the past three
years. I am so grateful for the relationships that were
established and for all I have learned.
All the best to Yvonne Maguet in her new role!
-Christy Froese LPN
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
5
Meet the New President
of the CLPNM
how much joy and fulfillment her work
gave her being able to help others in
need. At the age or twenty-seven the
opportunity came around that enabled
me to go to school. It was the first and
only thing I felt was worth the time it
would take away from my family. To
this day, I feel it was one of the best
decisions I have ever made.
How long have you been nursing?
I have been nursing for twelve years; I
graduated in June 2003.
Where do you work and in which area
of nursing?
I am currently working for the
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority as
a home visiting nurse.
Yvonne Maguet
On April 13, 2015, the CLPNM Board of Directors elected Yvonne
Maguet as the new President. Yvonne’s term begins June 1, 2015.
Christy Froese, current President of the CLPNM, had the opportunity to
ask her a few questions about herself and her nursing career.
Can you tell me a little bit about
yourself?
I have been married to my husband for
twenty years, and we have two great
teenage boys; my husband and my sons
are the three most important people
in my life. Together we enjoy spending
our down time in the kitchen cooking
great food from the heart and drinking
coffee. When the weather permits, we
like to spend time together in the great
outdoors. Camping, cooking over an
open fire, hiking trails and roasting
marshmallows to make s’mores are
some of our favourite outdoor activities,
which we enjoy with family and friends.
What made you decide to go into
nursing?
My mom is a nurse and she is an
amazing lady who I wanted to
emulate. When I was young, I saw
When did you join the Board of
Directors and why?
I joined the CLPNM Board of Directors
in 2013 because I wanted to do more
to help our profession grow. I thought
it was fate when the email came
out in the spring of 2013 asking for
nominations to fill the seat, so I put
my name forward. Being chosen as the
successful candidate has been a great
fortune for the past 2 years. Being a
member of the Board has been a great
experience and I look forward to the
new ones I will have as CLPNM’s new
President.
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
7
Nursing Competencies
for Licensed Practical Nurses
in Manitoba
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM) is in the process of developing a new
competency profile for the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Manitoba. The new competency profile
has gone through an extensive review, which includes a number of revisions and updates to better
articulate LPN practice in Manitoba.
The competency profile is designed to
represent the individual competencies
within the profession’s scope of practice.
The practical nursing scope of practice
comprises the knowledge, skills and
judgement that an LPN is legally
authorized to perform. Scope of practice
is determined through legislation and
includes all activities in which practical
nurses have been educated in their
entry level programs, their individual
experience, ongoing professional
development and both formal and
informal post-basic education. All
registrants of the CLPNM are expected
to practice within the legislated scope of
practice of the profession.
Today’s health care and practice settings
continue to change rapidly, offering
new opportunities and challenges for
the LPN. The LPN’s practice requires
them to possess the theoretical and
practical knowledge required to adapt
to these changes in a variety of roles,
responsibilities and settings. The LPN’s
entry level education is designed to
provide the foundation for all of the
competencies in the profile, so that
knowledge and skills that go beyond
entry level knowledge and practice can
be achieved through further training and
experience. The competency profile for
LPNs in Manitoba is designed to outline
the outer boundaries of the theoretical
knowledge and practical skills of the
LPN that fall within the nurse’s scope
of practice. As each LPN has individual
competencies, work experience and
their professional development differs,
the competencies that each individual
LPN possesses will be unique to them.
As this document represents all of the
possible competencies an LPN can
perform, it is not expected that any one
LPN would have all the competencies
outlined in the document.
What are the Next Steps?
The competency profile is in the final
stages of review at the CLPNM. Very
shortly, the document will be posted
on the CLPNM’s website for review by
our members and the public. This will
be your opportunity to view the draft
version of the document and provide
feedback to the CLPNM. Once the draft
document goes live on the website, you
will be sent an email outlining the next
steps.
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
ASK A PRACTICE CONSULTANT
Question: I have accepted a job on a post-partum unit where I will
be required to give immunizations. Does this fall within the scope
of a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in Manitoba?
Answer:
Yes, LPNs in Manitoba immunize clients
throughout the lifespan. The Manitoba
Competency Profile for LPNs (v. May
2007) outlines LPN competencies and
specifically covers immunizations in the
following major competencies:
• Clinic Based Nursing (S)
o S-3-1 Demonstrate knowledge
and ability to perform a variety
of clinic procedures such as (...)
immunizations (item #9)
• Occupational Health and Safety (T),
o T-1-4 Demonstrate ability to
achieve competence and/or
certification in areas such as ...
immunization (item #3)
o T-2-2 Demonstrate ability to
perform specific health screening
and assessment tests such as (...)
providing immunizations (item #2)
• Medication Administration (U)
o U-8-8 Demonstrate ability to
administer injections such as:
• Subcutaneous *
• Intradermal *
• Intramuscular *
• Intravenous
*i.e. routes indicated for immunizations
It is the College of Licensed Practical
Nurses of Manitoba’s (CLPNM’s)
expectation that every LPN in Manitoba
will practice within the profession’s
scope of practice, their own level of
competence, and in accordance with
the CLPNM’s Standards of Practice and
Code of Ethics. If a nurse feels that they
do not have the knowledge, skills or
ability to perform immunizations safely
and competently, the nurse must ensure
that they receive the appropriate and
necessary training before administering
immunizations independently.
Although LPNs in Manitoba receive
formal education for this skill set
during their entry level program, it
is the LPN’s responsibility to ensure
employer policy authorizes LPNs to
perform immunizations. As per the
CLPNM’s Standards of Practice, the LPN
is expected to adhere to policies in the
employment setting.
Before administering an immunization to
a client, the LPN must consider:
• if informed consent has been obtained;
• if a prescription or a medical directive
is in place;
• if she or he is competent to administer
and manage the vaccine including
knowledge of the:
o normal expected outcomes of the
vaccine,
o pathophysiology of the vaccine,
o risks associated with the delivery of
the vaccine,
o assessments required with vaccine
administration,
o nursing interventions pre and post
vaccine administration,
o if an emergency protocol is in
place for anaphylactic reactions,
and
o documentation requirements
associated with the immunization/
facility policy.
