Professional Organizations & Government
British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals
The BCCNP is the regulatory body, empowered by the provincial government’s Health Professions Act (1996), that ensures public safety in healthcare by requiring that all nurses meet minimum qualifications in order to hold a nursing licence and be employed in BC. The college is involved with certification of nursing education programs and collaborates with other professional bodies in healthcare to promote collaboration in all aspects of healthcare. The BCCNP requires that all nurses complete an annual self audit to ensure that the nurse can provide competent and ethical care, within their scope of practice, prior to the renewal of their nursing licence each year. The college is also responsible for investigating complaints and any associated disciplinary procedures. BCCNP also provides resources to nurses and clearly explains the competencies expected of them. Tools for completion on annual self audits, learning plan templates, and educational resources are available on their website.
Professional Institute of the Public Service Canada
Upon accepting my current position with Corrections Service Canada, I became a public servant or Government of Canada employee, and a member another professional body: PIPSC. The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada is the largest union in Canada. Like most unions, PIPSC bargains collective agreements, provides stewards to support staff involved in grievances or legal issues related to their work, and generally supports its members rights in the workplace.
Correctional Service of Canada
Registered Psychiatric Nurses provide important services to the Correctional Service of Canada's (CSC) Institutional Mental Health Team. They provide expert advice and recommendations to support the development and implementation of mental health care planning and treatment delivery to the inmates within the institution.
In the past decade, the number of offenders exhibiting signs of mental health and behavioural issues has increased significantly. The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is working to address this issue.
RPNs are involved in a wide range of tasks, including, but not limited to:
Mental health triage and assessment
Treatment plan development and mental health interventions
Comprehensive needs assessment
Medication monitoring and recommendations
Suicide and self-injury crisis interventions
Suicide and self-injury prevention training to other CSC staff
Individual and group counselling
Program delivery
Education and awareness
Discharge and transfer care planning
Pre-hospital trauma and medical emergency interventions
RPNs at CSC are more autonomous than the average nurse in the community or hospital setting. They make decisions based on their experience, judgement, and clinical assessment skills. At the same time, they need to work well in a team setting to provide effective interventions and treatments that contribute to an offender's mental health wellness. They work closely with an interdisciplinary team of professionals at CSC with the common goal of making a difference in the lives of offenders.