The College Connection Podcast Season 6 Finale: Professional Accountability: What You Need to Know.

Practising without a valid licence is unauthorized practice and keeping your licence current is an essential part of your professional accountability. Join hosts Kelly Kean and Michelle Carpenter, College Nursing Consultants, as they welcome Bradley Walsh, Director of Registration at the NL College of Nurses, to discuss unauthorized practice and what nurses need to know about maintaining licensure with the NL College of Nurses. The conversation highlights nurses’ responsibility to confirm they hold a valid practising licence before working—including when returning from leave. We also explore currency of practice requirements, protected nursing titles, and when to contact the College about non-traditional roles or self-employment, and much more.

Resources for Nurses

Professionalism: https://nlcn.ca/standards-and-practice/practice-resources/code-of-professional-conduct/ https://nlcn.ca/standards-and-practice/practice-resources/professionalism/

Licensure Policies: https://nlcn.ca/apply/licensure-policies/

Evidence of Good Character: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Evidence-of-Good-Character.pdf

Practice Hours Reporting: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Practice-Hours-Reporting.pdf

Under Review or Investigation in Another Jurisdiction: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Under-Review-or-Investigation-in-another-Jurisdiction.pdf

Verification of Licensure: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Verification-of-Licensure.pdf

Unauthorized Practice: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Unauthorized-Practice.pdf

Criminal Record Check: https://nlcn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Criminal-Record-Check.pdf

Appealing a Licensure Decision: https://nlcn.ca/apply/appealing-licensure-decision/

Liability Protection: https://nlcn.ca/renew-your-licence/liability-protection/

CNPS — Professional Liability Protection and Core Services (RNs, NPs and RPNs): https://cnps.ca/services/plp-core/

CNPS — Eligibility, Registration and Renewal: https://cnps.ca/join-or-renew/

Navacord — Canadian LPN Insurance Program: https://www.lloydsadd.com/insurance/specialty-programs/lpn/ Licensure and Service Fees: https://nlcn.ca/renew-your-licence/fees/ Like, Share, Subscribe!

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🚨 ALL NEW 🚨

The Duty to Report!

A conversation about our responsibility to protect the public & uphold professional standards.

When does a concern about another nurse become something you’re required to report?

In this episode of College Connection Podcast, Michelle Carpenter and Wanda Squires sit down with Brenda Carroll, Director of Professional Conduct Review, to explore a nurse’s Duty to Report. They discuss what the Duty to Report means in practice, when a report to the College may be required, and why reporting certain concerns is an important part of protecting the public and maintaining trust in the nursing profession.

As nurses, understanding your reporting responsibilities is an important part of professional nursing practice.

If you see or become aware of something concerning, do you know when you have a Duty to Report? This episode helps nurses understand when that responsibility applies and what to do next.

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Before You Do It: Understanding Your Scope of Practice

Am I educated? Am I authorized? Am I competent?

When you’re faced with a nursing activity and find yourself wondering, “Is this within my scope?” the answer isn’t always a simple yes or no.

In this episode of College Connection, the College’s Practice Consultants break down one of the most important—and sometimes misunderstood—concepts in nursing: scope of practice.

Rather than relying on a list of tasks nurses can or cannot perform, we’ll introduce a practical three-question check that can help guide your decision-making: Am I educated? Am I authorized? Am I competent?

We’ll explore what each of those questions really means, how your individual scope of practice can differ from another nurse’s, and why being able to perform an activity doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

Whether you’re an RN, NP, LPN or RPN, this episode will help you think differently about scope and make informed, safe decisions in your everyday practice.

Find the Scope of Practice documents here: https://nlcn.ca/standards-and-practice/scope-of-practice/

Find the Considerations for Determining Assignment of Care here: https://nlcn.ca/standards-and-practice/practice-resources/considerations-for-determining-assignment-of-care/

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What kinds of concerns are reported to the College, and what can nurses learn from them?

In this episode of The College Connection Podcast, hosts Kelly Kean and Wanda Squires sit down with Brenda Carroll, Director of Professional Conduct Review, to discuss some of the more common allegations and complaints received by the NL College of Nurses.

The conversation explores recurring areas of concern, what these complaints can tell us about professional expectations, and how nurses can use these lessons to support safe, ethical and accountable practice.

