Minimum Course Hours: 45

Course Description

Learners are introduced to the profession of practical nursing and the B.C. legislation that informs the practice when caring for clients with chronic illnesses and those in complex care settings, including clients with mental health conditions. Learners will explore the history of nursing with a focus on the evolution of practical nursing in the Canadian health care system. Learners are also introduced to the concepts of cultural safety, cultural humility, diversity, and anti-racism, with a focus on Indigenous-specific anti-racism. Standards and foundational concepts in nursing including ethical practice, self-reflection, self-care, interprofessional practice, critical thinking, and decision making and leadership are also addressed.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Access to Practical Nursing Program

Corequisites: Professional Communication A; Health Promotion A; Variations in Health A; Pharmacology A; Integrated Nursing Practice A

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain how legislation and the current British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) LPN Professional Standards, Practice Standards, and Entry-level Competencies inform nursing practice in complex care settings and when caring for those with chronic illnesses and/or mental health conditions.
   • 1.1 Discuss how historical perspectives, current trends, and issues affect the role of the practical nurse.
   • 1.2 Explore the Health Professions and Occupations Act (effective April 1, 2026), the Nurses and Midwives Regulation (effective April 1, 2026), and the Regulated Health Practitioners Regulation (effective April 1, 2026) and their impact on nurses and other health professions in B.C.
   • 1.3 Describe how legislation, standards, and practice expectations guide nursing practice.
2. Explain the role and responsibility of the BCCNM, including the partnership in nursing: registered nurse (RN), registered psychiatric nurse (RPN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), nurse practitioners (NP).
   • 2.1 Explore professional self-regulation, including autonomous scope of practice and the implications for individual responsibilities and accountabilities of the practical nurse in complex care settings.
   • 2.2 Discuss the role of the practical nurse in the context of the Canadian health care system.
3. Describe the influence of interprofessional collaborative relationships on a quality practice environment in complex care settings.
   • 3.1 Describe approaches to accessing others’ skills and knowledge appropriately through consultation.
   • 3.2 Define the nursing care delivery models used in health care.
   • 3.3 Explore the diversity of other health care roles, including the practical nurse role in relation to regulated and unregulated care provider relationships.
4. Explore the role of critical thinking, clinical judgment skills, and self-reflective practice skills in developing ethical nursing practice.
   • 4.1 Discuss ethical practice and decision-making principles.
   • 4.2 Discuss the development of critical thinking and clinical judgment skills, guided by the BCCNM definitions of these terms.
   • 4.3 Apply an ethical decision-making process to determine actions for ethical dilemmas in nursing practice with older adults, including those with chronic illnesses and mental health conditions.
   • 4.4 Explore the professional and practice standards governing ethical practice with clients experiencing chronic illness.
   • 4.5 Discuss the importance of critical thinking as it relates to nursing practice.
   • 4.6 Describe the value, importance, and responsibility of personal ownership of learning and lifelong learning principles.
   • 4.7 Discuss the concept of reflective practice: what it is, why it is important, and how to become a reflective care provider.
5. Implement self-care practices to promote personal physical, mental, and emotional health and wellness.
   • 5.1 Identify one’s own emerging self-care practices.
   • 5.2 Discuss strategies to prevent and/or alleviate moral distress, moral injury, and burnout.
   • 5.3 Examine how one’s own state of health (mental, emotional, physical) may impact the provision of care to older adults, including people with chronic illness, and/or mental health conditions.
   • 5.4 Discuss how the BCCNM Entry-Level Competencies influence professional conduct.
6. Describe how one’s own values, biases, and assumptions may influence the care of older adults, including those with chronic illnesses and/or mental health conditions.
   • 6.1 Reflect on strategies to recognize and avoid acting on stereotypes or assumptions one may hold about Indigenous Peoples and 2SLGBTQIA+^[1] individuals.
   • 6.2 Demonstrate commitment to ongoing personal ownership of learning by identifying learning needs and seeking opportunities to meet them when caring for Indigenous clients and older adults, including those with chronic illnesses and/or mental health conditions.
   • 6.3 Discuss personal and professional responsibility to cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism—particularly Indigenous-specific anti-racism—with older adults, including those with chronic illnesses and/or mental health conditions.
   • 6.4 Compare and contrast personal and professional responsibility with respect to trauma-informed care with older adults, including those with chronic illness, including mental health conditions.
   • 6.5 Define social justice.
7. Use critical thinking and self-reflection to support both ongoing learning and nursing practice.
   • 7.1 Explain how to access and assess current and relevant scholarly resources to prepare for nursing practice.
   • 7.2 Use appropriate guidelines for writing an academic paper.
   • 7.3 Use academic integrity, including ethical and permitted use of artificial intelligence, in written assignments.
   • 7.4 Use critical thinking when accessing and assessing information and evidence from current, relevant scholarly resources.
8. Discuss the role of leadership, management, and followership in nursing practice.
   • 8.1 Discuss theories of nursing leadership, including leadership styles and attributes.
   • 8.2 Identify key competencies associated with effective leadership, management, and followership.
   • 8.3 Identify leadership responsibilities of the practical nurse when working with unregulated health care providers.
   • 8.4 Discuss delegation, what it entails, and the limits and conditions under which it may occur in practical nursing practice
   • 8.5 Explain how legislation, professional standards, ethics, and practice expectations influence leadership in nursing practice in complex care settings.

Course Concepts

Course outcomes will be met through an examination and exploration of the following:

• BCCNM LPN Professional Standards, Practice Standards, and documents that guide scope of practice
• Legislation and regulation that govern the practical nursing practice
• Continuing Care Act
• Adult Guardianship Act
• Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
• Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act
• Introduction to the practical nursing profession
• History of practical nursing
• Philosophy of the Practical Nursing Program curriculum
• Introduction to ethical practice
• Delegation
• Interprofessional practice
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Self-care
• Moral distress, moral injury, and burnout
• Trauma-informed practice
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism, particularly Indigenous-specific anti-racism
• Academic writing and using scholarly resources appropriately
• Self-reflection (reflective writing)
• Self-reflective practice
• Self-care
• Stress management
• Leadership in practical nursing practice