Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act, be read for the second time.
This bill repeals and replaces the Nursing Profession Act, SNWT 2003, c.15. It will
- Establish a single regulatory framework for all nurses in the Northwest Territories;
- Update the name of the regulating body responsible for the regulation of nurses to the College and Association of Nurses of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut;
- Establish new nursing designations for active members of the college, including
- registered nurse authorized prescriber
- licensed practical nurse,
- registered psychiatric nurse, and
- registered psychiatric nurse authorized prescriber.
It will
- Establish new types of temporary certificates for active members;
- Require the registrar to maintain registers for new types of registrants and provide for application procedures;
- Provide for nurses' qualifications, scope of practice, entitlements, obligations and regulatory processes;
- Update the process for the review of conduct of active members;
- Provide for the appointment of a complaints officer;
- Provide offence provisions related to new types of registrants;
- Add broad bylaw-making powers to regulate the practice of nurses, including nurses who practice solely through virtual care; and,
- Modernize language, including by using gender-neutral pronouns.
This bill also
- Includes consequential amendments to the Coroners Act, Emergency Medical Aid Act, Employment Standards Act, Evidence Act, Mental Health Act, Motor Vehicles Act, Pharmacy Act, Public Health Act; and, Vital Statistics Act; and
- Repeals the Licensed Practical Nurses Act.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