It’s a practical look at professional conduct—not just what can go wrong, but what nurses can learn from the concerns that come before the College.

The NL College of Nurses offers a Toolkit for Resolving Professional Practice Issues here: https://nlcn.ca/standards-and-practice/practice-resources/toolkit-for-resolving-professional-practice-issues/

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How to Navigate the new NL College of Nurses Website

The Newfoundland & Labrador College of Nurses has a brand-new website—and in this episode of The College Connection Podcast, we’re giving you a complete guided tour.

Join hosts Kelly Kean, Michelle Carpenter, and Wanda Squires as they walk you through the website step by step, highlighting the features, tools, and resources designed to make it easier than ever for nurses and the public to find the information they need.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

✔️ Navigate the website with confidence

✔️ Find registration and licensing information

✔️ Access standards, practice resources, and guidance documents

✔️ Locate complaints and conduct information

✔️ Search for news, notices, and important updates

✔️ Find the answers you’re looking for—quickly and easily

Whether you’re a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Psychiatric Nurse, a nursing student, employer, or member of the public, this episode will help you get the most from the College’s new online experience.

🌐 Explore the website: https://nlcn.ca

🎙️ The College Connection Podcast brings you conversations, updates, and insights about nursing regulation in Newfoundland and Labrador, keeping you informed about the work of the NL College of Nurses and the issues that matter most to the nursing profession and the public.

If you found this episode helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and share so you never miss future episodes.

#NLCollegeOfNurses #Nursing #NLNursing #NursingRegulation #NLNurses #CollegeConnectionPodcast #RN #LPN #NP #RPN

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ALL NEW!

Join hosts Kelly Kean, Wanda Squires, and Michelle Carpenter as they sit down with Lynn Power, CEO/Registrar, and Wanda Wadman, Deputy Registrar, to discuss one of the most significant milestones in nursing regulation in Newfoundland and Labrador—the establishment of the NL College of Nurses.

In this episode, you’ll learn how the former College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CRNNL) and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CLPNNL) came together to form a single, modern nursing regulator, and what has happened since the merger to integrate programs, policies, processes, and services while continuing to fulfill the College’s mandate of protecting the public.

The conversation also explores the upcoming Board elections, including what’s new under the Nurses Act, the Board positions available, who is eligible to run, what serving on the Board involves, and how nurses can play an important role in the governance and strategic direction of the NL College of Nurses.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about the College’s evolution, the work taking place following the merger, or considering putting your name forward for the Board, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of nursing regulation in Newfoundland and Labrador.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to the College Connection Podcast so you never miss an episode.

Resources:

🌐 Learn more about the NL College of Nurses: https://nlcn.ca

🗳️ Learn more about Board elections and governance: https://nlcn.ca/about-us/board/

#NLCollegeOfNurses #CollegeConnectionPodcast #Nursing #Nurses #RegisteredNurses #LicensedPracticalNurses #NursePractitioners #RegisteredPsychiatricNurses

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⭐️ Season 5 Finale: Merger Update & The Role of Governance in Regulation

This special season finale of The College Connection Podcast brings together two influential voices in nursing regulation: Tonya Ryan, Chair of CRNNL Council, and Chris Janes, Chair of the CLPNNL Board. Join hosts Kelly Kean and Wanda Squires as they explore how governance shapes the profession—and what nurses can expect as the CRNNL and CLPNNL officially move toward one unified college.

Hear exclusive updates on:

• The progress of the merger

• Key leadership announcements

• What the governance of the NL College of Nurses will look like in 2026

Don’t miss this important conversation as we wrap up Season 5 with insight, clarity, and a look ahead at what’s next for nurses across Newfoundland and Labrador.

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In this episode of The College Connection Podcast, we chat with Brenda Carroll, Director of Professional Conduct Review at the College of Registered Nurses, to discuss one of the most critical aspects of nursing practice: documentation.

Brenda offers insights into why clear, timely, and accurate documentation is not just a professional obligation—but also a nurse’s strongest protection in the event of a complaint or investigation. From real-world examples to common documentation pitfalls, this episode empowers RNs with practical advice to ensure their records reflect safe, ethical, and competent care.

Whether you’re a new graduate or a seasoned RN, this is a must-listen episode that reinforces a fundamental truth: if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.

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