Introduction
This practice standard applies to
employed student licensees (ESNs and ESPNs) when they are performing restricted
activities or any other activity related to the care of
clients that requires the professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment of a
nurse (together referred to as activities in this standard), in the course of their employment, under the
regulatory supervision of a practising NP or a practising or multijurisdictional RN or RPN in accordance with the
Nurses: Regulatory Supervision of Students practice standard.[1]
Standards
1.
| As BCCNM licensees, employed student licensees follow all applicable BCCNM ethics and practice standards that set out requirements for RNs (ESNs) or RPNs (ESPNs).
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2.
| Employed student licensees are responsible and accountable for the care they provide to clients.
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3.
| Employed student licensees take action to ensure they are permitted to perform activities in the course of their employment by:
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| | a.
| knowing which practising NP or practising or multijurisdictional RN or RPN is responsible for the regulatory supervision of their practice,
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| | b.
| confirming that an NP, RN or RPN is physically present and readily available in the practice setting,
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| | c. | knowing the policies and procedures of the practice setting including the process for obtaining consultation and/or feedback,
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| | d.
| communicating the competencies attained through their BCCNM-recognized education program to the NP, RN or RPN providing regulatory supervision and the nurses they are working with, and
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| | e. | performing only those activities for which they have attained sufficient knowledge, skill, ability and judgment through their BCCNM-recognized education program and have been permitted to perform by the NP, RN, RPN providing regulatory supervision.
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4.
| Employed student licensees engage in self-reflection and seek feedback on their practice. |
5.
| Employed student licensees ensure they seek opportunities to self-reflect, attain knowledge, take action and create safe health care experiences in alignment with the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism practice standard (e.g. by completing BCCNM's From Awareness to Action: Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-Racism learning series).
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6.
| Employed student licensees follow all applicable employer policies including reporting of client safety risks and/or incidents (e.g. human error, near misses, injury, racism, discrimination).
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7.
| Employed student licensees use the appropriate title permitted by BCCNM's bylaws, and communicate to clients, team members, and others that they are employed student nurses or employed student psychiatric nurses and that they are practising under the regulatory supervision of an NP, RN, or RPN.
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Limits & conditions
2.
| Employed student licensees do not independently supervise, oversee or direct others.
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3.
| Employed student licensees:
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| | a.
| do not accept verbal/telephone client-specific orders from a regulated health professional (including nurses), and
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| | b.
| only act on new client-specific orders after review by a nurse responsible for the client.
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Glossary
Activities: refers to restricted activities and any other activity related to the care of clients that requires the professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment of a nurse.
Client: person(s) receiving health services.
Client-specific order: an instruction or authorization given by a regulated health professional for a nurse to provide care for a specific client, whether or not the care or service includes a
restricted activity or a non-restricted activity.
Education program: a program or course of academic or technical education offered as qualifying its graduates to meet a condition or requirement established in the BCCNM General Bylaws for licensure with BCCNM to practise one or more of the designated health professions of practical nursing, psychiatric nursing, nursing, or midwifery
Education programs include:
a. an entry-level education program that prepares graduates for initial licensure with BCCNM as a licensed practical nurse, nurse practitioner, registered midwife, registered nurse, or registered psychiatric nurse; or
b. a re-entry, refresher program, or bridging program that prepares its graduates to meet BCCNM eligibility standards.
Equivalent programs include entry-level, re-entry, refresher or bridging programs from other provinces or territories in Canada, approved by that province or territory's regulator.
Employed student licensee: refers to students who are employed in a health care setting as an employed student nurse or an employed student psychiatric nurse and hold employed student licensure with BCCNM, in accordance with the BCCNM General Bylaws. They may only perform activities in the course of their employment when supervised by a practising NP or a practising or multijurisdictional RN or RPN who has accepted the responsibility for regulatory supervision in accordance with Part 2 of the Nurse: Regulatory Supervision of Students practice standard.[2]
Nurse: refers to licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses licensed with BCCNM.
Regulatory supervision: the process nurses use when students or employed student licensees are performing restricted activities or any other activity that requires professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment or use reserved titles, under the nurse's supervision.
Restricted activity: an activity that is performed in the course of providing a health service and is prescribed by the regulations under the
Health Professions and Occupations Act as a restricted activity.
[1] Licensed practical nurses are not authorized by BCCNM's bylaws to provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees in the course of their employment but may be involved in overseeing care provided by an employed student licensee who is under the regulatory supervision of an NP, RN or RPN.
[2] This does not limit the authority of an ESN or ESPN to perform to perform activities while in the process of fulfilling the requirements of their BCCNM-recognized education program, in the same manner as any other student acting under regulatory supervision as contemplated by section 32 of the Health Professions and Occupations Act, Part 10 of the BCCNM General Bylaws, and Part 1 of the Nurses: Regulatory supervision of students practice standard.
Revision history
Approved by board: March 1, 2026 | Bylaw in-force: April 1, 2026
Effective April 1, 2026, this ethics standard, and any amendments to it, is made a bylaw under the authority of the
Health Professions and Occupations Act, B.C.