Introduction
This practice standard outlines the responsibilities of
nurses who provide
regulatory supervision for
students, including
employed student licensees. Regulatory supervision is the process nurses use when students or employed student licensees 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) or are using
reserved titles, under the nurse's supervision.[1]
This practice standard is divided into two parts:
-
Part
1:
Regulatory
supervision
of
students
This part outlines the responsibilities nurses have when they provide regulatory supervision while the student is in the process of fulfilling the requirements of their BCCNM recognized
education program (or equivalent).[2]
-
Part 2: Regulatory supervision of employed student licensees
This part outlines the responsibilities NPs, RNs and RPNs have when they provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees in the course of their employment.
Standards
Part 1: Regulatory supervision of students
1.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students must have a practising or multijurisdictional licence in good standing with BCCNM.
|
2.
| Nurses are responsible and accountable for their decisions associated with providing regulatory supervision for students.
|
3.
| Nurses are responsible for the overall care of clients when students are performing activities for clients under regulatory supervision.
|
4.
| Nurses obtain consent from the client, when possible, about a student's involvement in their care.
|
5.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students do so in alignment with applicable policies and procedures of the educational institution and/or practice setting.
|
Determining student activities
|
6.
| Nurses may only provide regulatory supervision for student activities:
|
| | a.
| within the nurse's own scope of practice and individual competence, and
|
| | b.
| after determining that the student has attained sufficient knowledge, skills, ability and judgment through their BCCNM-recognized education program (or equivalent) to safely perform the activity under supervision.
|
Setting conditions for the performance of student activities |
7.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students set the conditions for the student to perform activities, considering:
|
| | a.
| the student's level of knowledge, skill, ability and judgment,
|
| b.
| the student's experiences and individual needs,
|
| c.
| the client's condition, needs, and consent,
|
| d.
| the complexity of the activities to be performed,
|
| e.
| potential and actual risks to the client,
|
| f.
| the level of supervision the student requires,
|
| g.
| the practice setting and work environment,
|
| h.
| the involvement of others in supervising or overseeing the activities,
|
| i.
| the plan to evaluate care, and
|
| j.
| applicable policies and procedures of the educational institution and/or practice setting.
|
8.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students:
|
| a.
| ensure there is an appropriate supervision plan for the student's activities given the conditions they set for the student to perform activities,
|
| b.
| at a minimum, ensure the student can readily access an appropriate regulated health professional for consultation and feedback while the student performs activities, and
|
| c.
| review and revise supervision plans on an ongoing basis.
|
9.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students may decide to involve another health professional in the supervision or oversight of student activities if the involvement of the other health professional supports the student to achieve the competencies of their BCCNM-recognized education program (or equivalent).
|
Communication
|
10.
| Nurses who provide regulatory supervision for students:
|
| a.
| communicate with the student, faculty, and/or other health professionals to ensure clear roles and responsibilities when more than one nurse or another health professional is involved in supervising or overseeing student activities,
|
| b. | guide the student on their professional responsibilities and help them address professional practice issues (e.g., racism, discrimination, boundaries with clients) in a timely and constructive manner,
|
| c.
| create an environment that prioritizes safety, supports the student to communicate client safety risks or incidents (e.g. human error, near misses, injury, racism, discrimination), assists the student to manage safety incidents, and ensures incidents are reported according to applicable policies and procedures of the practice setting and/or educational institution,
|
| d.
| ensure the student is made aware of relevant practice setting policies and procedures,
|
| e.
| ensure the student uses the appropriate title when:
|
| | i. communicating with the client and health care team, and
|
| | ii. documenting on the client record,
|
| f.
| communicate with students in a respectful manner and take action to create a safe learning environment, and
|
| g.
| seek opportunities to self-reflect, attain knowledge and take action to create culturally safe learning experiences for Indigenous students and safe health care experiences for clients in alignment with the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism practice standard.
|
Part 2: Regulatory supervision of employed student licensees
1.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees must have a practising or multijurisdictional licence in good standing with BCCNM.
|
2.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs are responsible and accountable for their decisions associated with providing regulatory supervision for employed student licensees.
|
3.
| Nurses are responsible for the overall care of clients when employed student licensees are performing activities for clients under a NP, RN or RPN's regulatory supervision.
|
4.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs obtain consent from the client, when possible, about an employed student licensee's involvement in their care.
|
5.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees must know the limits and conditions for employed student licensees outlined in the Employed student licensees practice standard.
|
Determining employed student licensee activities |
6.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs may only provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees:
|
| a.
