Last updated May 21, 2020
The College recognizes that the current COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta has MRTs and ENPs facing difficult times, including unanticipated job loss and changes in areas of practice.
Regulated members have been called upon to fill an unprecedented and complex need during the global pandemic. This need came upon the profession quickly and gave our members little time to adequately prepare for the magnitude of the response required. They have had to learn and adapt to new information, and to develop skills or competencies that cannot be taught through formal continuing education — they are learned through experience and practical application. The College recognizes that this unique experience has resulted in learning, greater understanding and skill development for all members.
The College Council, Competence Committee and Registrar have considered this constantly evolving situation very carefully, and based on the information before them at this time, they have made two changes to the current CCP cycle that runs from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020.
1. Members are required to complete two hours of learning for every month they hold general registration during the 2019-20 cycle, up to a maximum of 12 required hours.
Regulated members who are registered for more than six months during this cycle will automatically be granted two more hours for each additional month in recognition of the time they are spending managing, adapting and updating their skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. These hours do not need to be logged in My CCP and will bring the total learning hours to 24 for those registered for the full cycle.
Given the College mandate to serve the best interest of the public, this one-time adjustment recognizes the unique hardship presented by the pandemic while acknowledging that it is still important for members to maintain competence in their area of practice. Please remember that College courses, including the Regulation Education Module, Heightening Professional Boundaries and Occupational Health and Safety in the Health Care Environment and the AFRHP Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Misconduct course are free and may be counted for up to four hours each towards a CCP cycle.
2. Members who are selected for the Competence Committee audit in 2019-20 can choose to defer their audit to the next year.
In summary, we have adjusted the minimum number of learning hours and are providing flexibility to defer the Competence Committee audit to acknowledge the challenges our members are experiencing due to the pandemic. We continue to monitor the environment for data to ascertain how long this pandemic will last, whether there will be a resurgence, and how to ensure capacity to respond appropriately to the needs of the public, members, volunteers and College staff.
Please feel welcome to contact Alefiyah Gulamhusein if you have any questions about the CCP.