Recruitment

Join a college committee

The college exists to protect the public, ensuring that British Columbians can have unshakeable confidence in nurses and midwives.

Our committees, where members of the public and college registrants make collaborative decisions that impact nursing and midwifery care, are critically important to this work.

Every British Columbian has a right to receive safe, ethical care from their nurse or midwife, regardless of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, and age.

Diversity

To better understand the needs and diversity of British Columbians accessing nursing or midwifery care, we recognize the importance of having different voices and perspectives on our committees. The decision-making is enriched by committee members with diverse life experience. We are always accepting applications via our expressions of interest form from members of the public or nurses and midwives interested in joining our committees.

We especially encourage applications from Indigenous people; members from racialized and marginalized groups; individuals identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+; and individuals with lived experience of physical, cognitive or mental health conditions, or their caregivers.

We accept applications throughout the year, although mid-year appointments are only made if vacancies arise. Our annual recruitment process runs from midsummer to September. Applications received during this period are considered for terms beginning in February the following year. If you would like to be considered, please apply by completing our expression of interest form. 

If you have read through this information but are uncertain as to whether you should apply, we would encourage you to submit an expression of interest. BCCNM is actively seeking to minimize barriers to participation: we are willing to support and train individuals who demonstrate an earnest, legitimate, and ongoing commitment to acquire the experience and knowledge necessary to make them effective committee members.

FAQs

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't see the information you're looking for, contact governance@bccnm.ca ​

Why join a college committee?

British Columbian’s nurses and midwives provide health care services that impact every stage of our lives: we trust them to care for us and our families when we are at our most vulnerable.

Joining a committee can provide you with personal and professional benefits that include opportunities to:

• Be part of innovative changes in health care
• Serve British Columbians who rely on nurses and midwives
• Gain governance, collaborative decision-making experience
• Access valuable professional development
• Bring your professional and personal knowledge and experience to the regulatory process
• Be valued for your contributions
• Be supported to succeed

What is the role of the BCCNM committees?

As BCCNM’s governing body, the board is responsible for the direction, leadership, and strategy of the college.

The work of the board is supported by various committees: “regulatory committees” that oversee the core regulatory functions of the college, such as discipline or professional practice and standards; and “board support committees” that assist the board with specific aspects of its oversight responsibilities. Learn more.

What exactly do committees do?

• Each committee has a different function. For example, the Education Program Review (EPR) Committee evaluates the integrity of BC nursing and midwifery education programs and qualifying courses and provides information to BCCNM’s board for consideration in recognizing a nursing or midwifery education program.
• On each committee, members review briefing and background materials provided by college staff before meeting to discuss committee business and make collaborative decisions.
• Depending on the committee and the business to be discussed, meetings may include all members or a panel (small group) of members.
• The frequency and format of meetings varies depending on the committee and the business being discussed.

What kind of person are you looking for?

• College committees consist of members of the public and college registrants (nurses and midwives).
• For public committee members, the college is seeking a diverse range of individuals with significant professional and/or lived experience who can bring their expertise and perspectives to regulatory governance work.
• The college is seeking established and emerging leaders from a variety of sectors and communities who wish to contribute, or build, experience and leadership in governance, professional regulation, and collaborative decision-making.
• We especially encourage applications (expressions of interest) from Indigenous people; racialized individuals; individuals identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+ and individuals with lived experience of physical, cognitive or mental health conditions or their caregivers.
• Any British Columbian adult who is not a BCCNM registrant or former registrant can apply for a public member position on a committee.

Why the focus on diversity?

• Every British Columbian has a right to receive safe, ethical care from their nurse or midwife, regardless of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, and age.
• For our committees to understand the needs and diversity of the patients and clients accessing nursing or midwifery care, we need to bring a range of different voices and perspectives into committee membership and decision-making.

What type of qualifications/experience/skills do I need to join a committee?

A “committee composition matrix” document is posted for each committee. These documents provide an overview of the experience, competencies and attributes needed for membership.