| within the NP, RN or RPN's own scope of practice and individual competence, and
|
| | b.
| after determining that the employed student licensee has attained sufficient knowledge, skills, ability and judgment through their BCCNM-recognized education program (or equivalent) to safely perform the activity under supervision.
|
Setting conditions for the performance of employed student licensee activities |
7.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees set the conditions for the employed student licensee to perform activities, considering:
|
| | a.
| the employed student licensee's level of knowledge, skill, ability, and judgment,
|
| | b.
| the employed student licensee's experiences and individual needs,
|
| | c.
| the client's condition, needs, and consent,
|
| | d. | the complexity of the activities to be performed,
|
| e.
| potential and actual risks to the client,
|
| f.
| the level of supervision the employed student licensee requires,
|
| g.
| the practice setting and work environment,
|
| h.
| the involvement of others in supervising or overseeing the activities,
|
| i.
| the plan to evaluate care, and
|
| j.
| employer policies and procedures.
|
8.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees:
|
| a.
| ensure there is an appropriate supervision plan for the employed student licensee's activities given the conditions they set for the employed student licensee to perform activities,
|
| b.
| at a minimum, ensure a NP, RN or RPN is physically present and readily available to provide consultation and/or feedback in the practice setting, and
|
| c.
| review and revise supervision plans on an ongoing basis.
|
9.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees may decide to involve another health professional in the oversight of the employed student licensee's activities if the involvement of the other health professional supports the safe provision of care while the employed student licensee consolidates competencies attained through their BCCNM-recognized entry-level education program (or equivalent).
|
Communication |
10.
| NPs, RNs and RPNs who provide regulatory supervision for employed student licensees:
|
| a.
| communicate with the employed student licensee and other health professionals to ensure clear roles and responsibilities when more than one NP, RN or RPN or another health professional is involved in supervising or overseeing the employed student licensee's activities,
|
| b.
| guide the employed student licensee on their professional responsibilities and help them address professional practice issues (e.g., racism, discrimination, boundaries with clients) in a timely and constructive manner,
|
| c.
| create an environment that prioritizes safety, supports the employed student licensee to communicate client safety risks or incidents (e.g. human error, near misses, injury, racism, discrimination), assists the employed student licensee to manage safety incidents, and ensures incidents are reported according to employer policies and procedures,
|
| d. | ensure the employed student licensee is made aware of relevant employer policies and procedures,
|
| e.
| communicate with employed student licensees in a respectful manner and take action to create a safe learning environment, and
|
| f.
| seek opportunities to self-reflect, attain knowledge and take action to create culturally safe learning experiences for Indigenous employed student licensees and safe health care experiences for clients in alignment with the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism practice standard.
|
Glossary
Activities: refers to restricted activities or any other activity that is related to the care of clients that requires the professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment of a nurse.
Client: person(s) receiving health services.
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 this practice standard.[3]
Nurse: refers to licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses licenced with BCCNM.
Regulatory supervision: the process nurses use when students or employed student licensees are performing restricted activities, or any other activity that requires the professional knowledge, skills, ability and judgment of a nurse or are using reserved titles, under the nurse's supervision.[4]
Reserved title: titles that are reserved for the use of specified health professions by the regulations under the
Health Professions and Occupations Act, including the
Nurses and Midwives Regulation. Student nurses and student midwives may use reserved titles as authorized by Part 10 of the
BCCNM General Bylaws while acting under regulatory supervision in accordance with section 32 of the
Health Professions and Occupations Act.
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.
Student: a person enrolled in an entry-level, re-entry, refresher or bridging program recognized by BCCNM or another health profession regulatory college in BC.
[1] This includes supervision provided for activities under section 32(b)(i) of the
Health
Professions
and
Occupations
Act for an LPN student, RPN student, RN student, NP student or midwifery student while the student is performing an activity described in section 29 of the Act or using a title described in section 30 of the Act.
[2] Nurses are also expected to comply with Part 1 of this practice standard when they provide supervision for students enrolled in an education program recognized by another health profession regulatory college, in accordance with any bylaws of that other college that authorize nurses to provide supervision. For that purpose, a reference in Part 1 to a BCCNM-recognized education program is deemed to include the education program recognized by the other college.
[3] This does not limit the authority of an ESN or ESPN 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 in the
BCCNM General Bylaws, and Part 1 of this practice standard.
[4] Other regulated health professionals may also provide regulatory supervision for student nurses and student midwives while they are in the process of fulfilling the requirements of their education program, in accordance with any associated education program review policies and/or education institution policies and the BCCNM General Bylaws.
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.