Regulated Health Professions Act
The Regulated Health Professions Act is umbrella legislation that will eventually apply to all regulated health professions in Manitoba.
CLPNM is preparing for the LPN profession to transition to governance under The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). The RHPA will replace the laws dealing with each regulated health profession in stages and will eventually bring all regulated health professions under one umbrella act.
The RHPA does not yet apply to LPNs, and the Government of Manitoba has not yet confirmed a transition date. Practical nursing in Manitoba will continue to be governed by The Licensed Practical Nurses Act (LPN Act) and its Regulation until they are replaced by the RHPA.
The Reserved Acts
Twenty-one categories of health care activities are listed in the legislation as “reserved acts.” These are activities that could pose significant risk or possible harm to the public if performed by someone without the necessary competence and skill. Examples of reserved acts are: prescribing drugs, cutting into tissue, and applying a form of energy for diagnosis (X-rays, CT scans).
A health profession may be granted the authority to perform a reserved act if it can demonstrate that its registrants are competent to do so. Many of the reserved acts can be performed by more than one profession and not all professions will be granted reserved acts.
As part of the transition to the RHPA, the CLPNM will be required to make a submission to the Government of Manitoba outlining the reserved acts that fall within the scope of practice of Manitoba’s LPNs. The CLPNM’s proposal will be based on information about LPN education, current practice, competencies and skills. The Government will consider the CLPNM’s proposal, along with input it receives from other stakeholders (e.g. employers, educators, members of the public, and organizations that regulate or represent other professions), and will ultimately decide which reserved acts to authorize for the practical nursing profession under the RHPA.
View a list of the reserved acts here.
February 2023 Update
Manitoba Health has designated the LPN profession as one of the next professions to undergo the transition to the RHPA.
The CLPNM submitted a proposal on reserved acts for the LPN profession to Manitoba Health in November of 2022.
We are now working with Manitoba Health to consult key stakeholders and gather further information that will be considered by the Government of Manitoba when making its decisions on the reserved acts to authorize for the profession.
Although the CLPNM does not determine the timelines, we can advise that it is possible the LPN profession will be governed under the RHPA before the end of the 2023 calendar year.
Frequently Asked Questions
RHPA Status
No. The LPN profession will transition to the RHPA at a later date. We are working towards the transition, but the date of transition has not yet been determined.
No. As an LPN, your practice and authority is not affected by the RNs’ and RPNs’ transition to the RHPA. You will continue to be governed under the LPN Act and regulated in accordance with the existing standards of your profession.
We do not yet have a projected date for completing the transition. However, as Manitoba Health has now designated the LPN profession as one of the next to undergo the transition, it is possible that LPNs will be governed under the RHPA before the end of the 2024 calendar year. In the meantime, LPNs will continue to be regulated under the LPN Act.
All members of the profession will be notified in advance of the transition, along with information about what will change and how those changes might affect LPN practice.
No. If more than one health profession has the competence to perform an activity defined in the RHPA as a reserved act, the Government of Manitoba may authorize more than one health profession to perform it.
This decision has not yet been made. As part of the RHPA transition process, the CLPNM will make recommendations to the Government of Manitoba. These recommendations will be informed by consultations with LPNs, educators, employers and other stakeholders. The CLPNM will identify, in its proposal, the activities that it believes LPNs are performing safely and competently within Manitoba’s health care system today. Ultimately, the Government of Manitoba will decide which reserved acts to authorize for each health profession.
The Reserved Acts
The RHPA includes a new approach to regulating who does what in the provision of health
care services. It does this by identifying certain health care activities as “reserved acts.” These
are activities that could pose significant risk or possible harm to the public if performed by
someone without the necessary competence and skill.
Yes. All regulated health professions will be required to provide to Manitoba Health, Healthy
Living and Seniors a submission requesting authorization for the reserved acts their members
have the competence and skill to perform. In addition, for some reserved acts, the qualifications
or other specific requirements their members must meet will need to be specified.
Yes. The performance of a reserved act may be authorized to a number of regulated health
professions.
The Government of Manitoba has communicated its intention to authorize reserved acts that are recognized as part of the current scope of practice of the profession. The intent of the RHPA is to ensure public protection and accountability and to promote
inter-professional practice. The CLPNM has requested information about current practice from LPNs, employers and educators. This information will help us demonstrate the activities LPNs are qualified to perform and are performing safely and effectively in Manitoba today.
Contact Us
Input from LPNs and stakeholders will be important throughout the RHPA transition process. Please contact us with questions or to share related information about LPN practice at 204-663-1212, 1-877-663-1212 toll free, or email.