Should a nurse feel that he/she
requires further education or review
before administering immunizations,
the following resources may be of
assistance:
• Immunization Competence
Education Program (ICEP) for
Health Care Professionals
(http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/
publichealth/cdc/div/icep.html)
• Immunization Competencies for
Health Care Professionals
(per Public Health Agency of Canada,
(http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/pdf/
ichp-cips-eng.pdf)
• WRHA Regional Immunization Manual
(http://www.wrha.mb.ca/
professionals/immunization/
01-01.php)
All LPNs are responsible and
accountable for their own professional
practice and are expected to collaborate
with the employer to ensure they have
the competencies required to fulfill their
role.
The CLPNM practice department
provides consultation to registrants,
employers and other stakeholders
regarding LPN practice. The practice
department can be reached by phone
at (204) 663-1212 or by email at
tolson@clpnm.ca.
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
WANTED: CCP AUDITORS
Would you like to become more involved with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of
Manitoba (CLPNM)? A great way to start is to become a Continuing Competence Program (CCP)
auditor. Auditors are active practicing licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who are responsible for
auditing submitted CCP materials. The CLPNM is asking our registrants for assistance in the peer
auditing process.
The CCP audit occurs in three phases every year from January to April. Auditors spend 1 to 3 days
auditing during each phase. CCP auditors are compensated for time spent auditing.
If you are interested in serving as a CCP auditor, please submit your resume to:
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
463 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB R2M 3C9
or by email at
ccp@clpnm.ca
For further information, please contact the CLPNM at (204) 663-1212.
CCP Auditor
CCP Auditors
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
2015 Annual General Meeting & Awards
AND Recognition Dinner jUNE 1, 2015
2015 Annual General Meeting RSVP
& Awards Recognition Dinner
Registration Form
Attendee Information:
Name:____________________________________________________________
Registration Number (if applicable):__________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________
City: ____________________ Province:________ Postal Code: _____________
The AGM and Awards and
Recognition Dinner will take
place at the Viscount Gort Hotel
located at 1670 Portage Ave,
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The AGM is called to order at
2:30pm
* Registration opens at 2:00pm
Phone #:_____________ Email:_______________________________________
I am attending:
Annual General Meeting (no cost)
Awards and Recognition Dinner ($40)
Annual Report:
Mail me a copy of the Annual Report (no cost)
I will access the Annual Report online at www.clpnm.ca.
Awards Recognition Dinner Payment Information:
Awards and
Recognition Dinner
Please join us as we honour
some exceptional individuals
that have made significant
contributions to the LPN
profession.
Dinner will be served at 6:30pm
*Cash bar opens at 6:00pm
Paid by debit/credit card at the CLPNM office
Please charge my (Visa/MasterCard) $____________________________
Card Number:_____________________________________________________
Expiry Date:_______________________________________________________
Signature of Card Holder:___________________________________________
Please complete this form and submit by:
•
Email to info@clpnm.ca;
•
Fax to (204) 663-1207; or
•
Mail to: CLPNM
463 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg MB R2M 3C9
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
11
Legal Issues in Nursing:
Communication
This article was originally published in CARE Magazine, Fall 2014 issue, by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (www.clpna.com).
Reprinted with permission.
Article written by: Chris Rokosh, RN, PNC(C), Legal Nurse Consultant and president of CanLNC Incorporated; he is a popular speaker on legal
issues in nursing across Canada and in the US.
When medical errors cause lasting
injury, the patient can sue both the
doctor and the nurse. This can result
in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Nurses who have been through this
experience describe it as extremely
difficult - as difficult as other
catastrophic life events such as death,
divorce and job loss. The experience
of being sued affected their work life,
personal life, health and well-being.
Emotions such as shock, shame, anger,
depression and fear were common.
Many nurses felt so isolated by their
peers that they left their jobs. You do
not want this to happen to you.
The outcomes of malpractice
lawsuits affect patients, healthcare
professionals, public funding and the
institutions that provide healthcare,
but a workplace culture of denial
and shame can keep us from talking
about the errors that lead to lawsuits,
or using them to learn and improve.
So let us start a conversation about
the most common nursing issues that
result in malpractice lawsuits, with a
goal of gaining knowledge, avoiding
errors and improving patient safety.
Because really, isn’t that why we are
all here?
This article will focus on the source
of more medical malpractice lawsuits
than any other: communication.
Communication issues are so common
that research shows that as many as
70% of medical errors involve some
form of communication breakdown
between the doctor and the nurse. The
courts view communication as a critical
part of any nurses’ job. The nurse
is seen as ‘the eyes and ears’ of the
often-absent doctor, and it is accepted
that doctors rightly depend heavily on
nurses to keep them fully informed of
the patient’s condition. The nursing
and medical experts who review
malpractice cases say that nurses are
required to relay important information
to the doctor according to hospital
policy and the standards of care, and
then to document that they have done
so. Professional associations direct
nurses to communicate appropriate
information to appropriate members
of the healthcare team through
designated channels.
Throughout my career as a Legal
Nurse Consultant, I have reviewed
more than 1000 medical malpractice
lawsuits, many of which focused,
in part, on what the nurse did or
did not tell the doctor. The most
common scenario involves a
change in a patient’s condition, and
either no communication with the
doctor or a phone call followed by
documentation that simply states
‘doctor aware.’ The nursing notes
do not say what doctor is aware,
what they were told or what their
response was. If the patient later
develops an injury and launches a
lawsuit, the doctor will often say,
“Yes, the nurse phoned me, but
she did not tell me how serious
the situation was.
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
If she had, I would have attended to
the patient immediately.” Without
supportive documentation in the
medical record this can result in a
showdown of the nurses’ word against
the doctors’. It will be up to the judge
to decide who said what and whether
or not the nurse met the standard of
care. Let us learn more about this from
a medical malpractice case involving
a lack of communication between a
doctor and a nurse.
