The following are extremely important to follow while working as an ESN. These rules & regulations have been set by the CRNBC, CRPNBC, and/or VCH.
Do's |
Do Nots |
|---|---|
You must work under a supervisory nurse at all times. A supervisory nurse is a:
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You are not to be supervised by a LPN or other allied health disciplines |
| Work with only 1 or 2 nurses. Work under the supervision of 1 or 2 supervisory nurses who must be present and readily available to provide direction for patient care. |
If there is no supervisory nurse physically present, you must not perform any activities with patients.
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Perform only those practice activities for which competence has been achieved. Competence is achieved through your nursing program and then only if authorized by the supervisory nurse.
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You are not to be taught or practice new skills or procedures that you have not learned to date in your nursing education program. |
Always use the most up-to-date policies and procedures. At VCH, nursing care and procedures are performed in accordance with the VCH Patient Care Guidelines and with your professional association's practice standards. At VCH, this information is kept on PolicyNET and you will need to refer to the appropriate Clinical Practice Documents (CPDs). |
Do not assume that what is done in one health authority is the same as what is done in another. |
Communication is key. Make sure that you are communicating with your supervisory nurse about the care you are providing and any changes in patient condition. It is also important for you to identify and communicate the areas of your nursing practice that you need to consolidate. You are required to independently seek out assistance, guidance and feedback. |
Do not assume primary responsiblity of your patients and then proceed throughout the day without communicating with others. |
As previously mentioned, “As per the CRNBC & CRPNBC Employed Student Nurses Practice Standards, competence is achieved by learning the theory, practicing in the lab, and being observed performing the practice activity to the satisfaction of your education program faculty.”
When unsure of whether you are licensed to perform a particular activity, there are 2 documents which will help inform this decision. The first is the “ESN Practice Activity Decision Making Grid,” and the second is the “ESN/ESPN Practice Activities” list, as appropriate. Please take some time to thoroughly review these tools.
Open up your pdf copy of the “ESN Reflections” file. Take some time to answer Question 5:
5. Are there any practice activities you’re unsure about performing, or wondering why they’re included in the “don’t” section? If so, please list the activity/activities here, and let us know your thoughts behind it.
