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Telepractice and Virtual Care

Dec. 2020

What is Telepractice and Virtual Care?

According to the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS), telepractice is the delivery, management, and coordination of care and services provided via information and telecommunication technologies such as telephones, personal digital assistants, faxes, the internet, video and audio conferencing, and other devices. It is also known as virtual care, telemedicine, telehealth, or other forms of communication that are not in person.

Providing Telepractice

Any professional health services, including telepractice, provided by an RN or NP on a temporary or permanent basis, to a person in Alberta, is required to be registered and have an active practice permit with the CRNA.

If a client requires care while they are located outside of Alberta and would like to receive services by the CRNA registrant through telepractice, the registrant must contact the jurisdiction where the client is located to determine if this is possible and what is required for them to do so. We also advise registrants to contact the Canadian Nurses Protective Society to understand their liability protection when providing nursing services to a client in another jurisdiction.

Alberta’s Health Professions Act (HPA) outlines the requirement to be registered to provide professional services, performing restricted activities, and the use of protected titles. 


Information

CRNA

Practice Standards for Registrants

Professional Boundaries: Guidelines for the Nurse-Client Relationship

Restricted Activities Standards

Scope of Practice for Registered Nurses