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As you may already know, the Standards of Practice set out the minimum standards in the provision of paramedic services. Each regulated member is required to understand and comply with these Standards, but how does this translate in the day-to-day work of EMRs, PCPs, and ACPS?
In an effort to help regulated members understand and apply the Standards to real life situations, we will be sharing scenarios that give context to the Standards and ideas on how to implement this into practice.
The following scenario will attempt to address the Continuing Competence (CC) program:
3.1 Continuing Competence (CC) Program
Paramedic professionals are required to maintain currency in practice, as well as enhance and expand knowledge and skills. The Continuing Competence (CC) program fosters individual improvement and growth in professional practice and is a requirement of practice as outlined in the Health Professions Act (HPA) for all designations on the College’s general register. A regulated member maintains currency in practice and professional development by meeting the following requirements of the CC program:
- Fulfill credit requirements as outlined in the Continuing Competence Program Manual
- Fulfill the minimum credit requirements within the same registration cycle they are being recorded in
- Retain documentation for every continuing competence activity recorded, including College required training, for a minimum of five years
Failure to meet the above requirements or an unsatisfactory result in a continuing competence audit (3.5.2) may result in an unprofessional conduct review.
Scenario:
Cassandra and Wesley are partners on an ambulance in Vegreville. On one of their shifts, they were discussing the upcoming renewal. Wesley said in passing that he had not completed any CC training all year and didn’t think he would have time before completing renewal. He said to Cassandra that he thought he might enter training he hasn’t completed in order to finish renewal and do the training later. Cassandra knows that it is a professional responsibility to complete CC training every year and providing false information to the College is considered unprofessional conduct. She shows Wesley the Continuing Competence Standard of Practice and lets him know about the College audit process.
Cassandra has done all that she can in this scenario; she informed Wesley of his professional responsibilities and duties and let him know about the possible repercussions for falsifying information to the College. It is each members’ responsibility to complete training and meet all the outlined requirements in their member portal, failure to do so may result in an unprofessional conduct review. In the event Cassandra found out that Wesley did falsify his CC record, she would have a Duty to Report him per section 1.3 of the Standards of Practice.