How will joining a committee help me in my professional, community or volunteer work?

Joining a BCCNM committee can provide you with personal and professional benefits that include the opportunity to:

• Be part of innovative changes in health care
  • influence changes in practices and within the health care system
  • help BCCNM build understanding of different and relevant perspectives on nursing and midwifery
  • be part of BCCNM’s leadership work to embed cultural safety and humility and Indigenous perspectives across its governance and operations
• Serve British Columbians who rely on nurses and midwives
  • get involved in BCCNM’s ongoing work to ensure that nurses and midwives are trained, credible and ready to support British Columbians at their most vulnerable
• Access valuable professional development
  • benefit from learning opportunities and other supports that will help you to fully participate in collaborative decision-making
  • learn new skills or develop leadership experience that can be used in your work environment or community service, such as: working collaboratively with a group of people, decision making skills, consensus-building, applying and interpreting policy
  • work with and learn from diverse group of BCCNM registrants and public committee members that share your interest in safe, ethical nursing and midwifery practice
  • gain a deeper knowledge professional regulation
• Bring your professional and personal knowledge and experience to the regulatory process
  • use your professional and personal experience to be part of decision-making that influences nursing and midwifery care
• Be valued for your contributions
  • the college’s recognition for your work will include public acknowledgement of your committee membership and financial compensation for meetings.
• Be supported to succeed
  • a community of practice that is being created to help new, diverse committee members connect and support each other
  • new committee members will be supported by ongoing mentorship and BCCNM’s commitment to inclusive governance
  • our committee chairs and vice-chairs are committed to ensuring that everyone is heard and supporting inclusive governance

Will I receive education/support to help me be successful in my committee role?

Yes!  Your role will give you access to valuable professional development, including the opportunity to:

• benefit from learning opportunities and other supports that will help you to fully participate in collaborative decision-making
• learn new skills or develop leadership experience that can be used in your work environment or community service, such as: working collaboratively with a group of people, decision making skills, consensus-building, applying and interpreting policy
• work with and learn from diverse group of BCCNM registrants and public committee members that share your interest in safe, ethical nursing and midwifery practice
• gain a deeper knowledge professional regulation

What is the monthly time commitment involved in committee work?

This depends on the committee. However, committee work requires time for preparation and learning activities as well as time spent in meetings.

How long are committee appointment terms?

In general, terms range from one to three years. The college considers the needs of the committee and the interest of candidates for appointment when determining an appropriate length of term. A person can serve on a committee for up to six consecutive years. It is also important to note that the college manages appointments so that committees have a mix of experienced and newer members.

How often are meetings held?

• There is no set schedule that applies to all committees.
• Please review the information about the committee(s) that interests you.

Do I need to live within the Lower Mainland to join a college committee?

No. We encourage membership from across B.C.

The meeting formats vary and, depending on the nature of the committee work, committee members may be able to join meetings via tele or video conference. For in person meetings, travel costs are covered.

Will my expenses be covered/will I get paid?

The college recognizes the time that members spend on committee work. In line with college policy, there is an hourly rate for preparation/meeting time and specific expenses (e.g., travel costs for in person meetings) are covered.

How can I find out more?

The committee page on the BCCNM website has information about all the regulatory and board support committees.

A “committee composition matrix” document is posted for each committee. These documents provide an overview of the experience, competencies and attributes needed for membership of this committee.

If you have any questions, please email governance@bccnm.ca.

What is the application process?

• To be considered for appointment to a BCCNM committee, please complete our expressi​on of interest form​.
  
• We accept applications throughout the year, although mid-year appointments are only made if vacancies arise. Our annual recruitment process runs from midsummer to September. Applications received during this period are considered for terms beginning in February the following year.
• Applications are reviewed by the governance team and the governance committee as they work with the various committees to align lived and/or professional experiences, perspectives, skills, and interests to identified opportunities on the committees.  The Governance Committee provides recommendations to the board for final decision at the January board meeting.​
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