Who We Are

The College for Licensed Practical Nurses was appointed by the government in 1980 and incorporated under the Nursing Assistants’ Act in 1984 (now the Licensed Practical Nurses’ Act).  As a regulatory body, College’s primary role is to promote protection of the public and give credibility to the Licensed Practical Nurse practitioner as a professional. The College has the legislative mandate to: 

Ø      Set education, practice and licensure standards in the province;

Ø      Approve and evaluate Practical Nursing Programs;

Ø      Define and interpret Practical Nursing education and practices;

Ø      Conduct disciplinary procedures;

Ø      Monitor Practical Nurse human resource needs.

 The College’s Board consists of ten members and includes representation from:

Ø      Licensed Practical Nurses (5);

Ø      Department of Health and Community Services;

Ø      Department of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education;

Ø      Newfoundland and Labrador Health Boards Association,

Ø      Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador, and

Ø      A consumer who also serves as chairperson.

Our Mission, Vision and Values

Mission

The College for Licensed Practical Nurses protects the public through the promotion and delivery of efficient, ethical nursing care through the regulation of LPN practice and sets the strategic direction for the organization.

Vision

To foster a professional environment where Licensed Practical Nurses are valued team members in achieving excellence in the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

Values

We believe:                           

Ø      LPNs are professional practitioners who provide quality health care to individuals, families and communities.

Ø      Compassion and caring are the foundation of LPN practice.

Ø      LPNs must demonstrate accountability for their own professional actions.

Ø      LPNs have an individual responsibility for lifelong learning aimed at building and maintaining professional competencies.

Ø      Partnerships with key stakeholders are essential to enhancing the Licensed Practical Nurse profession.

Current State

College believes that Licensed Practical Nurses can and should play a substantial role within our health care system.  From the beginning, College has worked closely with health care partners and decision makers to create practice environments where LPN’s can fully utilize their competencies and positively contribute to the nursing skill mix available within the health services delivery system.  We have seen tremendous progress, both in shaping the Practical Nursing education and in the emergence of pilot projects and other initiatives aimed at collaborative practice environments where LPNs can fully utilize their competencies and full scope of practice.

While College is encouraged by the growing recognition of the Practical Nurse profession and the recent changes in the educational preparation of Practical Nurses, much work lies ahead.

 Challenges and Opportunities

The Department of Health and Community Services has recently released its Strategic Health Plan.  This landmark document has already paved the way for significant health services reform.  LPNs have an opportunity to participate in the reformed primary health care teams and health promotion.   

To be recognized as important members of the heath care team, LPNs must ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and competencies, taking advantage of continuing education programs aimed at preparing them for their full scope of practice.  At the same time, College must remain vigilant in promoting the LPNs’ professional role to health providers and to the public.

College is fortunate to be in a fiscally sound position, to have a strong volunteer base, and to be supported by highly capable and dedicated staff that play a significant role in advancing the LPN profession. However, there are current and emerging challenges, are described below and which are the genesis of the directions identified in this Strategic Plan.

Ø    Aging Membership – The LPN workforce in this province is comprised of approximately 2900 individuals.  The total number of LPNs has slowly increased over the past 12 years by 13 percent.  During the last 12 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of LPNs aged 45 years and older representing 42.1 percent of the LPN population.  Annual LPN retirements are expected to increase from 54 in 2003 to 106 in 2007.

Ø     Lack of Permanent Positions – There has been a steady increase in the casual and temporary workforce, fluctuating from 26.4 percent in 1988 to approximately 36.8 percent in 2003.

Ø     Mandatory and Continuing Competency Program – Assessing continuing competence is a reality of today’s professional regulatory authorities.  Mandatory and continuing competency programs are founded on continuous quality improvement principles and are directed at promoting good nursing practice.  College’s interest in the development of a formal continuing competency program is based on the premise that the competence of LPNs needs to be monitored on an ongoing basis to fulfill our public protection mandate.

Ø     Professional Accountability – In accordance with the Licensed Practical Nurses Act, the College has the legislative responsibility for regulating the practice of LPNs in the province.  With the increase of public awareness of the profession and greater expectations for quality care, College is challenged with meeting these demands with limited human resources.

