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How familiar are you with the College’s new Standards of Practice?
Standards of Practice are essential to ensure quality care is provided to all Albertans by all healthcare professions. These Standards not only provide direction to regulated members in the provision of care but also explain elements of care that patients and the public can expect in their professional interactions with regulated members.
The College’s Standards of Practice (or SoPs) were recently completely rewritten and released in July 2021. These Standards expanded on many areas that the former version did not include – and they now provide a lot more detail on the expectations of care that is to be delivered by regulated members.
Standard 4.0: Clinical Practice is focused on elements of the delivery of care and performance of restricted activities. This is likely the Standard that is most referenced by regulated members and employers. Restricted activities are authorized under the Paramedic Profession’s Regulation; however, the performance of them require additional direction, which is provided in the sections within the Standard. The sections included in Standard of Practice four are:
- Restricted Activities
- Ultrasound
- Administer a Vaccine
- Fractures
- Dispensing
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Transfer of Care
- Quality Assurance and Improvement
Restricted Activities is a significant Standard as it deals with four specific restricted activities: Ultrasound, Administer a Vaccine, Fractures and Dispensing Bridging Medication.
Advanced Care Paramedics are the only designation authorized to apply non-ionizing ultrasound and only upon submitting proof of training to the College and only once they have received the relevant endorsement.
All Advanced Care Paramedics and some Primary Care Paramedics are permitted to administer vaccines; however, as the Standard explains, there are strict requirements to ensuring appropriate administration, recording and reporting.
Regulated members are authorized to set or reset fractures only for the purposes of alignment and short-term immobilization for extrication/transport.
Only those Advanced Care Paramedics who have an endorsement on their practice permit may dispense bridging medication. The Standard outlines very strict parameters on what must be done to ensure patient safety when supplying a bridging dose of medication.
Infection Prevention and Control explains that regulated members must adhere to all appropriate legislation, regulation, policies and guidelines to demonstrate proper adherence.
Transfer of Care details what a regulated member must do when handing off a patient to another healthcare provider.
Quality Assurance and Improvement ensures regulated members have the opportunity to evolve their practice to a standard of excellence. Regulated members must participate in the College’s continuing competence program, as well as their employer’s quality assurance and improvement programs
We encourage everyone to read through the new Standards of Practice to learn more. If you have any questions, comments or general feedback, please email communications@ABparamedics.com.