CASE STUDY
One summer evening at 7:38 p.m.,
17-year-old Will Johnston was struck
by a car as he crossed the street on his
skateboard. The force of the impact
fractured his right tibia, threw him onto
the hood of the car and smashed the
windshield. He was taken to the E.R.
by ambulance where it was noted that
his right leg had an obvious deformity
and his right calf was very swollen. The
toes on his right foot were cyanosed.
His foot had normal sensation but
limited movement and decreased
pulses. Will was in a lot of pain and
had multiple doses of IV morphine.
At 10:45 p.m., Will was transferred to
the O.R. for Intramedullary Nailing of
the right tibia. Following surgery, the
incision was covered with Sofratulle
and gauze, and his leg was stabilized
with a back ‘slab cast’ and wrapped
with a tensor bandage. Will was
transferred to the recovery room ‘in
good condition.’ Shortly before 1:00
a.m., he was transferred to the nursing
unit where he was cared for by LPN
Donna.
At 1:45 a.m., Nurse Donna documented
that Will was awake, swearing and
complaining of ‘excessive pain.’ His
right toes were described as ‘pink and
warm’ with normal movement. Nurse
Donna noted that Will only had ‘fair
relief’ from the multiple doses of IV
morphine he had been given postoperatively.
At 2:00 a.m., Nurse Donna
documented that Will was awake
and oriented. The colour, sensation
and movement to his right foot
were described as ‘good’ with a
capillary refill time of less than 3
seconds. Will was noted to have
‘severe weakness’ and tingling in his
right leg. Overnight, Nurse Donna
documented information regarding
Will’s medications, intake and output,
but there was no further assessment
of the colour, warmth, sensation
and movement of Will’s foot for the
remainder of her shift.
At 8:00 a.m., day shift LPN Lucinda
started her shift. She described Will
as confused. He was not able to
correctly identify the month or where
he was. He only opened his eyes
when he was spoken to. His right
leg was again noted to have ‘severe
weakness’ and he refused assistance
with bathing, stating ‘Leave me alone!’
Serosanguinous drainage was noted
on pillow underneath Will’s leg. Nurse
Lucinda did not document colour,
warmth, sensation or movement.
At 9:20 a.m., Will was noted to be
‘yelling and complaining of pain’.
Nurse Lucinda documented that she
reassured Will’s parents that the
amount of pain and drainage were
‘normal for the surgery.’
At 12:00 noon, Nurse Lucinda
documented, ‘Right leg remains in
slab cast, small amount of sanguinous
drainage on upper side. Foot cool, toes
swollen and dark, patient states is not
able to wiggle toes because it hurts.
Has tingling sensation. Will monitor.’
At 1:00 p.m., physiotherapist Steve
arrived to teach Will how to walk
with crutches. He described Will as
‘anxious ++, yelling out when moved.’
He refused to get out of bed.
At 1:25 p.m., orthopedic resident
Dr. Smithson arrived on the unit.
He noticed that Will had decreased
sensation in his right foot and was
unable to point or flex his toes.
Dr. Smithson removed the cast,
measured the pressures in the
calf muscles, and diagnosed posttraumatic compartment syndrome.
Will was taken back to the OR for
fasciotomies to relieve the pressure.
Following surgery, he developed
multiple complications. The leg
became infected and necrotic in spite
of surgical intervention and arterial
grafting. Fourteen days later, it was
amputated below the knee.
Will remained in hospital for several
weeks. Eighteen months after
his discharge, his family filed a
multimillion dollar lawsuit against
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
13
LEGAL ISSUES IN NURSING (Continued)
the doctor and the hospital, claiming,
among other things, that nurse
Donna and nurse Lucinda failed to
communicate important information
to the doctor or the charge nurse.
They claimed that the standard of care
required them to tell someone about
Will’s pain, weakness, sensory loss and
colour change. They also indicated that
if the doctor had been called earlier,
Will would not have lost his leg.
Do you think the nurses met the
standard of care?
Compartment syndrome is a
potentially life-threatening condition
caused by high pressure in a closed
fascial space. The most common site
of compartment syndrome is the
lower leg (Abramowitz and Schepsis
1994) and young men with traumatic
soft tissue injury are known to be
at particular risk (Mc- Queen et al
2000). It is a potentially devastating
complication of tibial fractures and
requires prompt recognition and
intervention, as early intervention is
critical to avoid permanent damage to
the muscles and the nerves.
Symptoms of compartment
syndrome may include pain that is
disproportionate to the injury, pallor
of the affected limb, altered sensation
(numbness, tingling), tension of the
affected muscles, pulselessness below
the level of the swelling and, as a late
sign, paralysis. Postoperative narcotic
administration may mask the pain,
which is often the first symptom of
compartment syndrome; therefore,
it requires careful monitoring for the
other symptoms.
The nursing plan of care for a patient
with a traumatic fracture of the
tibia must include, among other
things, knowledge and awareness
of the possible development of
compartment syndrome along with
careful and frequent monitoring of
the affected limb for colour, warmth,
sensation, movement and pulse
strength. Monitoring may be required
as frequently as every hour, but
certainly every 4 hours in the early
postoperative period. Monitoring
guidelines are often established by
hospital policy or care plans or may be
provided by doctors’ orders.
Signs and symptoms of compartment
syndrome must be reported
immediately to the charge nurse and/
or responsible physician. The nursing
standard of care would be to notify the
physician immediately, requesting a
‘hands on’ assessment of the patient.
The nurse must provide an accurate
clinical picture of patient status
and raise the level of concern. If the
physician does not respond promptly
to the nursing request for assessment,
the nurse must act in the best interest
of the patient and persist in finding
appropriate medical attention. This
may require repeated pages/phone
calls to the physician, refusing to
take doctors’ orders over the phone,
notifying the nursing supervisor or
accessing the appropriate ‘Chain of
Command.’
