MyCLPNA
Changes to Restrictions on Spinal and Epidural Therapy
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) has updated policies and guidelines to better align with the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation.
What has changed: The restriction on Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) removing spinal and epidural catheters has been removed from the Competency Profile.
Why this changed: The Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation authorizes LPNs to insert or remove instruments, devices, fingers, or hands into an artificial opening into the body. Therefore, these changes align the Competency Profile with regulation.
Other considerations: LPNs must have the appropriate education, training, and competence to remove spinal and epidural catheters. This training can be obtained through their employer.
Scope of Practice: Regulatory, Employer, and Individual
When determining scope of practice, LPNs should consider their regulatory, employer, and individual scope of practice.
- Regulatory scope of practice defines the boundaries of LPN scope of practice through the Health Professions Act and related regulations (such as the Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation), standards, policies, and guidelines.
- Employer scope of practice defines an LPN’s role in a specific practice setting through policies, guidelines, and job descriptions.
- Individual scope of practice includes the activities that an LPN has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform.
Providing care around spinal and epidural therapy is already in an LPN’s regulatory scope of practice, and the recent CLPNA update helps reflect this.
An activity must also fit into an LPN’s employer and individual scope for the LPN to perform it. This means that LPNs would need to be authorized by the employer to remove spinal and epidural catheters. LPNs must also have the knowledge, skills, and individual competence to perform activities in a safe, competent, and ethical manner.
For more information on determining scope of practice, please see the CLPNA guideline: Determining LPN Scope of Practice.