Standards of Practice: Why Are They So Important?

Have you ever wondered why standards of practice are so important? While the answer might seem obvious, the importance of standards of practice is worth a closer look.

Standards of practice are necessary to establish legal and professional expectations and accountability in nursing. Nurses follow standards of practice in their clinical decisions and actions. Standards of practice help nurses maintain their individual competence and currency in practice over the course of their careers. As a framework for professional practice, standards of practice promote safe, competent, and ethical care to support the best possible outcome and minimize the risk of harm to patients.

The Canadian Council for Practical Nurse Regulators (CCPNR) is a national federation of provincial and territorial regulators of Licensed/Registered Practical Nurses. In 2020, CCPNR collaborated to update the practical nursing profession’s Standards of Practice.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) has adopted the 2020 CCPNR Standards of Practice to guide the practice expectations and accountabilities for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) practicing in Alberta. LPNs have the professional responsibility to become familiar with these standards and the related principles as they are accountable to meet them in practice.

So, why are standards of practice so important?

Standards of practice provide the benchmarks against which the CLPNA assesses Alberta LPNs. There are four standards all LPNs should be aware of. These include professional accountability and responsibility, evidence informed practice, public protection through self-regulation, and professional and ethical practice. Each standard has several indicators that provide more detail as to how the LPN is expected to meet that standard. These standards provide the foundation to support quality LPN practice.

Be in the know! As an LPN, your practice and the quality of care you provide depends on it!

The 2020 CCPNR Standards of Practice and the accompanying Glossary of Terms are available on the CLPNA website.

Questions? Contact the CLPNA Practice Team at practice@clpna.com, 780-484-8886 or 1-800-661-5877 (toll-free in Alberta).