The lawyer representing Will in this
malpractice lawsuit asked other
nurses to review the medical record
to determine whether or not nurse
Donna and nurse Lucinda had met
the standard of care. Their opinion
was that Donna and Lucinda had not
met the standards in two important
areas: by not assessing Will’s leg
as thoroughly and frequently as
required by hospital policy, and by
not reporting his pain, weakness,
colour change and sensory loss to
the charge nurse or the doctor. Their
opinion was that nurse Donna should
have reported these changes no later
than 2:00 a.m. when she documented
that Will had severe weakness and
tingling in his right leg. Since this did
not happen, their opinion was that
nurse Lucinda should have performed
a full assessment of the leg at 8:00
a.m. and asked the doctor to see Will
right away.
The reviewing nurses said that these
failures represented a lack of nursing
knowledge and critical thinking as
well as a failure to meet the standard
of care. They also said that the lack
of communication contributed to a
delay in treating Will’s compartment
syndrome, which ultimately led to
the loss of his leg. Based on this
information, the case settled out of
court for an undisclosed amount of
money. The doctor in this case was
also sued, but ‘let out’ of the lawsuit
when it was discovered that he did not
know that anything was wrong with
Will’s leg because the nurses had not
communicated with him. By the time
the resident examined Will on rounds,
the compartment syndrome had
already caused irreversible damage.
Use this case study to spark a
conversation on communication with
your colleagues. How would you rate
the level of communication in your
workplace? Have you ever witnessed,
or been part of a situation where
communication caused a problem?
Did the patient suffer as a result?
What are the designated channels of
communication in your workplace?
Do they work? If not, what actions
have you taken to fix or improve the
situation? What will you do better
now that you know what you know?
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Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Patient Safety –
everyone’s responsibility!
Most of the time, people’s experiences
as patients, family members, and
healthcare providers in the healthcare
system are positive. However, at times
things do not go as planned.
Patient safety involves the complex
interaction among institutions,
technologies, and individuals, including
patients themselves. In other words,
patient safety is everyone’s responsibility.
5.What are key interpersonal and
communication skills required for
effectively working with patients and
families, and within multidisciplinary
healthcare teams?
In Canada and the world, there are
significant numbers of people who are
harmed or who die as a result of their
care and not the treatment process or
risks involved. In a 2004 study1, using
data from 2000, there was an adverse
event rate of 7.5% in acute care hospital
admissions in Canada. By extrapolation,
it was estimated that:
Healthcare providers try to do the right
thing, but because they work in a complex,
imperfect system with many variables, at
times patient safety incidents reach the
patient. Some incidents do not cause harm,
but others do affect patients - the people
health providers are committed to helping.
6.What are the major concepts related
to recognizing and managing risks to
patients in healthcare environments?
The tradition and culture of healthcare
provision has been one that suggests
that error is unacceptable, and
acknowledgement of mistakes is an
admission of lack of skill. It has become
evident from our successes, and from
patients who have been harmed during
the healthcare delivery process, that this
approach has deterred the development
of a culture that supports learning and
improvement.
Patient safety – make it YOUR
responsibility!
• 185,000 of 2.5 million similar
admissions to acute care hospitals
in Canada were associated with an
adverse event;
• close to 70,000 of the adverse events
were potentially preventable, and
• between 9,000 and 24,000 Canadians
died from adverse events that could
have been prevented.
Since the 2004 study, studies in
pediatric healthcare and home care
have been conducted. The Canadian
Pediatric Adverse Event Study2 involved
22 hospitals in 7 provinces. The study
determined that 9.2% of children
hospitalized in Canada experience an
adverse event. “Safety at Home – A PanCanadian Home Care Study” found the
rate of adverse events in Canadian home
care clients was 10 -13 per cent over a
period of one year3. Extrapolating to the
over one million home care recipients
per year in Canada suggests that up to
130,000 Canadians receiving home care
experience an adverse event, with half
being considered to be preventable.
Acknowledging that patient incidents do
happen is important to taking personal
and organizational steps to improvement.
A key strategy to support your learning
is to reflect on basic concepts of patient
safety, and how you can apply these
concepts in your daily practice. In
upcoming issues of the Practical Nursing
Journal, key patient safety topics will
be highlighted along with questions
to stimulate self-reflection about your
own practice. Topics to be covered will
be aimed at providing answers to the
following questions:
1.How do key human and environmental
factors contribute to patient safety?
2.What is a culture of patient safety?
3.What are the key elements of effective
patient and family centred care?
4.What are key factors that promote
effective teamwork in multidisciplinary
healthcare teams?
7.What are the key elements required in
responding to and disclosing harmful
incidents?
For more information on patient safety,
go to the Manitoba Institute for Patient
Safety website at www.mips.ca.
1
Baker, GR, Norton PG, Flintoft V, Blais
R, Brown A, Cox J, et al. The Canadian
Adverse Events Study: The incidence of
adverse events among hospital patients
in Canada. Canadian Medical Association
Journal. 25 May 2004; 170 (11): 1678 –
1686.
2
Matlow AG, Baker GR, Flintoft G, Cochrane
D, Coffey C, Cohen E, et al. Adverse
events among children in Canadian
hospitals. The Canadian Paediatric
Adverse Events Study. Canadian Medial
Association Journal. 18 September 2012;
194 (13): E709 – E718.
2
The Canadian Patient Safety Institute.
Safety at Home – A Pan Canadian Home
Care Safety Study. 2013. Available at
http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/
English/research/commissionedResearch/
SafetyatHome/Documents/Safety%20
At%20Home%20Care.pdf
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Did you know?
15
Getting Ready
for the RHPA
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
(CLPNM) continues to work on the transition to the
Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). In recent
editions of the Practical Nursing Journal, we have
introduced you to the RHPA, outlined some of the
changes you can expect, and invited your input to help
inform the transition. As this work continues, we will
keep you updated in each edition of this Journal.
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of
Manitoba (CLPNM) is a member of the Manitoba
Alliance of Health Regulatory Colleges (MAHRC).
