As a ‘right-touch’ regulator, NSCN’s goal is to regulate the nursing profession by applying the minimum amount of regulatory intervention needed to achieve a desired outcome. This regulatory philosophy continues to be implemented across the organization to proactively guide and evaluate our processes, services and regulatory approaches.
Regulatory Guiding Principles rooted in the philosophy of right-touch regulation have been developed to support the application of right-touch regulation and shape the future of NSCN’s work. In 2024, the public, registrants and other impacted parties had the opportunity to review the Guiding Principles and provide feedback.
“We are grateful for the insights shared with us because they enabled us to adapt right-touch regulation philosophy to our specific context as Nova Scotia’s nursing regulator,” says Douglas Bungay, NSCN CEO and Registrar. “The guiding principles will help us to transform how we approach our work and guide decisions about our risk tolerance, approach to problem-solving, and areas to focus regulatory intervention.”
The Regulatory Guiding Principles will support NSCN to continue to make consistent, innovative, and principled choices to meet the complex and changing needs of the public. NSCN is prioritizing the integration of these principles into all areas of current and future work.
“We heard from over 550 individuals when we consulted on the draft Regulatory Guiding Principles, and I am especially proud that the principles reflect the feedback shared by those we serve,” adds Bungay. “The principles are key to enabling our regulatory work to keep step with changes in the environment while they allow us to respond to the level of risk of public harm in the most proportionate and effective way.”
Access NSCN’s Regulatory Guiding Principles and stay tuned to our next newsletter to learn more about how NSCN is implementing the principles to enhance public safety.
