The COVID-19 Pandemic is causing unusual, challenging and rapidly evolving circumstances in our health care system. NSCN recognizes that nurses may need to depart from established procedures and typical practices during these extraordinary times. You must make decisions to do so based on an assessment of the client and situation, and use your best judgement to ensure you continue to provide safe, competent, ethical and compassionate nursing services.
You are always required to meet your designation’s standards of practice (LPN, RN or NP) regardless of how your procedures and practices may evolve in these unprecedented times. Your standards are broad and flexible which enable you to meet them consistently even though how you meet them may change over the course of the current pandemic.
If you depart from established procedures and typical practices, you must consider:
- What other actions should I take to maintain the safety of the client, others and myself?
- What supports and resources do I (and maybe others) need?
- How will I continue to meet my standards of practice?
- How do I document this?
- How do I communicate this to others, and whom should I notify?
You must also consider the following:
- Departures from established procedures and typical practices are anticipated in a time of crisis however, they do not establish precedent practice post-pandemic.
- You are not expected to practice beyond the professional scope of practice of your nursing designation.
- Complaints during, and/or because of the pandemic, will be addressed with full consideration of the circumstances in which nurses are practising.