Together, the members of the MAHRC regulate over
twenty health professions. We ensure health care
is delivered by providers who are appropriately
educated and who follow standards of conduct
and codes of ethics. Our goal is safe, quality health
care. Read more about the MAHRC and health
regulation in Manitoba at mahrc.net.
What is the RHPA?
For those who missed our previous articles on this
topic, the RHPA is a law that will eventually govern
the practice of 22 regulated health professions in
Manitoba. It is being rolled out incrementally. It will
modernize and standardize how Manitoba’s health
professions are authorized and regulated. The goals of
the RHPA are to:
• continue to support self-regulation by Manitoba’s
health professions;
• continue to protect patients and the public interest;
• remove barriers to interprofessional practice;
• foster greater confidence in the provincial health care
system, and
• better regulate certain high-risk health care activities.
The RHPA does not yet apply to LPNs, but it soon
will. Practical nursing in Manitoba will continue to be
governed by the Licensed Practical Nurses Act and its
Regulations until they are replaced by the RHPA.
As part of the transition to the RHPA, the CLPNM has
published a new Code of Ethics and is in the process
of finalizing an updated Competency Profile. The new
Code of Ethics is available on the CLPNM website at
www.clpnm.ca. The CLPNM will also post a draft of the
revised Competency Profile for review and comment
this spring.
We have also begun a review of the profession’s scope
of practice statement, and have continued validating
the reserved acts that Manitoba LPNs have the
competence and skill to perform.
16
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Scope of Practice
A profession’s scope of practice refers
to the outer range of activities that
its members are educated and legally
authorized to perform. This scope of
practice is described in a scope of
practice statement.
Scope of practice statements
typically form part of the legislation
that regulates the profession.
They are intended as concise, but
comprehensive, descriptions of the
limits within which a member of a
profession can practice.
With the transition to the RHPA, we are
presented with a rare opportunity to
review the scope of practice statement
that defines the profession of practical
nursing in Manitoba.
The current scope of practice
statement in Section 2 of the
Licensed Practical Nurses Act is:
“the provision of nursing services
for the purpose of assessing
and treating health conditions,
promoting health, preventing
illness, and assisting individuals,
families and groups to achieve an
optimal state of health.”
Does this capture the profession?
Do you see your practice in this
statement?
Tell us what you think at:
clpnm.ca/rhpa!
A scope of practice statement
describes a profession as a whole.
Each member of that profession
also has his or her own individual
scope of practice, informed
by professional standards,
any conditions on his or her
license, employer policies
and the individual’s unique
competencies.
If you want to learn more,
please visit :
www.clpnm.ca/standardsguidelines/scope-of-practice/
The CLPNM has begun working on
this review collaboratively with
representatives from Manitoba Health,
Healthy Living and Seniors. The goal
is to ensure that the scope of practice
statement, eventually set out in the
RHPA’s Regulations, appropriately
captures the profession of practical
nursing in Manitoba today.
As part of this review, we have
conducted an environmental scan of
other Canadian jurisdictions.
We have also reviewed information
about current LPN practice in Manitoba
to identify areas that may not be
well-reflected in the existing scope of
practice statement.
It is important to note that revisions
to the scope of practice statement
are not intended to change the actual
practice of Manitoba’s LPNs. Rather,
revisions are intended to ensure
that the statement correctly reflects
today’s practice. It is also important to
note that, in keeping with the goals of
encouraging interprofessional practice
and improving access to health care,
it is possible that different health
professions will have overlapping
scopes of practice. We will continue
to work on this review with Manitoba
Health, Healthy Living and Seniors and
keep our members updated through
the Journal.
Reserved Acts
While we are reviewing the scope of
practice, we are continuing to validate
the reserved acts that Manitoba’s
LPNs have the competence and skill to
perform.
The reserved acts are a list of health
care activities that could pose
significant risk or possible harm to
the public if performed by someone
without the necessary training.
There are 21 reserved acts listed
in the RHPA. A few examples are:
• performing a procedure below
the dermis
• inserting or removing an
instrument, device, hand or
finger into an opening of the
body
• administering a substance
by injection, inhalation,
mechanical ventilation,
irrigation or by enteral or
parenteral instillation
• prescribing, compounding,
dispensing, selling or
administering a drug or a
vaccine
For a complete list of the
reserved acts, please visit
www.clpnm.ca/rhpa.
As each regulated health profession
transitions to the RHPA, the Manitoba
Government will develop Regulations
that identify which reserved acts
each profession can perform. The
CLPNM’s role, as a regulatory body, is
to propose which activities Manitoba’s
practical nurses can perform safely
and effectively. To ensure this
proposal captures the full extent of
current LPN practice, we are consulting
with LPNs, educators, employers, LPN
regulators, and other stakeholders.
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
17
Are you an LPN who works in an Emergency Department or Mental Health
Care setting?
Manitoba, please review the Competency
Profile at www.clpnm.ca.
The CLPNM needs to hear more about your role and about the reserved
acts you perform in these environments. We will be holding the following
consultation sessions:
What’s Next?
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
1700 – 1830 Mental Health
1430 – 1600 Emergency Department
1700 – 1830 Emergency Department
1430 – 1600 Mental Health
All sessions will take place in person at 463 St. Anne’s Road in Winnipeg and
by teleconference.
Please register in advance by calling 204-663-1212 or 1-877-663-1212
(toll free), or online at www.clpnm.ca.
Sessions with low registration may be cancelled.
To date, these consultations have
included 12 group sessions with
practising LPNs from across the
province, and two online member
surveys. One survey provided us with
information on unique LPN roles
in Manitoba. The other gathered
information on the reserved acts that
LPNs perform in Manitoba today. These
surveys were open to our members
between July and December 2014, and
resulted in hundreds of responses from
LPNs across the province, working in
practice settings including community,
primary care, emergency, medicine,
surgery, geriatrics, pediatrics, operating
rooms, mental health, labour and
delivery, post-partum, dialysis, home
care, long-term care, palliative care,
corrections, and foot care, among
others, and in roles ranging from staff
nurse to educator, charge nurse and
administrator. These responses will
help to ensure that CLPNM’s proposal
to Government reflects the range within
the LPN profession and is supported
with specific examples from current
practice.
