The BCCNM board on Feb. 26, 2026, approved updates to nursing practice standards related to the supervision of students and employed student licensees to align with the
Nurses and Midwives Regulation (NMR) and
Regulated Health Practitioners Regulation (RHPR) under the
Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA).
These updates support a consistent, clear, and modern regulatory framework and will take effect on
April 1, 2026, when the new regulations come into force.
- What's changing
Following a comprehensive policy analysis and consultation process, BCCNM has
rescinded three existing practice standards and approved
two new, updated standards to improve clarity, consistency, and alignment with the HPOA:
Rescinded practice standards
-
Regulatory Supervision of Students
-
Nurse Practitioners Scope of Practice Part 2, A: Regulatory Supervision of Nurse Practitioner Student Restricted Activities
-
Employed Student Registrants
New practice standards
These new standards replace the previous framework and reflect changes to how student activities are authorized under the HPOA.
- Why these updates were made
Under section 32 of the HPOA, students—including employed student licensees—must be under the
supervision or direction of a class of licensee described in BCCNM bylaws to perform restricted activities or any other activity related to the care of clients that requires the professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment of a nurse.
The updated standards were developed to:
- align with section 32 of the HPOA and proposed General Bylaws for regulatory supervision;
- improve consistency, usability, and applicability across practice settings and emerging clinical placement models;
- reflect current evidence related to risk and student supervision;
- clarify responsibilities for nurses supervising students and for employed student licensees providing care under supervision; and
- ensure consistency with the new
Midwives: Regulatory Supervision of Students practice standard.
- About the new practice standards
Nurses: Regulatory Supervision of Students
This practice standard sets clear expectations for nurses who supervise students in clinical settings. It focuses on:
- general accountability for supervision,
- determining appropriate student activities,
- setting conditions for student practice, and
- clear, respectful communication.
Employed Student Licensees
This new practice standard outlines expectations for employed student licensees and is complementary to the Nurses: Regulatory Supervision of Students practice standard which outlines the expectations for NPs, RN, RPNs providing regulatory supervision for employed student licensees. Both standards are principles‑based and designed to support safe, high‑quality care while enabling flexibility for interprofessional and team‑based clinical placements.
- Cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti‑racism
- These concepts are embedded throughout both practice standards. The standards emphasize:
- respectful communication,
- timely and constructive management of professional practice issues,
- reporting racism and discrimination, and
- creating culturally safe learning environments and client experiences.
Each standard directly references BCCNM's
Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti‑Racism practice standard to reinforce expectations for reflection, learning, and action.
Questions?