Glossary

The obligation to acknowledge the professional, ethical, and legal aspects of one’s activities and duties, and to answer for the consequences and outcomes of one’s actions. Accountability resides in a role and can never be shared or delegated.

This term is used in health care to refer to people's daily self-care activities. These activities can include getting dressed, preparing meals and attending to personal hygiene.

A level of severity of an illness. An acuity level is based on the type and number of nursing interventions required in a 24-hour period to provide safe, competent and ethical nursing care for a client.

Reflects the integration and application of a broad range of theoretical and evidence-based knowledge that occurs as part of graduate nursing education. ANP encompasses all the domains of nursing practice, the entire field of nursing and does not necessarily refer only to direct clinical care. Nurses in ANP roles may include those with graduate education working in policy, administration, nursing informatics, etc.

Advanced knowledge, skills and judgment gained through additional education, training and clinical experience outside the core knowledge, skills and judgment obtained through entry-level nursing programs. These competencies are not currently part of RN or NP work expectations, and are being introduced into nursing practice in specific practice settings.

Any noxious and unintended response to a drug that is caused by the administration of any dose of the drug. Nurses are employed throughout the healthcare system and play a crucial role in identifying and reporting any incidents, drug reactions, adverse events and “near misses”. The Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (Vanessa's Law) includes rules that strengthen the regulation of therapeutic products and improve the reporting of adverse reactions by healthcare institutions.

Actively supporting, protecting and safeguarding clients’ rights and interest. It is an integral component of nursing and contributes to the foundation of trust inherent in nurse-client relationships.

One component of the program approval framework used to approve entry-level nursing education programs. A subset of the program approval indicators (the outcome indicators) are examined yearly for each program and the program’s approval score is calculated. Programs are approved annually based on the annual monitoring review results or the comprehensive review as required.

This term designates an education program has met the prescribed standards set out in the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB) program approval process. Program approval is a mandatory process based on the entry-to-practice competencies for RNs or NPs.

Systematically gathering data, sorting and organizing the collected data, and documenting the data in a retrievable format; an assessment can include nursing history and behavioural and physical exam such as inspection, palpation, auscultation, and percussion. May include but is not limited to: observation, interview, history taking, interpretation of laboratory data, mental health assessment, physical assessment, etc.

A boundary in the nurse-person relationship is the point at which the relationship changes from professional and therapeutic to unprofessional and personal (see professional boundaries).

See workplace bullying.

Promotes excellence in professional nursing regulation. An organization made up of representatives from Canada’s 12 provincial (territorial) bodies that regulate the practice of registered nurses. CCRNR serves as a national forum and voice regarding interprovincial, national and global regulatory matters for nursing regulation.

The Canadian National Nursing Assessment Service coordinates a consistent national approach for the internationally educated nurses (IENs) seeking registration/licensure to practice in Canadian jurisdictions.

• Registered Nurses (RNs)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
• Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) in Ontario
• Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs)

Being able to understand and appreciate the consequences of various options and make informed decisions about one’s own life, care and treatment.

The circumstances where health information custodians rely on an individual's implied consent when collecting, using, disclosing or handling personal health information for the purpose of providing direct health care.

Client abuse as the misuse of power or a betrayal of trust, respect or intimacy between the nurse and the client, which may cause physical or emotional harm. This includes all types of abuse, such as:

• neglect (e.g., failing to provide the necessities of life);
• physical abuse (e.g., striking a client or causing discomfort);
• verbal/emotional abuse (e.g., shouting at or insulting a client);
• financial abuse (e.g., soliciting gifts from a client); or
• sexual abuse (e.g., inappropriately touching a client).

The reduction and mitigation of unsafe acts within the health care system, as well as through the use of best practices shown to lead to optimal client outcomes. It is meant to be inclusive of psychosocial, physical, cultural and spiritual wellbeing

An approach in which clients are viewed as whole persons. It is not merely about delivering services where client is located. Their care involves advocacy, empowerment, and respecting the clients’ autonomy, voice, self-determination and participation in decision-making

A complex cognitive process that requires nurses to recognize a clinical problem in their client and respond promptly through implementing interventions to improve their client’s health status. Clinical decision-making is a dynamic process where care choices are made based on balanced involvement between the health professional and the client

The proficiency or judgment that a license holder in a particular profession acquires through clinical experience or clinical practice and that is not possessed by a lay person. Clinical expertise means demonstrated proficiency in a specialized area of direct patient care

Includes the provision of consultation and support

A skill, process, or outcome where a clinician observes, collects, and interprets data to diagnose and treat clients. Multiple components of clinical reasoning include information gathering, hypothesis generation, forming a problem, generating a differential diagnosis, selecting a leading or working diagnosis, providing diagnostic justification, and developing a management or treatment plan

Engaging in an intentional relationship for the purpose of creating something together. It goes beyond collaboration and client-focused care as it requires the dynamics of the relationship to build something. It means that clients and nurses are equal partners and share power in the relationship.

A set of rules that outlines the social norms and behavioural expectations of an individual, group or organization.

A baccalaureate nursing education program offered in partnership between a College and a University. The students may take all or part of their nursing curriculum at the College or the University. The program degree is granted by the University.

All health-care providers and nurses working in all domains of practice.

A dominant society that “discovers” and claims rights to unsurrended lands already lived upon by its original (i.e. Indigenous) inhabitants. The colonial power (or colonizer) then determines and shapes laws, languages, economies, social relations, and cultural life, and subject all people on the land to these dominant norms (e.g. Christianity, nuclear families, western biomedicine). Colonization denies sovereignty and self-determination of the original inhabitants by asserting that dominant norms are superior, subjecting everyone to live by these norms. This denies Indigenous peoples’ freedom to their language, culture, land, and social values.

The transmission of verbal and/or non-verbal messages between a sender and a receiver for the purpose of exchanging or disseminating meaningful, accurate, clear, concise, complete and timely information (includes the transmission using technology)

Home and community care services help people to receive care at home, rather than in a hospital or long-term care facility, and to live as independently as possible in the community. Home and community care is delivered by regulated health care professionals (e.g., nurses), non-regulated workers, volunteers, friends and family caregivers.