Nurse Practitioners

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NURSE PRACTITIONER REGULATION FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION PLAN PROJECT (NPR-FIPP)

The Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework Implementation Plan Project (NPR-FIPP) is a multi-year, multi-faceted initiative commissioned by the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators (CCRNR). The NPR-FIPP builds on previous work with a goal to implement the recommendations endorsed by CCRNR regarding six basic elements of a Model for Nurse Practitioner Regulation in Canada. Additional details about the recommendations and their development are posted to the project page.

Click here to find out more about the project and download newsletters or to subscribe to receive those directly.

Project Update #13 Now Available

NURSE PRACTITIONERS ENTRY-LEVEL COMPETENCIES

A key priority of the NPR-FIPP project was to revise the NP entry-level competencies to drive future NP entry-level education. The revision process was initiated in January 2021 and was carried out by a five-person Education Sub-Committee. From March to July 2022, a multi-pronged consultation strategy was implemented. After a rigorous process, the proposed NP entry-level competencies was forwarded to nursing regulatory bodies across Canada for review, approval and implementation within their own jurisdictions. All jurisdictions have now approved the competencies.

The national version of the NP Entry-Level Competencies are available here: English / French

Click on the following links to read the NP Entry-Level Competencies Development Report: English / French

NURSE PRACTITIONER PRACTICE ANALYSIS - 2024

CCRNR completed a nurse practitioner practice analysis in 2015 to serve as the foundation for the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Examination: Family/All Ages (CNPE F/AA). Since then, several changes have occurred from a practice and a regulatory perspective, most notably the Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework Implementation Project Plan (NPR-FIPP) -- a transition to a nurse practitioner regulatory model where, at entry to practice, nurse practitioners (NPs) will have the foundational knowledge, skills, and judgement to provide client care across practice settings and client populations.

To this end, a new practice analysis was completed in August 2024 as a first step to developing a new national entry-level NP exam. The practice analysis was facilitated by Meazure Learning (formerly known as Yardstick), with oversight provided by the Steering Committee of the NPR-FIPP, which is made up of regulatory body representatives from Canadian jurisdictions and reports to the CCRNR Board of Directors.

The 2024 Nurse Practitioner Practice Analysis Summary is now available (English | French)
The 2024 Nurse Practitioner Practice Analysis Report is now available (English | French)

PRACTICE ANALYSIS STUDY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS - 2015

In 2015, the CCRNR embarked on a project to analyze NP practice across Canada in three practice streams (Adult, Family/All Ages, and Pediatrics) in support of a national approach for nurse practitioner (NP) licensure/registration/certification. This study identified behavioural indicators common to all practice streams and set the stage for moving towards common entry-level competencies in each jurisdiction while providing a unique and timely opportunity to explore the development of a vision for NP regulation across the country. The ongoing NP Regulatory Framework Implementation Plan Project (NPR-FIPP) builds on this practice analysis work.

Please click on the links below for more information.