Nurse Practitioner Standards of Practice

Newfoundland and Labrador College of Nurses is the regulatory body for all nurses in the province. The mandate of the College is to protect the public through self-regulation of the nursing profession in accordance with the Nurses Act 2024. The authority to set standards reflects the College’s primary mandate.

Nurse Practitioners have been licensed in NL in various categories of practice since 1998. Nurse Practitioners have additional experience and nursing education at the Masters level, which enables them to autonomously diagnose and manage care across the life span in all practice settings. NPs use their in-depth knowledge and experience to analyze, synthesize, and apply evidence to make decisions. They apply theory and knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to provide a comprehensive range of essential services grounded in professional, ethical, and legal standards within a holistic model of care. NPs work across all domains of practice. They provide leadership and collaborate within and across communities, organizations, and populations to improve health and system outcomes. In some settings, Nurse Practitioners assume the role as the most responsible provider.

NPs in NL are licensed as an NP when they meet the requirements for registration and licensure, which includes successful completion of an approved NP nursing program and successful completion of a national registration exam, which gives them the authority to use the protected title of Nurse Practitioner (NP). Using this title helps to provide role clarify for the public and other health care providers.

In February 2025, College Board approved a new document entitled: Code of Professional Conduct. The Code is a Professional Standard which describes the foundational accountabilities that all NPs/RNs have to clients, employers, colleagues, and the public. The Code describes what NPs/RNs must do to maintain professionalism, competence, and ethical behaviour to deliver safe client care.

NPs are expected to be knowledgeable of and adhere to the NP Standards of Practice¹ in addition to the Code of Professional Conduct. The Nurse Practitioner Standards of Practice establish the regulatory and professional expectations for NP practice. The three NP Standards are the same standards that were previously included in the combined Standards of Practice of Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners (2019) and have not been revised. These standards are at an advanced level to reflect nurse practitioner advanced competencies, and each indicator is reflective of its application at the advanced role of nurse practitioners. NPs are responsible and accountable to meet both sets of expectations.

NP Standards of Practice:

Standard 1 – Collaboration, Consultation, and Referral
Standard 2 – Assessment and Diagnosis
Standard 3 – Client Care Management

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