Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides Profession Regulation

(Consolidated up to 12/2026) ALBERTA REGULATION 81/2003 Health Professions Act LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES AND HEALTH CARE AIDES PROFESSION REGULATION Table of Contents 1 Definitions 2 Register categories Registration 3 General register education, exam requirements 4 Specialized practice registration 6 Provisional registration 7 Courtesy registration 8 Equivalent jurisdiction 9 Equivalent competence Titles and Abbreviations 12 Authorization to use titles, etc. Practice Permit Renewal Requirements 24 Renewal requirements Transitional Provisions, Repeal and Coming into Force 36.1 Transitional re Health Care Aide Directory 37 Repeal 38 Coming into force Definitions 1 In this Regulation, (a) “College” means the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta; (b) “Council” means the council of the College; (c) “health care aides courtesy register” means the health care aides courtesy register category of the regulated members register; (d) “health care aides general register” means the health care aides general register category of the regulated members register; (e) “health care aides provisional register” means the health care aides provisional register category of the regulated members register; (f) “health care aides transitional register” means the health care aides transitional register category of the regulated members register; (g) “licensed practical nurses courtesy register” means the licensed practical nurses courtesy register category of the regulated members register; (h) “licensed practical nurses general register” means the licensed practical nurses general register category of the regulated members register; (i) “licensed practical nurses provisional register” means the licensed practical nurses provisional register category of the regulated members register; (j) “Registrar” means the registrar of the College; (k) “Registration Committee” means the registration committee of the College. AR 81/2003 s1;131/2019;47/2023;12/2026 Register categories 2 The regulated members register established by the Council under section 33(1)(a) of the Act has the following categories: (a) health care aides courtesy register; (b) health care aides general register; (c) health care aides provisional register; (d) health care aides transitional register; (e) licensed practical nurses courtesy register; (f) licensed practical nurses general register; (g) licensed practical nurses provisional register. AR 81/2003 s2;131/2019;12/2026 Registration General register education, exam requirements 3 (1) An applicant for registration as a regulated member on the licensed practical nurses general register must (a) have a diploma or certificate in practical nursing from a program approved by the Council, and (b) have passed a registration examination approved by the Council. (1.1) An applicant for registration as a regulated member on the health care aides general register must (a) have successfully completed a health care aide education program approved by the Council, and (b) have passed a registration examination approved by the Council. (2) An applicant under subsection (1) or (1.1), as the case may be, must (a) within the 4‑year period immediately preceding the application, have completed the requirements set out in subsection (1) or (1.1), as applicable , (b) have successfully completed a refresher program approved by the Council, or (c) have been actively engaged, in accordance with criteria approved by the Council, in the practice of (i) in the case of registration under subsection (1), practical nursing, or (ii) in the case of registration under subsection (1.1), being a health care aide. AR 81/2003 s3;12/2026 4 Repealed AR 131/2019 s4. 5 Repealed AR 12/2026 s6. Provisional registration 6 (1) An applicant who has fulfilled the registration requirements of section 3(1)(a) or 3(1.1)(a), as the case may be, but has not passed a registration examination approved by the Council may be registered on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be. (2) A regulated member on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be, must pass the applicable registration examination approved by the Council within one year of their registration on the applicable provisional register. (3) A regulated member is entitled to three attempts, within one year of their registration, at passing the registration examination referred to in subsection (2). (4) A regulated member’s registration on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be, expires one year from the date on which the regulated member was registered on the applicable provisional register unless (a) the registration is cancelled and the regulated member’s name is removed from the applicable provisional register in accordance with subsection (5), or (b) the regulated member passes the registration examination referred to in subsection (2) and the regulated member’s name is removed from the applicable provisional register in accordance with subsection (6). (5) The Registrar must, on notification of a regulated member on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be, being found to be unsuccessful on a third attempt at passing the registration examination referred to in subsection (2), (a) cancel the regulated member’s registration on the applicable provisional register, and (b) remove the regulated member’s name from the applicable provisional register. (6) As soon as practicable on a regulated member on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be, passing the registration examination referred to in subsection (2) within the applicable period, the Registrar must (a) remove the regulated member’s name from the applicable provisional register, and (b) enter the regulated member’s name on the appropriate category of the register of regulated members, as determined by the Registrar. (7) A regulated member on the licensed practical nurses provisional register or health care aides provisional register, as the case may be, may practise only while supervised in a manner satisfactory to the Registrar or Registration Committee. AR 81/2003 s6;131/2019;12/2026 Courtesy registration 7 (1) A person who is registered as a practical nurse or health care aide, as the case may be, in good standing in another jurisdiction who requires registration in Alberta on a temporary basis for a specified purpose approved by the Registrar and who satisfies the Registrar of having competence to provide the services related to the specified purpose is eligible for registration on the applicable courtesy register . (2) A regulated member may be registered on the licensed practical nurses courtesy register or health care aides courtesy register, as the case may be, for a period of not more than 3 months, as specified by the Registrar. (3) A regulated member who is registered on the