August 26, 2020

• Annual General Meeting Update
• SALPN Council Update
• Recognition of COVID-19 Learning for CEP Hours
• Reporting Hours in Your Member Portal

The SALPN Annual General Meeting was held virtually on August 19, 2020. Attendance varied throughout the meeting but consisted of 45-55 individuals, including eligible voters, guests, and meeting administrators. An online voting system was contracted and hosted by a Canadian company named Simply Voting. The number of votes cast by those attending the meeting ranged from 24-33. This represents less than 1% of the SALPN membership.

By way of resolution, amendments to the current meeting procedures were adopted to accommodate a virtual meeting.

Reports of the Council Chair, the Executive Director, including presentation of the 2019 Financial Statements, and the reports of the statutory Committees were presented and accepted.

Regulatory Bylaw Amendments:
The details of each proposed amendment can be found here:

1. Physician Delegation:  An amendment to the resolution was presented by a SALPN member.  The amendment removed the requirement that the Physician is on site to provide the assessment and oversight to the LPN but is directly available via other means. The amendment was subsequently accepted by the voting members.
   Confirmed by the required 2/3 majority. CARRIED.

2. Emergency Registration and Licensure:  Confirmed by the required 2/3 majority. CARRIED. 
    
3. Independent Practice: Confirmed by the required 2/3 majority. CARRIED. 
4. Peri-Operative Standards: Confirmed by the required 2/3 majority. CARRIED. 
5. Reporting of Hours: Confirmed by the required 2/3 majority. CARRIED. 

As per Section 13 (8) of the LPN Act, Regulatory Bylaws come into force once they are approved by the Minister of Health and published in the Gazette.  The member confirmed amendments will be submitted to the Minister of Health by the SALPN. The Ministry of Health will review the amendments and conduct a consultation prior to issuing an approval or advising the SALPN the amendments are not approved within 90 days of receiving them.  There is a possibility amendments, and most specifically, the amendment to the Physician Delegation bylaw will not be approved by the Minister of Health if the amendment is not believed to be in the best interest of the public.

Administrative Fee Bylaws:

The Council amended the fee bylaws on January 1, 2020, as authorized in Section 13 (1) of the LPN Act. Section 13 (2) of the LPN Act requires the Council to present the amendments at the next annual meeting.  Section 13(3) of the LPN Act requires a 2/3 majority of voting members present to confirm, vary, or revoke amended bylaws.

The amendments presented at the annual meeting can be found below.

An amendment to the resolution was presented by a SALPN member. The amendment was to change the annual licensure fee from the proposed $450 to $425. This motion was carried and became the new proposed administrative fee bylaw that the members had opportunity to debate.

A 2/3 majority of present voting members revoked the amendments.  Section 13 (4) of the LPN Act indicates the application of the bylaws prior to revocation is not affected.

Revoked by the required 2/3 majority. Defeated.

* A meeting of Council was held immediately following the AGM. The Council unanimously made the decision to reinstate the January 1, 2020 amendments to the SALPN Fee Bylaws effective 4:37 PM on August 19, 2020, pursuant to subsection 13(1) of the LPN Act and are now in force.  The amendments will be presented for confirmation at the 2021 AGM as required by subsection 13(2) of the LPN Act. *

The AGM was adjourned. The Council will notify members of the date of the 2021 AGM when it is selected.

The Council met on July 6, August 18, and August 19.

Discussion, Decisions, Directions, and Approvals by the Council:

July 6:

• All bylaws for presentation at the AGM were approved.  The results of the consultation process were reviewed by the Council. Consultation yielded feedback from the Ministry of Health related to the prescriptiveness of the bylaw about Physician delegation of bio-active agents and application of lasers to LPNs. Changes were made to broadly capture the ability to accept the current allowable delegations in the Regulatory Bylaws of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and will allow for future delegations.

• The Council formally accepted a request from a member to hear an appeal of a decision of the Discipline Committee.

• The Council accepted the resignation of SALPN member 7985 from the SALPN Register according to section 8.1(1) of the SALPN Regulatory Bylaws. 

August 18:

The Council reviewed reporting related to Quarter 2- 2020, which included highlights of achievements, challenges, and statistical reporting in the areas of:

• Governance, Strategy, and Regulatory Context
• Registration and Licensure
• Professional Practice Standards and Ethics
• Complaints, Investigation, and Discipline
• Education Program Approval
• Administration and Human Resources
• Finance
• Risk Registry
• Progress of Outstanding Action Items    

The purpose of reporting is to support the Council in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities and ensuring the organization is acting in the interest of the public. 

• The Council tended to the appointments of statute committee members. One member of the Counselling & Investigation Committee was appointed for a second term and an alternate committee member was appointed as a sitting member.   The Council discussed the process of preparing incoming Committee Chair’s for each of the statute Committees.
  
• The Council appointed current Council Member, Tina Sentes, to fill a vacant position on the Council until the conclusion of the 2021 AGM.
  
• The Council appointed an ad hoc Nominations committee to direct and oversee the 2021 Council nominations process.

August 19:

• The Council unanimously made the decision to reinstate the January 1, 2020 amendments to the SALPN Fee Bylaws effective 4:37 PM on August 19, 2020, pursuant to subsection 13(1) of the LPN Act and are now in force.  The amendments will be presented for confirmation at the 2021 AGM as required by subsection 13(2) of the LPN Act.

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