We are now reviewing and analyzing the
data, and in the coming months we will
be contacting some survey respondents
with follow-up questions on topics that
require more detailed information. If
you are one of the respondents, please
keep your eyes on your inbox.
During the course of our consultations,
we heard many questions about the
reserved acts and some concerns about
how they might impact practice.
You can review these questions and
our responses in our Frequently
Asked Questions available at
www.clpnm.ca/rhpa.
How do Scope of Practice and Reserve
Acts Relate?
When a reserved act is authorized for a
profession, it will serve as confirmation
that the activity falls within that
profession’s scope of practice. The
reserved acts will help to fill in the
picture. However, the reserved acts
will only represent a portion of any
profession’s scope. They will only fill in
part of the picture. This is because the
list of reserved acts is limited only to
certain health care activities that pose
particular risk to the public. It is not a
comprehensive list of all health care
activities.
To view a more detailed description
of the competencies that fall within
the profession of practical nursing in
In the coming months, work on the RHPA
transition will also include:
• determining which reserved acts LPNs
should be authorized to delegate to
others, including unregulated health
care providers
• revisions to the profession’s Standards
of Practice
• development of the processes CLPNM
will need to effectively regulate
corporations that carry on the practice
of practical nursing, referred to as
“health profession corporations” in the
RHPA
More information on these topics will
appear in future Practical Nursing Journal
articles.
The transition to the RHPA will result in
a lot of change. Ongoing communication
with and input from our members and
stakeholders will be critical throughout
the process. If you are interested in
providing information about your current
practice, participating in a discussion to
help inform the RHPA transition, or have
questions related to the RHPA, please
contact:
Renata Neufeld, Consultant
Policy, Process and Communications
College of Licensed Practical Nurses
of Manitoba
204-663-1212
1-877-663-1212 toll free
Renata.Neufeld@clpnm.ca
If you would like to read more about the
RHPA, please visit www.clpnm.ca/rhpa.
18
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
The Centre on Aging:
Spring Research Symposium
The Centre on Aging, University of
Manitoba, is a university-wide research
unit reporting to the Vice President
(Research & International). Established on
July 1, 1982, the Centre developed and
established a national and international
reputation for research excellence in
aging. The Centre’s vision is “To be a
recognized leader in research in aging;
to improve the lives of older adults, their
caregivers and families, and to enhance
communities within and outside of
Manitoba.” The Centre on Aging conducts,
stimulates and promotes research on
aging, provides an interdisciplinary focus
for the research activities in aging at the
universities in Manitoba, and supports
the teaching of students in aging. The
Centre serves as the focal point for the
integration and dissemination of research
on aging in Manitoba.
The Centre on Aging holds an annual
Spring Research Symposium to promote a
dialogue between university researchers
and the community-at-large. Researchers
present findings from their research,
and community representatives discuss
the impact of the research on policy,
practice and quality of life for older
adults. Topics vary from year to year. In
the past, over 400 individuals registered
for the event. These included faculty
members, graduate students, and staff
from various faculties, federal government
representatives, provincial government
representatives, program representatives
from regional health authorities, hospital
staff, representatives from personal
care homes/long-term care facilities/
supportive housing from other social
agencies and the public.
The Symposium promises to be an exciting
and educational day. There is no charge for
the symposium. All are welcome to attend.
For information, please contact the Centre
at (204) 474-8754.
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
19
32nd Annual Spring Research Symposium
May 4–5, 2015
727 McDermot Ave | Bannatyne Campus, University of Manitoba
Registration forms are available at: http://www.umanitoba.ca/centres/aging/events/384.htm
Monday, May 4, 2015
8:45 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Brodie Centre
8:00 a.m.
Registration desk is open in Brodie Centre
8:45–9:15 a.m.
Welcome and greetings
Presentation of research fellowships and student awards
9:15–10:30 a.m.
OPENING PLENARY
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: What’s in it for me?
Parminder Raina, Ph.D., Director of the Evidence-based Practice Center; Professor, Department
of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University; Lead Principal Investigator of the
Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA);
Verena Menec, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, College of
Medicine, University of Manitoba; Canada Research Chair in Healthy Aging; Manitoba Site CoPrincipal Investigators for CLSA
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is a large, national, long-term study that
will follow approximately 50,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 85 for at least
20 years. The ultimate aim of the CLSA is to find ways to improve the health of Canadians by
better understanding the aging process and the factors that shape the way we age.
Information about the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and
economic aspects of people’s lives is being collected and analyzed. By January 2015 the first
45,000 participants were recruited.
Dr. Raina and Dr. Menec will describe how CLSA data may be used to help improve the lives of
people in Canada and around the world over the next 20 years.
10:30–11:00 a.m.
Morning break, Brodie Centre
20
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Self-regulation
The practical nursing profession is one of several self-regulating health professions in Manitoba.
Do you know what self-regulation means? Do you know how it affects your profession and practice?
Self-regulation is a privilege and
responsibility granted by the
Government of Manitoba to the
members of the practical nursing
profession. It recognizes your
specialized expertise. By granting
self-regulation, the government has
acknowledged that practical nurses
are in the best position to hold one
another accountable for providing
safe and effective care that meets the
standards of the profession and serves
the interests of the public.
Effective self-regulation contributes to
confidence in the profession overall.
When members of the profession hold
one another accountable, the public
can trust that it will receive safe,
competent and ethical care. When
you contribute to self-regulation, you
help to maintain and strengthen this
trust. You also help to maintain the
privilege of self-regulation itself. The
profession’s authority to self-regulate
is delegated by government, which
means that, if not done effectively,
the authority could be limited or even
taken away.
Self-regulation differs from the role
of a professional nursing association
or union. While each have nurses
as their membership base, the
goal of self-regulation is to protect
the public interest. This does not
mean that the interests of nurses
and their clients are in conflict. For
example, nurses and clients share
an interest in quality care and good
clinical outcomes; however, when the
interests of a nurse and the public do
not align, it is the duty of the selfregulating profession to uphold and
protect the public interest above all
else.
