The SALPN Council met December 12th and 13th for their final meetings of 2019.
MEETING HIGHLIGHTS:
Approval of the 2020 SALPN Fee Bylaws:  The Council approved amendments to the SALPN Fee Bylaws effective January 1, 2020, according to section 13 (1) and (2) of The Licensed Practical Nurses Act. The amended Fee Bylaws will be presented for confirmation at the 2020 AGM according to section 13 (3) of the Act. The following fees are amended:
Licensure and service fees have been increased to reflect the increasing and unpredictable costs of complaints and discipline processes, the development of LPN practice guidance resources, increased costs of program approval responsibilities, increased cost of governance and the ability to acquire staff/service support when required. The number of LPNs has increased by 40% over the last ten years, with the addition of only a .75 staff position.
Approval of Registration and Licensure Policy 2:12:01
In response to a member-submitted resolution at the 2019 AGM related to SALPN’s practice hour requirement, the Council reviewed a jurisdictional scan of practice hour and practice currency requirements among LPN regulators across Canada. It was determined that SALPN’s 1250 hours in five-year requirement is consistent or similar to other jurisdictions and is necessary to fulfill the SALPN’s public protection mandate. The SALPN Council has directed the Executive Director to continue to explore potential options for LPNs unable to meet the practice hours requirement. As a first step, the policy has been revised to base approved extensions on the LPN’s need to extend and the LPN’s plan and ability to obtain practice hours.
 Approval of Governance Policy Updates
Policy update highlights include general housekeeping to modernize wording and reflect best practices, and an increase to Council Executive, Council Member, and Committee member honorariums to reflect the commitment required and reduce the financial impact of missed scheduled shifts.
Approval of SALPN participation in discussions and potential efforts to seek legislative amendments with other Saskatchewan health regulators to create a solution for the risks to the public and regulatory ineffectiveness caused by the current template legislation.
Approval of a practice guidance document related to Independent Practice pending a legal review by SALPN’s Legal Counsel. Watch your inbox for the upcoming release of the document.
Directions from the Council to the Executive Director:  Develop draft Regulatory Bylaw amendments for presentation at the 2020 Annual General Meeting related to the following:
 Delegation of administration of bio-active agents and application of laser treatments from a physician to an LPN
The bylaw will support and outline the accountabilities and responsibilities of LPNs accepting a delegation from a Physician to administer bio-active agents (Botox) and apply laser treatment. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan have approved bylaws allowing Physicians to delegate the above to LPNs.
 Reporting of practice hours in specialized areas of practice and independent practice
The bylaw will require LPNs to report hours worked in specialized areas of practice such as the operating room, dialysis, orthopedic specialty, and within an independent practice.
Develop draft Administrative Bylaw amendments for presentation to the SALPN Council and ratification at the 2020 Annual General Meeting
 Election of a Council Vice-Chair to be conducted by the Council from within the Council
The bylaw will allow the Council to elect a Vice-Chair from the existing Council. It aligns with the practices of improved regulatory governance and reduces the risk of electing a candidate who is adverse to the public serving mandate or ill-prepared for the role.
 The ability of the Council to develop and prescribe required competencies to serve as a Council member
The bylaw will support the Council in recruiting Council Members with the competencies required to effectively and competently govern the organization.
 Collect overtime hours worked by LPNs in the 2021 renewal.
This practice will create data related to overtime worked and increase the ability to assess potential risks related to overtime hours worked.
 Explore existing programs that provide a remedy to practitioners short on meeting minimum hour requirements.
This direction is an additional step in response to the member-submitted resolution at the 2019 AGM related to SALPN’s practice hour requirement. As an example, some jurisdictions offer a supervised practicum experience for LPNs unable to meet the practice hours requirement as a means of meeting re-licensure requirements.
DISCUSSIONS:
The Council discussed research presented by the Executive Director related to performance measurement methods currently used within regulation and the results of recent third-party performance assessments of regulators across Canada.
 The BC Government is currently consulting nationwide related to the release of a report recommending substantive changes to the regulatory scheme in BC after significant governance issues were reported in a report assessing the BC College of Dental Surgeons. The most significant of changes is the reduction in the number of regulatory bodies to five. The report recommends major overhaul to regulatory processes, including the enactment of appointed competency-based boards consisting of 50% public members, the development of an entity to oversee the work of regulators, and the development of regulatory performance standards.
 The Alberta Government recently dismissed the elected Council of RECA on account of poor governance practices resulting in a dysfunctional and ineffective Council.
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