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 One: Professional Responsibility includes nine areas related to the regulated member’s responsibility.

  1. General Responsibilities
  2. Conflict of Interest
  3. Duty to Report
  4. Self-reporting
  5. Protected Professional Designation and Titles, and Endorsements
  6. Communication
  7. Collaboration
  8. Conscientious Objection
  9. Human Health Research

Here is a brief summary of what you’ll find in Standard One:

General responsibilities speak to the regulated member’s requirement to be properly registered with the College and to maintain an active practice permit. There are also expectations that all regulated members practice within the appropriate legislation, including health, workplace and privacy legislation; but also within the conditions placed by the College and their employers’ policies.

Conflict of interest deals with a regulated member’s duty to appropriately identify and report a conflict of interest. A regulated member’s duty is to always act in the patient’s best interest.

Duty to report as with all healthcare professions, regulated members are required to inform the appropriate regulator when they identify concerns in the way another healthcare provider has delivered patient care.

Self-reporting ensures that a regulated member who self-identifies a factor that may impact their ability to provide care reports such concerns to the College to make sure appropriate steps (if any) are taken to ensure proper patient care.

Protected Professional Designation and Titles, and Endorsements in Alberta healthcare designations and titles are protected by healthcare legislation. This standard explains which designations and titles can only be used by those authorized through the College.

Communication explains the requirements of a regulated member to ensure they are communicating professionally, respectfully, effectively and in a timely manner.

Collaboration details ways regulated members are to work collaboratively to facilitate an integrated approach in the provision of quality care.

Conscientious objection there are occasionally instances when a regulated member may object to the provision of care; however, it is never permitted to withhold information about treatment options.

Human health research regulated members across the province are expanding paramedic research regularly. This SoP speaks to the requirements to ensure the research is conducted ethically.

We encourage everyone to read through the new Standard of Practice on Professional Responsibilities to learn more. If you have any questions, comments or general feedback, please email communications@ABparamedics.com.