Self-regulation is carried out in part
through the College of Licensed
Practical Nurses of Manitoba (CLPNM).
The Board of Directors, committees
and staff of the CLPNM all include
LPNs who use their nursing expertise
daily when reviewing education
programs, making licensure decisions,
supporting practice, informing
the public and employers about
the profession, and overseeing
professional conduct. However, all
practical nurses in Manitoba share
the responsibility of self-regulation,
including you.
There are a number of ways that
your LPN peers are participating in
self-regulation by contributing to the
work, programs, and governance of
the CLPNM.
Each year, the continuing competence
program (CCP) reviews are carried
out by your peers. CCP auditors are
active practising LPNs. They review
your learning plans and provide
you with feedback to help you
grow as a competent nurse. In the
rare circumstances where practice
audits or investigations are needed,
these are also carried out by active
practising LPNs.
This past year, many LPNs offered
their time and experience by
participating in consultation sessions
and surveys on LPN practice.
These were held to inform how
the profession will be supported
and regulated under the Regulated
Health Professions Act (RHPA). Initial
consultations focused on confirming
the health care activities that LPNs
have the skills to perform. Additional
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
consultations will be carried out
this coming year. This ongoing input
from CLPNM members will help to
inform how the profession is defined,
enabled and regulated in the future.
In addition to participating on the
Board and committees of the CLPNM,
LPNs contribute to the governance
of the profession by attending the
Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Each year at the AGM, LPNs have
an opportunity to learn more about
the activities of the CLPNM, speak
their opinion and vote on issues that
impact the profession. LPNs also
have an opportunity to contribute to
the governance of the profession by
nominating and electing peers to the
CLPNM Board.
Engaging in the work, programs
and governance of the CLPNM are
some of the ways that LPNs help to
support and regulate the profession.
Self-regulation happens at many
levels though. As practical nurses, we
contribute to self-regulation each day
when we take personal accountability
for ensuring we have the knowledge,
skills and judgement to provide safe,
competent and ethical care, and by
ensuring that our peers do as well.
You are contributing to self-regulation
when you…
Know Your Standards
Review, understand and apply the
professional expectations in your
Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics
and Regulatory Bulletins.
`
Ask Questions
Acknowledge if you do not understand
a professional obligation. Seek guidance
by consulting a peer or mentor in your
workplace, calling a CLPNM Practice
Consultant or attending a CLPNM
jurisprudence session.
Build Your Knowledge
Demonstrate your commitment to
lifelong learning. Stay current on
best practices in nursing. Assess your
knowledge, identify gaps and follow
through with a learning plan.
Help Others Grow
Provide feedback to your peers. Act as a
resource to new nurses. Support others
to practice to the full scope of their
competence.
Hold Others Accountable
Hold your peers accountable to the
standards of the profession. Advocate for
your clients; take action when you see
unsafe practice, and if necessary, exercise
your duty to report.
For more information on self-regulation
and how you can become more
involved, contact the CLPNM by email
at info@clpnm.ca or by telephone at
204-663-1212 or 1-877-663-1212
toll free, or visit us at www.clpnm.ca.
We contribute to selfregulation each day
when we take personal
accountability for ensuring
we have the knowledge,
skills and judgement to
provide safe, competent
and ethical care.
21
22
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The current edition of Robert’s
Rules of Order Newly Revised shall
be the parliamentary authority on
any procedural matter.
Every member who is a practicing
licensed practical nurse in good
standing with the College is
entitled to voice and vote.
Every graduate and student
practical nurse is entitled to voice
at Annual or Special meetings of
the College.
Every Associate member
[non-practicing, senior] is entitled
to voice at Annual or Special
meetings of the College.
Public representatives are entitled
to voice at the annual or special
meeting of the College.
Members will be required to
present at the meeting, current
photo identification as evidence of
entitlement to vote.
7.
Voting members shall be issued
a voting card, in a colour
designated by the President.
A majority of registrants present
and eligible to vote at the meeting
shall be needed for adoption of
any business, unless otherwise
stated in the bylaws.
8.
9.
The eligible voting members present
at the meeting shall determine the
manner of voting. A vote may be
taken by ballot or by show of hands.
The meeting Chair shall appoint
three [3] Scrutineers, who shall
tabulate the vote for and against in
the show of hands, or in the event of
a ballot vote shall distribute, collect
and count the ballots and report the
results in writing to the chair.
10.In the event of a tie vote, either by
show of hands or ballot vote, the
Chair of the meeting shall cast the
deciding vote.
11.A quorum for any annual general
meeting or special general meeting
of the College shall be the number
of members on the register of
practicing licensed practical nurses
who attend the meeting.
12.At any time if a member exits the
meeting room for the day, the
member must turn their voting
card over to one of the Scrutineers
designated by the Chair. Members
shall not enter or exit the meeting
room when there is a motion on the
floor.
13.Any member or Board member
wishing to speak shall go to a
microphone, address the Chair, give
their name and district, and shall
indicate whether they are speaking
in the affirmative or negative on the
motion.
14.All motions and amendments
shall be in writing on motion
paper, signed by the maker and
seconded, and shall be sent to
the Chair after they have placed it
before the membership.
15.Only voting members have the
right to make a motion and shall
have the right to speak to the
motion first.
16.Members and Board members
shall speak only once to any given
question until all members wishing
to speak have done so.
17.Debate is limited to two [2]
minutes for each member and ten
[10] minutes for each question.
The Chair shall alternate between
microphones.
18.A timekeeper shall be designated
for each microphone and shall
signal with a yellow card when
two minutes has passed, and
shall signal with a red card when
allotted time for debate on the
question has expired.
19.Time for debate may be extended
by a two-thirds [2/3] vote of the
members.
20.A call to close debate [move the
previous question] requires a
two-thirds [2/3] vote of the
members.
