Sept. 26, 2024
The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) held its quarterly Council meeting on Sept. 20, 2024. The recording and highlights are now available.
The following items were approved by Council as part of the consent agenda:
These additional items were provided to Council for information:
Discretion, Proportionality and Compassion in Nursing Regulation: Adopting a New Philosophy and Approach
The CRNA's CEO and Registrar, Joy Peacock, presented on the plan for sharing the CRNA Regulatory Spectrum, which introduces a culture shift in decision-making, ensuring compliance with legislation while emphasizing discretion, compassion and proactive responses. It highlights the need for collaboration within the health care ecosystem and considers broader contextual forces.
Modernization of Standards of Practice
Council approved the new CRNA Standards Framework. This framework aligns with the other regulatory frameworks that have been approved by Council and supports the modernization of the Standards of Practice to ensure that they set out clear expectations, and are concise, easy to understand, culturally informed, enforceable and accessible to the public.
Nursing Education Program Approval (NEPA) Standards
Council approved the withdraw of the Nursing Education Program Approval Standards and replaced them with the document Nursing Education Program Approval Requirements: Standards and Criteria. In alignment with Right-touch relational regulation, this update clarifies that the NEPA requirements are not a standard of practice that registrants are held to, and rather criteria for educational institutes. There are no significant changes to the NEPA requirements themselves.
Updates were provided to Council on three initiatives related to NPs in Alberta:
Generalist NP Approach
The CRNA continues to collaborate with post-secondary institutes on the development of generalist entry-to-practice NP programs and an exam. It is expected that the generalist NP exam will be available for use in 2026.
Neonatal NP Exam
The CRNA continues to support the neonatal NP role in Alberta and is working with partners to explore the development of an Alberta-hosted neonatal NP exam.
NPs in Primary Health Care
The CRNA continues to work closely with partner organization in support of the Government of Alberta's Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program (NPPCP). Frequently asked questions related to the NPPCP are routinely shared on the CRNA website, and work is underway to develop standards of practice to support this program and NPs.
Governance Committee Appointments
Council approved the appointment of Councillor Khan to the Nominating Committee for a three-year term, effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2027.
Council approved the appointment of Councillor Eyford as Leadership Review and Governance Committee chair for a one-year term effective Oct. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2026, or until such time as Councillor Armstrong's term on Council ends.
Council also approved the appointments of Councillor Brittain and Councillor Remu to the Leadership Review and Governance Committee for three-year terms effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2027, and extended the terms of Councillor Eyford, Councillor Obiefuna and Councillor Ewasechko by one year, ending on Sept. 30, 2026.
Regulatory Committee Appointments
Council approved the appointments of Councillor Brittain, Councillor Roskey and Councillor Obiefuna to the Appeals Committee for three-year terms, effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2027.
Council approved the appointment of Maggie Danko as Chair of the Registration Committee for a two-year term, effective from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2026.
Council approved the extension of Kristine Smith's term as the Chair of the Registration Review Committee, expiring on Sept. 30, 2026.
Additionally, Council approved the Regulatory Committee Chair Procedure and the Regulatory Chair Competencies and Attributes Profile as part of ongoing work related to competency-based appointments.
Standing Committee Appointments
Council approved the extension of Councillor Garner's term on the Pension Compliance Committee for six months, to March 31, 2025.
Succession Planning Report
The Nominating Committee brought forward for information the Succession Planning Report, which recommends the creation of a vice chair role for Council, formalizing incoming chair positions for governance committees, and the development of a process to identify prospective leaders within Council and support their development.
Council Support Program
The LRGC chair provided an update on the Council Support Program Work Plan. The plan includes four streams: Council and committee enablement, governance processes, leveraging technology, and governance team enablement, all intended to support the functions of Council and the CRNA staff that support them.
Annual Plan for Financial Year 2025 (2024-25)
Council approved the Annual Plan for Financial Year 2025, which has a focus on business transformation and innovation to adapt to the ever-changing regulatory and economic environment that the CRNA operates in. This plan, which aligns with the CRNA Strategic Direction: 2021-2026, emphasizes continuous improvement and optimization of resources to support the CRNA's mandate of protecting the public.
Operational Budget and Capital & Intangible Assets Budget for 2024-2025
Council approved the 2024-2025 Operating Budget and 2024-2025 Capital & Intangible Assets Budget. These budgets were developed based on the principles of priority-based budgeting to ensure the prudent resourcing of initiatives that will add value through competency, efficiency, effectiveness and transformation to the CRNA. The budgets prioritize key business needs, optimizing resources, and the development and maintenance of the infrastructure, information and technological needs required for achieving regulatory excellence.
Council Performance Measurement Scorecard
Council approved the Council Performance Measurement Scorecard as part of the ongoing work in the Performance Measurement Program. The scorecard clearly outlines Council's priorities and the intended outcomes and targets for each. Measurements will be compiled and reported on quarterly.
Council bid farewell to two members: Nicole Letourneau and Suzanna Carl. Their service to Council and their support has been integral through the CRNA's transformations and initiatives.
Council also welcomed two new members: Sarah Scahill and Jordana Schmitz. They both bring skillsets that will be assets to Council.