Ask Practice features questions and answers about a variety of practice-related issues that nurses may face over the course of their careers. The questions come from actual nurses and the answers are written by the College's Practice Consultants/Liaisons.

Ask Practice is updated on a regular basis, so come back often to see what new questions have been added to the list.

Do you have a practice-related question that isn’t addressed here?

Contact a College Practice Liaison through our Practice Support Line. Available to all College members, the Practice Support Line is open from 0830 to 1700 hrs, Monday to Friday. Call 416 928-0900 ext. 6397 (toll-free in Ontario 1 800 387-5526). You can also email your question at any time to ppd@cnomail.org.

Accountability

Abandoning clients

Authority to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs)

Communicating a diagnosis

Initiating a packing dressing

Sleeping during shift breaks

Risking fatigue by working long hours

Working with temporary registrants

Confidentiality and Privacy

Police access to health information

Mandatory reporting of gunshot wounds

Occupational Health Nurses (OHNs) and confidentiality

Discussing clients with colleagues online  

Consent

Obtaining informed consent 

Controlled Acts

Performing laser therapy

Portable bladder ultrasound scanning  

Practising Psychotherapy

Documentation

Ensuring validity of electronic signatures

Employment Issues

Discrimination against male nurses

Name tag identification

Seeking the College's advice

Workplace environments supporting RPN practice

Ethical Issues

Communicating with clients online

Selling products to clients

Providing newborns with unrequested supplements

Independent Practice

Record keeping - documentation

Record keeping - retention

Fees

Products and Medication

Medication

Administering medication ordered by an optometrist

Administering methadone

Dealing with drug shortage issues

Medical directives dealing with narcotics

RPNs administering sedation 

Roles of RN/RPNs/NPs

RPNs in triage

RPNs initiating wound care

RPNs maintaining IV infusion pumps, administering fluids, medications and blood products

RPNs accepting telephone orders

RPNs as circulating nurses

RPNs conducting admission assessments

RPNs practising in a doctor's office

Unregulated Care Providers

Working with physician assistants

Teaching a personal support worker to administer injections

Working as a camp nurse