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
23
Annual General Meeting Agenda
Date: Monday June 1, 2015
Time: 1430hrs
Location: Viscount Gort Hotel
Winnipeg, MB
Registration (begins at 1400hrs)
Announcements
Call to Order (1430hrs)
Credentials Report
Approval of Agenda
Introductions
President’s Welcome
Appointment of Scrutineers
Annual Report & Current College Activities
Adoption of Proposed By-law Changes
Election Results – Presentation of Board of Directors
Open Forum
Adjournment
24
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
Meet Donagh Peters LPN,
CCP Auditor
Every year for the annual Continuing
Competence Program (CCP) audit,
an audit party consisting of active
practicing licensed practical nurses
(LPNs) assesses submitted CCP
materials to determine if they
comply with the expected standards.
The auditors, the CLPNM, and the
registrants all work together to
ensure that LPNs are aware of their
expectations with the CCP.
The CLPNM offers registrants guidance
on how to complete their CCP by way
of regularly scheduled informative
sessions offered in-house at the
CLPNM or via teleconference. In
addition, a CCP instruction guide
and various fact sheets are made
available for registrants in order to
provide further direction and support
with regard to their expectations
surrounding the CCP. To register
to attend a free-of-charge CCP
information session and to find the
instruction guide, please go to the
CLPNM website at www.clpnm.ca.
Licensed practical nurses understand
that competence is continually
acquired and maintained through
professional self-reflection and lifelong learning that is integrated into
nursing practice. Understanding and
complying with the CCP contributes to
continued competence of LPNs, which
ultimately contributes to the CLPNM’s
mandate to protect the public.
Meet Donagh Peters, LPN and a 2014
CCP auditor. Donagh graduated
from the practical nursing program
at Assiniboine Community College
(ACC) in May 2012. She began her
career in the Short Stay Unit at the
Grace General Hospital. In August
2013, Donagh took a position at the
Misericordia Health Centre where she
continues to work today in the Interim
Care Unit. In April 2014, Donagh
completed the CLPNM-approved
nursing foot care course at ACC. In
addition to her casual position at
Misericordia Health Centre, Donagh is
now co-owner of PediHealth Services
where she practices nursing foot care
as an independent practitioner.
In the three years Donagh has been
a nurse, she has contributed to the
self regulation of her profession by
assisting the CLPNM in its public
protection work. Since 2013, Donagh
has been a member of the CLPNM’s
Education Approval Committee
(EAC), whose responsibility it is to
review and monitor practical nursing
education in Manitoba. In 2014,
the Board of Directors appointed
Donagh as a practice auditor and
an investigator for the CLPNM. In
addition, she has participated as a
CCP auditor in 2014 and 2015.
Recently, the CLPNM had an
opportunity to sit down with Donagh
to learn more about her and to have
her share her experience participating
as a CCP auditor.
1. How would you describe your role
as a CCP auditor?
This was my second year as
an auditor for the Continuing
Competence Program. My role
as an auditor requires me to
seek out evidence of nurses’
continued learning and growth.
Along with the other members of
the auditing team, I am assessing
for the inclusion of evidence of
learning interventions, evidence of
knowledge gained and evidence of
knowledge applied into practice. It
is a large and important task that
I enjoy but take very seriously.
As a member of a self-regulating
profession, I recognize the
importance in assuring that all of us
are meeting our practice standards
and registration requirements.
2. How has the role of CCP auditor
impacted you?
Taking the time to fully understand
the CCP then having the
opportunity to work alongside such
a great group of LPNs during the
audit has taught me so much about
this profession. The experience
has been a great opportunity
to see all the different areas in
which LPNs are practicing, and it
has allowed me to share in their
wealth of knowledge. Completing
my nursing foot care education
and entering into independent
practice has been an overwhelming
but rewarding challenge. By
participating as an auditor, I have
gained a better understanding
of my responsibilities in policy
development and implementation.
I fully believe continuing our
education as nurses is so important
to ensure continued best practice
and compliance with our practice
standards. I have really enjoyed
being a part of this process.
Practical Nursing | April 2015 | College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba
3. Why do you think it is important to
be involved with your regulatory
body?
Being involved with the CLPNM was
something I knew I wanted to do
since graduating from the practical
nursing program. I recognize the
importance and privilege of being
a member of a self-regulating
profession. I understand that selfregulation allows for the profession
itself to monitor our members
to ensure they are delivering
safe, competent and ethical
nursing care. Keeping my clients
safe is very important to me.
Being actively involved with the
CLPNM is another way that I can
contribute to their safety and it is
a way that I can make a difference
in my profession. Also being a
member of the Education Approval
Committee allows me to contribute
to practical nursing education in
the province—to make a difference
in the development of future
members of the profession.
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If you are interested in serving as
a CCP auditor, please submit your
resume to:
The College of Licensed Practical
Nurses of Manitoba
463 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB R2M 3C9
Or by email at ccp@clpnm.ca
For further information, please contact
the CLPNM at (204) 663-1212.
Notice to Registrants: By-law Amendments
by the CLPNM Board of Directors
The CLPNM Board of Directors has amended the By-laws. The amendments will be presented for approval at the 2015 Annual General
Meeting (AGM). Please contact Christy Froese LPN, President, if you have any questions or comments by phone at (204) 663-1212, or
by email at president@clpnm.ca.
Current By-law Wording
Proposed Changes:
Rationale
2.7 Associate Members
The current 2.7 would be deleted
and replaced with:
The category of non-practicing associate
members will be phased out. Previously,
this membership category entitled
individuals to receive information and
documents from the CLPNM. These are now
issued electronically and publicly, making
the membership category and the fees
associated with it unnecessary. Associate members shall include
the following categories; nonpracticing and honorary members,
as defined by registration policies.
2.7 Honorary Members
The Board may confer honorary
memberships upon any individual, in
accordance with Board policies.
The Board would retain the ability to
grant honorary memberships. Honorary
memberships, like awards, are a means of
recognizing an important contribution to
the profession. They do not authorize the
individual to practice the profession.