Category: NP

The Government of Saskatchewan amended vital statistics legislation effective January 1, 2016, giving NPs the legal authority to sign the MCOD and MCOS. Information for NP practice in this area has been contained in the CRNS Guidelines for NPs Completing Medical Certificate of Death & Medical Certificate of Stillbirth, 2016. The guideline has been discontinued and this update provides the most current information and resources.

Physicians, coroners, and NPs share responsibility for proper completion of MCOD and MCOS. NPs registered with the CRNS whom have the appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies are authorized to complete a MCOD and MCOS unless the death needs to be reported to a coroner. NPs need to be familiar with the current provincial legislation that will guide their clinical decisions including;

• The Vital Statistics Regulations;

• The Vital Statistics Act;

• The Coroners Regulations; and

 • The Coroners Act.

All Government of Saskatchewan documents are available on Queen’s Printer at the following web site http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/

Additional resources for NPs:

• Government of Saskatchewan, Vital Statistics, eHealth Saskatchewan. (2016). Guidelines for completing the medical certificate of death and medical certificate of stillbirth. Regina, SK. https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/deaths/Documents/HowToCmpltMCD%20v7.pdf
• CPSS 2016, Physician obligations regarding medical certification of death. https://www.cps.sk.ca/imis/CPSS/Legislation__ByLaws__Policies_and_Guidelines/Legislation_Content/Policies_and_Guidelines_Content/Physician_Obligations_Regarding_Medical_Certification_of_Death.aspx
• 2016 CRNS Webinar, edited Jan 2021 https://youtu.be/tg0EnxOPTmk
• CMPA https://www.cmpa-acpm.ca/en/advice-publications/browse-articles/2016/completing-medical-certificates-of-death-who-s-responsible

If you have any questions, please contact an CRNS Practice Advisor by phone at 1.800.667.9945 or 306.359.4227 or by email practiceadvice@crns.ca.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS) has recently released a Guideline: Referral-Consultation Process. The guideline includes guidance for physicians who are writing referrals and consultation reports. Nurse Practitioners (NP) are included as care providers within the document. Expectations for communication to/from consulting physicians are important for NPs to know, understand and implement into their practice.

NP practice standards set the expectation for NPs to understand the roles of, and collaborate with, other health care providers to support optimal client outcomes (CRNS, 2017). Section four of the guideline outlines the expectations of referring physicians. The CRNS supports the information in this section and expects NPs to follow these guidelines when referring a patient to a specialist.

If you have any questions, please contact an CRNS Practice Advisor by phone at 1.800.667.9945 or 306.359.4227 or by email practiceadvice@crns.ca.

Reference:

College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS). (2017). Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Practice Standards. Retrieved from https://www.crns.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/RNNPPracticeStandards2017.pdf

As of December 1, 2020, Nurse Practitioners in Saskatchewan will no longer be required to complete 600 clinical hours to maintain eligibility for registration. According to CRNS Bylaw VI subsection 3(7), NPs are required to work in nurse practitioner activities approved by the association in one of the four specialties for at least 900 hundred hours in the three years immediately preceding application. However, there is no longer a requirement for clinical hours.

This modification was made in recognition of changes in NP practice acknowledging the increasing diversity with many NPs working in various domains of practice outside of a clinical setting.

For any questions regarding this change, please email Leah White, RN Nursing Advisor (lwhite@crns.ca)