nursing_practice

Nursing Practice

Standards for Practice

Nursing has a proud history of service. For that reason, the public has come to trust registered nurses to provide the very best in expert, professional nursing care. But if the practice of nursing were not carefully protected that trust would not exist. That is why it is a privilege to practice as a registered nurse, not a right. And, in the Yukon, the public has entrusted the Yukon Registered Nurses Association (YRNA) to guard that privilege.

It is YRNA that has the mandate to ensure that all of its members provide an acceptable level of nursing service. Because of that, YRNA—in consultation with its members—has published this document: Standards for Registered Nursing Practice in the Yukon.

It is the responsibility of all nurses practising in the Yukon to know the contents of this document and to practice within its limits. These standards represent the criteria against which all registered nurses will be measured by consumers, employers, colleagues and themselves.

Standards for Registered Nursing Practice in the Yukon is a full size document which is downloadable from the Links & Resources page or by clicking here.

YRNA Practice Support

YRNA provides nursing practice consultation in order to promote safe nursing care and prevent problems arising in nursing practice settings.

Nurses can experience difficulties in providing safe, quality care to clients and have concerns about handling professional problems and practice issues. Employers, colleagues and the public can have questions about nursing policies and practices.

If you have a professional problem or a question or concern about nursing practice—either related to a specific practice, a practice setting or a general nursing question—you can call the YRNA office for information. The YRNA office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and professional nursing staff are available to offer support, advice and resource information to registered nurses, the public or others with an interest in health care services.

YRNA can assist by:
- providing confidential support and advice to members and others regarding nursing practice;
- assisting you to deal with practice problems or concerns about client care;
- providing advice on nursing policies and procedures;
- interpreting professional legislation, regulations, code of ethics, standards of practice and YRNA policy positions;
- assisting you with the application of standards, guidelines and policies related to nursing practice;
- consulting with the Nursing Practice Committee or Registration Committee as appropriate;
- directing you to an appropriate resource which has the expertise to assist you with a specific or specialized issue.

YRNA can also provide information on trends and issues which are affecting, or are expected to affect, the practice of nursing.
YRNA staff can be reached at 867-667-4062.

Resources

Professional Conduct Review Policy

YRNA is committed to promoting good nursing practice and preventing poor nursing practice. The purpose of the YRNA Professional Conduct Review (PCR) Program is to ensure that the statutory duty to protect the public interest is fulfilled by intervening when practice is unacceptable.

The YRNA believes that the appropriate and timely handling of complaints is fundamental to the role the Association plays in maintaining professional standards and public accountability. As a self-regulating profession, registered nurses have earned the right and taken the responsibility of dealing with complaints and the discipline of members when deemed necessary.

The YRNA is committed to a fair and open process that offers options for the resolution of a complaint. The philosophy of discipline is one of corrective action, taking into consideration the interests of the public, the Association and the individual nurse member.

The Professional Conduct Review Complaints and Discipline Policy is a 40-page document which is downloadable from the Links & Resources page or by clicking here.

Submitting a Complaint

For a complaint to be acted upon, it must be in writing and must have an original signature. A letter of complaint is most useful when it includes the information listed below. If you do not have all of the information or access to it, do not let this stop you from submitting the complaint.

Full name and, if possible, registration number of the registered nurse whose behaviour is unacceptable.
A detailed description of the unacceptable behaviour with examples of specific incidents that support the complaint. For each incident provide date, time, place, who was involved, names of other registered nurses, clients and others who have direct knowledge of the behaviour, what happened, how it affected client care, as well as specific standards, workplace policies, procedures or guidelines that have not been met.
Copies of documents supporting the complaint. This may include copies of incident reports, chart pages, narcotic records, performance appraisals or other reports of nursing performance, written statements from co-workers, other staff, clients or clients‘ relatives.
An outline of any action taken by the employer and others since the unacceptable behaviour was first noticed, and a description of the registered nurse’s responses to those actions.
The date the registered nurse started working for the employer and, if applicable, when the employment was terminated.

Complaints should be submitted to:

When a Complaint is Received

When YRNA receives a complaint, it may be dealt with through consensual resolution, or it may proceed through to a formal inquiry.

In the first process, YRNA negotiates directly with the nurse in question to determine appropriate action to address the concern. In the second process, the Association gathers evidence and holds a formal hearing before the Discipline Committee. This method is judicial in nature, similar to a court proceeding.

Both processes are designed to deal with complaints in a way that is effective and fair to all concerned, to carry out YRNA‘s responsibility to the public, and to maintain the integrity and standards of the profession. As far as is possible, YRNA will let you know about the outcomes of action related to the complaint you have submitted.

If you have questions regarding the procedures for submitting a complaint, contact YRNA at