licensed practical nurses courtesy register or health care aides courtesy register, as the case may be, must remain registered in the jurisdiction in which the person was registered at the time of the person’s application for registration on the applicable courtesy register . AR 81/2003 s7;131/2019;12/2026 Equivalent jurisdiction 8 A person currently registered in good standing in another jurisdiction recognized by the Council under section 28(2)(b) of the Act as having substantially equivalent registration requirements may be registered on the licensed practical nurses general register or health care aides general register, as applicable . AR 81/2003 s8;131/2019;12/2026 Equivalent competence 9 (1) An applicant who does not meet the requirements under section 3 or 6 but whose qualifications have been determined by the Registrar to be substantially equivalent to the competence requirements set out in section 3 or 6 may be registered on the appropriate category of the regulated members register. (2) In determining whether or not an applicant’s qualifications are substantially equivalent under subsection (1), the Registrar may require the applicant to undergo an examination, testing or assessment activity to assist with the determination. (3) The Registrar may direct the applicant to undergo any education or training activities the Registrar considers necessary in order for the applicant to be registered. (4) The Registrar may request any further information and evidence that the Registrar considers necessary. 10 and 11 Repealed AR 47/2023 s3 . Titles and Abbreviations Authorization to use titles, etc. 12 (1) A regulated member on the licensed practical nurses general register, licensed practical nurses provisional register or licensed practical nurses courtesy register, as the case may be, may use any of the following titles or abbreviations: (a) “licensed practical nurse”; (b) “practical nurse”; (c) “nursing assistant”; (d) “L.P.N.”; (e) “R.N.A.”. (2) A regulated member on the health care aides general register, health care aides provisional register, health care aides courtesy register or health care aides transitional register, as the case may be, may use the following title or abbreviation: (a) “health care aide”; (b) “H.C.A.”. (3) A regulated member may use the word “registered” in conjunction with a title referred to in subsection (1) or (2), as applicable. AR 81/2003 s12;12/2026 13 to 17 Repealed AR 47/2023 s4. 18 and 19 Repealed AR 131/2019 s10. 20 and 21 Repealed AR 47/2023 s4. 22 and 23 Repealed AR 47/2023 s5. Practice Permit Renewal Requirements Renewal requirements 24 In addition to meeting the requirements established under section 40 of the Act, a regulated member applying for renewal of the member’s practice permit must provide a photo ID of the member as requested and in the form required by the Registrar or Registration Committee . AR 81/2003 s24;47/2023 25 to 28 Repealed AR 47/2023 s8. 29 to 32 Repealed AR 47/2023 s9. 33 to 35 Repealed AR 47/2023 s10. Transitional Provisions, Repeal and Coming into Force 36 Repealed AR 12/2026 s11. Transitional re Health Care Aide Directory 36.1 (1) In this section, (a) “Health Care Aide Directory” means the Health Care Aide Directory referred to in section 9 of Schedule 10 to the Act; (b) “member” means an individual who is enrolled in the Health Care Aide Directory. (2) A member with a competency status of certified, substantially equivalent or deemed competent, as the case may be, immediately before the coming into force of section 9 of Schedule 10 to the Act is, on the coming into force of that section, deemed to be a regulated member on the health care aides general register. (3) A member with the competency status of certified in‑progress immediately before the coming into force of section 9 of Schedule 10 to the Act is, on the coming into force of that section, deemed to be a regulated member on the health care aides provisional register. (4) A member with the competency status of substantially equivalent in‑progress or deemed competent in‑progress, as the case may be, immediately before the coming into force of section 9 of Schedule 10 to the Act is, on the coming into force of that section, deemed to be a regulated member on the health care aides transitional register. (5) Subject to subsection (7), a regulated member on the health care aides transitional register must, within one year of the date on which section 9 of Schedule 10 to the Act comes into force, successfully complete the requirements of the applicable competency status of the Health Care Aide Directory as those requirements existed immediately before the coming into force of that section. (6) At least 30 calendar days before the date on which the period referred to in subsection (5) expires, a regulated member on the health care aides transitional register may, in a form and manner determined by the Registrar, make a request to the Registrar for an extension of that period. (7) On receiving a regulated member’s request made under subsection (6), the Registrar may extend the period referred to in subsection (5) as it applies to the regulated member (a) by not more than one year, and (b) only if the Registrar is satisfied that extenuating circumstances apply to the regulated member’s case that justify the extension. (8) A regulated member’s registration on the health care aides transitional register is cancelled on the earlier of the following: (a) the date on which the regulated member is found to be unsuccessful in the completion of the requirements referred to in subsection (5); (b) the date on which the applicable period for successfully completing the requirements under subsection (5) expires. (9) On the cancellation of a regulated member’s registration under subsection (8), the Registrar must remove the regulated member’s name from the register. (10) Immediately on a regulated member becoming aware of a finding of unsuccessful completion of the requirements referred to in subsection (5) within the applicable period, the regulated member must notify the Registrar of that finding. (11) As soon as practicable on a regulated member on the health care aides transitional register successfully completing the requirements referred to in subsection (5) within the applicable period, the Registrar must (a) remove the regulated member’s name from the health care aides transitional register, and (b) enter the regulated member’s name on the appropriate category of the register of regulated members, as determined by the Registrar. (12) A regulated member on the health care aides transitional register may practise only while supervised in a manner satisfactory to the Registrar or Registration Committee. AR 12/2026 s12 Repeal 37 The Licensed Practical Nurses Regulation (AR 103/97) is repealed. Coming into force 38 This Regulation comes into force on the coming into force of Schedule 10 to the Health Professions Act .