Credentialing is required when registered nurses expand their practice and expertise beyond their traditional scope of practice. This means that they are undertaking a role or task which is usually considered within the scope of other health professionals. Ensuring patient safety is the primary consideration when determining if expansion of practice is appropriate.
Credentialed activiites/skills are guided by the area of clinical practice and professional suitability. This is combined with the needs and capability of the organisation to provide clinical practice support. The scope of the credentialed practice will be area specific.
The CDHB has a policy which outlines the application process you must go through to have the expanded scope credentialed. Please click on the links below. There are two levels of credentialing.
Decision making process
Nurse Credentialing Procedure
Level One is where the extended practice and training programme are credentialed. Extended practice is the addition of a skill or area of nursing practice responsibility.
Level Two is an expanded practice role. Both the training programme and the person who is undertaking the expanded practice is credentialed. Expanded practice is defined as expanding the boundaries of nursing practice with increased autonomy, accountability and responsibility. It requires a formal pathway with further education and credentialling (NCNZ, 2011).
Recognising expansion of practice:
- The acitivity is not usually carried out in this setting by a registered nurse and/or
- The acitivity has historically been undertaken by another profession and/or
- This activity involves new technology or procedure and/or
- This activity requires a greater degree of autonomous judgement or intervention.
The credentialing committee will determine if your application needs to undergo Level Two credentialing.
Below are the application forms, policy and background reading from the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
Nurse Credentialing Policy
Guideline Expanded Practice
Application Advanced Credentialed Activity-Skill
Individual Application Advanced Credentialed Activity Skill