Question: I am a Registered Nurse at a walk-in clinic downtown. As per Public Health guidelines in my province, I thought that individuals now had to wear a mask while inside an establishment. However, I recently had a patient who refused to wear a mask in our clinic, and another who asked me to provide mask exemption documentation. What are the considerations…
Read MoreQuestion 1: Are there specific privacy and confidentiality considerations an Occupational Health Nurse (OHN) should contemplate before disclosing COVID-19 vaccination statuses? Answer: Health care professionals and OHNs particularly, are already familiar with the professional and ethical obligations that require them to maintain patient confidentiality. An individual’s health information is subject to governing privacy law, whether…
Read MoreFootcare nurses may be considering whether or not to continue providing care to clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may raise a number of questions, for instance: What considerations should I be keeping in mind when making this determination? Should I be asking clients to sign a waiver form stating that I cannot be held…
Read MoreNurses are a key asset during a pandemic Prior to becoming licensed in any registration category, nurses complete years of education, pass exams, and then undertake continuing professional development throughout their professional careers. Nursing knowledge and skills are accompanied by competencies such as effective professional presence, critical thinking, triage, and advocacy. During extraordinary circumstances like…
Read MoreFollowing protests against vaccination mandates that took place in the Fall of 2021 at various healthcare sites across Canada, the Criminal Code was amended to include the offence of intentionally taking steps to intimidate health-care professionals in specific circumstances. These changes came into effect on January 16, 2022. Section 423.2 now makes it a criminal…
Read MoreThe rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations is well underway across Canada with nurses at the forefront of COVID-19 vaccine administration. The following information highlights some legal considerations that nurses may wish to keep in mind when they are involved with vaccine administration. Authorizing Mechanisms Before administering a vaccine, it is important to be aware of the…
Read MoreAll three levels of the Canadian government continue to be actively engaged in preparing for possible pandemic emergencies. The SARS outbreak in 2003, the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, and the 2020 declaration of COVID-19 as an international pandemic1 highlight the importance of nursing in controlling and containing communicable diseases. As nursing resources can become stretched during…
Read MoreDuring extraordinary circumstances like a global pandemic, nurses who operate their own nursing businesses may have questions regarding the ever-changing nature of their practice. Below is a list of some important risk management considerations when operating an independent nursing practice during a global pandemic. Update yourself frequently. In the event of a crisis, all levels…
Read MoreAmid the COVID-19 pandemic, health-care professionals across Canada united to provide Canadians infected with COVID-19 with safe, accessible, and timely medical attention. The result was an acceleration of the adoption and proliferation of virtual care practices. Virtual care services often include services such as videoconferencing, virtual care apps, messaging apps, and telephone services. These services…
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