Regulatory Philosophies

Relational Regulation

At NSCN, public protection and safety is our utmost concern. We believe that we can best protect the public through collaborative approaches with nurses and the health care community, which is why we embrace a relational approach to our regulatory work. 

As a relational regulator, we find new and innovative ways of strengthening our relationships through better engagement with those impacted by nursing regulation. We look to create greater opportunities for our stakeholders to engage and provide feedback that will inform our regulatory policies. And we are committed to proactively addressing issues and providing solutions.

Our goal is always to cultivate and sustain relationships by being respectful, inclusive, genuine and consistent in all that we do while delivering on our mandate to protect the public. 

Right-Touch Regulation

As a ‘right-touch’ regulator, we approach our regulatory oversight by applying the minimal amount of regulatory force required to achieve a desired outcome. We seek to understand problems before jumping to solutions and we make sure that our level of regulation is proportionate to the level of risk to the public. This approach allows us to recognize that there is usually more than one way to solve a problem, and regulatory force may not be the best answer. The Board and staff of NSCN incorporate right-touch regulation in all aspects of our work.

At NSCN, we aim to be:

  • Proportionate: We only intervene when necessary. Remedies should be appropriate to the risk posed, and costs identified and minimized.
  • Consistent: We align our rules and standards and implement them fairly.
  • Targeted: We focus on the problem and minimize side effects.
  • Transparent: We make ourselves open and accessible and keep regulations simple and user-friendly.
  • Accountable: We justify our decisions and are open to feedback. 
  • Agile: We look forward in our environments and adapt to anticipate change.

Right-touch regulation complements our evidenced based approach to policy-making and informs all of our regulatory work.