All candidates for the title of specialized nurse practitioner (IPS) passed the specialty examination of the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ) held in May. This is an unrivaled success rate.
All 161 candidates passed the exam and obtained their specialist certificate in one of the five specialty classes. There are now 1,685 IPS licensed to practice in Quebec.
“Advanced nursing practice attracts new talents and their contribution will be essential for access to improved health care, to the greatest benefit of the Quebec population,” said the president of the OIIQ in a press release, Luc Mathieu.
NPs can work with different clienteles, whether on the front line, in mental health, in pediatrics, in neonatology or with adults. Since 2021, IPS can, depending on their specialty, diagnose illnesses, determine medical treatments and monitor pregnancies.
Since December, IPS can assess people and administer continuous palliative sedation and medical assistance in dying.
This pass rate contrasts with the controversy over the abnormally low pass rate for the nursing entrance exam in fall 2022. As of September 2022, only 51% of candidates achieved a passing grade on the exam. of the order. As of March 2023, the success rate stood at 53%.
The commissioner for admission to professions, Me André Gariépy, was responsible for investigating the reasons leading to this abnormally high failure rate. He revealed that the Order’s examination contained flaws and called into question the quality of the questions.
Agreeing that certain elements of the exam needed to be improved, the OIIQ announced that it would replace it in 2024 with the NCLEX-RN exam, already used in other Canadian provinces and the United States. The Order ultimately gave up implementing this exam, but relaxations had been put in place. Last March, the success rate was 92%.