Ø     Underutilization of Scope of Practice – For many years, employers have underutilized LPNs in this province.  Addressing this issue remains a continuing priority and challenge for College.   

Ø     Strengthen College’s Link with Key Stakeholders – To respond to the myriad of challenges facing College, it is imperative that we establish and maintain positive links with key stakeholders.  This is based upon our recognition that useful, significant and lasting change requires collaborative approaches with our partners and stakeholders.

Strategic Direction 1

Build a stronger, more positive professional image of LPNs.

The Planning Imperative

The direction of health care is changing.  Now that there is a clear path established in the province’s Strategic Health Plan, we believe it is imperative that LPNs meaningfully participate in our evolving health system.  This will require greater understanding of LPN roles, responsibilities capabilities and competencies.  The aim of this strategic direction is to reaffirm the LPN’s role in the health care system. 

Goals

Ø      To be an active participant in the implementation of the province’s Strategic Health Plan.

Ø      To develop opportunities in geographical regions whereby LPNs can receive peer support, coaching and mentoring.

Ø      To devise and deliver an annual campaign to promote the role of LPNs.

Ø      To revise and widely circulate the Scope of Practice and Standards of Practice document.

Ø      To maintain and enhance current partnerships with key stakeholders.

Strategic Direction 2

To support an environment where LPNs practice to their maximum professional capacity as it relates to the CLPNNL’s Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice and Competencies document.

The Planning Imperative

It is imperative that LPNs perform to their full scope of practice.  The extent to which this is possible is dependent on the competency of the individual and employer’s knowledge as to the professional capacities of their employees.  LPNs are an untapped resource both provincially and nationally.  Therefore, it is essential that College have the necessary supports in place to ensure LPNs are available and educated to meet the needs of the health care system.

Goals

Ø      By 2003, develop a program that builds on the Learning Circles Project.

Ø    To ensure that within the implementation of the Provincial Strategic Health Plan, LPNs are provided with the opportunity to work to their maximum professional capacity.

Strategic Direction 3

To ensure the organizational structure is responsive to the growing needs of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses.

The Planning Imperative

The work of the College is conducted primarily through the office of the CLPNNL.  As the direction of Health care changes, the functions of the office of the CLPNNL must adapt.  To meet the challenges of these demands, College must ensure it has the necessary human resources and organizational structure. 

Goals

Ø      By April 2003, review and revise where necessary, the Colleges organizational structure to ensure it supports the goals of the CLPNNL.

Ø     Ensure sufficient professional human resources to support the office of the CLPNNL aimed at achieving the goals of this strategic plan.

Ø      To develop a five year funding model to support the current and future activities of the CLPNNL.

Strategic Direction 4

Strengthen efforts to support LPNs in achieving the educational qualifications that comply with the CLPNNL’s Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice and Competencies 2003 documents.

The Planning Imperative 

The College for Licensed Practical Nurses has identified the scope of practice and competencies for LPNs.  This scope of practice and competencies reflects the profession’s commitment to excellence.  Consequently, life long learning is essential to maintaining the scope of practice and competencies of LPNs in the province.  The College for Licensed Practical Nurses supports this mutual relationship as indicated by the following goals.

Goals

Ø      To engage education providers in designing, offering and delivering required educational programs on a timely and cost effective basis.

Ø      To immediately inform and engage, on an ongoing basis, key stakeholders regarding the rationale for this strategic initiative.

Ø      To develop communication tools and other mechanisms that informs and supports LPNs in attaining this strategic initiative.

Strategic Direction 5

To create a process to promote, maintain and Ensure LPN competencies.

The Planning Imperative

The creation of this process is necessary for College as a regulatory body to demonstrate it’s accountability to the public, to promote safe, ethical and competent care by LPNs throughout their careers.  College must ensure the public can be confident that practitioners, who demonstrated competence when they earned their licenses, continue to be competent, years and decades after they have been in practice.

Goals

Ø     To promote to LPNs and key stakeholders, the concept of maintaining competencies.

Ø     To design, develop, and implement a process to assess competencies.

Ø     To design, develop, and implement procedures to enable LPNs to maintain their competencies.

Ø      To design, develop and implement a competency assurance program.