Standards of Practice

All nurses in Nova Scotia must follow standards of practice to work in the profession. These standards define legal and professional responsibilities and outline what the public can expect from any nurse in any workplace.

Nursing Practice Challenges

Health care is constantly changing, and nurses face unusual, challenging, and evolving circumstances. This can create uncertainty and stress in the workplace. You may be concerned about meeting practice standards while:

• Moving to new practice areas
• Working with different client populations
• Managing high workloads
• Adjusting to new models of care

Flexibility of Standards of Practice

Standards of practice are broad and flexible. You are expected to meet them consistently, but how you do this may depend on your work setting.

If concerns or complaints about your nursing practice arise, they are always evaluated carefully. With full consideration of the circumstances in which you are practising.

If a nurse is unable to meet the standards of practice, our complaints process is in place to protect the public.

Licensed Practical Nurses Standards of Practice

A high-level list of standards for LPNs includes:

• Being professional, responsible, and accountable
• Having evidence-informed practice
• Protecting the public through self-regulation
• Engaging in ethical practice

Read the complete standards of practice for LPNs (PDF).

Registered Nurses Standards of Practice

A high-level list of standards for RNs includes:

• Being responsible and accountable
• Using knowledge to provide care
• Establishing a professional and therapeutic relationship
• Being a leader and establishing professional relationships
• Being accountable to self-regulate 

Read the complete standards of practice for RNs (PDF).

Registered Psychiatric Nurses Standards of Practice

A high-level list of standards for RPNs includes:

• Establishing collaborative professional, interpersonal, and therapeutic relationships with clients
• Continually acquires and integrates evidence-informed knowledge and builds on psychiatric nursing education and lifelong learning
• Accountable and responsible for safe, competent and ethical psychiatric nursing practice that meets the standards of the profession and legislated requirements
• Enhances the safety, quality and effectiveness of psychiatric nursing practice through leadership and collaboration
• Understands, upholds and incorporates the profession’s Code of Ethics into their professional practice

Read the complete standards of practice for RPNs (PDF).

RN Prescribers Standards of Practice

A high-level list of standards for RN Prescribers includes:

• Being responsible and accountable
• Using knowledge to provide care
• Establishing professional, therapeutic relationships
• Being a leader and establishing professional relationships
• Being accountable to self-regulate 

Read the complete standards of practice for RN prescribers (PDF).

Nurse Practitioner Standards of Practice

In addition to the RN standards listed above, a high-level list of NP standards include:

• Being responsible and accountable
• Being a leader and advocating to enhance quality of care
• Assessing and diagnosing clients
• Managing client care using evidence
• Collaborating, referring, and consulting with clients and other health professionals

Read the complete standards of practice for NPs (PDF).

Sexual Misconduct Standard of Practice

All nurses are responsible for following the sexual misconduct standards. The standards are in addition to their respective designation standards.

• Nurses must not engage in sexual misconduct
• Nurses are required to report sexual misconduct

Read the complete sexual misconduct standards of practice (PDF).

Have questions?

You can email us at practice@nscn.ca.