15 Nov RN Exam – CHNC Call to Action!
Urgent: Lack of Community Health Nursing Content in New Registration Exam Threatens Full Scope of Practice
Act now! Let the representatives of your provincial/territorial regulating body know that you want the registration exam to include the full scope of nursing practice.
Beginning in Jan 2015, new graduates in most provinces and territories will be writing a registration exam based on the American NCLEX-RN exam. Most of the provincial and territorial nursing registration regulators, such as the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia and College of Nurses of Ontario, have now signed a contract with the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing to provide a new registration exam. The NCLEX-RN exam is for the 2-year Associate Degree and 3-4 year Baccalaureate Degree graduates in the U.S.
A review of the present NCLEX-RN revealed a lack of Canadian and community health nursing concepts and content such as communities and populations, and the social determinants of health, social justice, primary health care, policy, teamwork and collaboration. Without this important Canadian content in the new NCLEX exam, the curriculum and scope of practice will be eroded. Canadian baccalaureate programs will not feel required to provide the content and experiences to develop the higher level of skills needed to work in systems and understand the broad social and environmental determinants of health.
These higher level skills of collaboration, negotiation, and advocacy are exactly those recommended in government reports and are central to the ongoing work of the Community Health Nurses of Canada (CHNC). CHNC has worked with the Public Health Agency of Canada and CNA to establish standards, competencies, and certification so that nurses working in the community will have the knowledge and skills to make a difference in the health of Canadians. If this erosion of practice occurs, all Canadians will pay the cost. Speak out.
What has the Community Health Nurses of Canada (CHNC) done?
- We have identified the issue and consulted with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing and Canadian Nurses Association to determine the best course of action.
- We have prepared and sent a detailed letter with our concerns to the executive of the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators and each provincial/territorial regulator. Click here for letter.
What can YOU do?