FAQ - Registration

List of contents:

General
1.  Do new graduates have to renew their license during the first two years after graduation?
Yes.  All members licenses expire on December 31st and all members must apply for license renewal by December 1st of each year.  New graduates must renew their licenses with the usual renewal application form.  However, they do not have to submit a CME Report Form.

2.  How do we get someone back in the system, for example, an EMT who let his/her license                                            lapse last year or the year before?
A former member who let their license lapse must apply for reinstatement.  This involves completing the reinstatement Application plus demonstrating that he/she has met the mandatory and Continuing Medical Education requirements as well as written the exam if at the PCP or ACP level.  If the person has not been registered for more than two years, he/she may be required to take a re-entry program or the entire program over again. A Criminal Record Check is required.  The Reinstatement Fee is $275 on top of the licensing fee.

3.  Do practitioners licensed in other provinces who work only occasionally in Saskatchewan have to register with the College?
Yes.  Individuals who work or volunteer in Saskatchewan as EMRs, EMTs, EMT-Advanced, or EMT-Paramedics or as medics, fire medics, PCP, ICP or ACPs, must be registered with the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics.  This applies even if the work is temporary or occasional.

4.  Are you differing registration requirements for initial applicants who are recent graduates from those for applicants licensed in other jurisdictions?
Yes.  The differences are shown in the following table.

 

Registration Requirement

Graduate

Licensed Elsewhere

Renewal

Unique Registration Form

x

x

x

Transcript & Certificate/Diploma

x

Mandatory Certifications

x

x

Continuing Medical Education Report Form

x

Licensing Exam & Fee

x

Jurisprudence Declaration/Exam

x

x

Criminal Record Check

x

x

Verification of Registration in another province

x

Photo with Identification Verified

x

x

x

Training to Address Deficiencies

x

Initial Processing Fee

x

x

Licensing Fee

x

x

x

 

 

 

Types of Licenses
5.  What is a Non-practicing registration and when is it used?
A non-practicing registration is intended for people who wish to retain membership in the College but do not intend to work or volunteer within their scope of practice.  The non-practicing registration may be appropriate for someone taking maternity leave, extended disability leave or will be working in another province but may come back to Saskatchewan in the future.  It is also sometimes used by administrators who will not be practicing.  By taking a non-practicing license members can avoid the reinstatement process and the reinstatement fee of $275.

6.  What is the non-practicing registration fee?
The non-practicing fee is $50.

7.  How long can a member retain a non-practicing registration?
The non-practicing registration can be renewed for up to five years.  After five years, a non-practicing registration must be reviewed by council and could be revoked or extended at that time.

8.  What must a person do to return to practicing after a period with a non-practicing registration?
To return to practice in less than two years a member must demonstrate that they have met the CME requirements for licensure.  After two years or more of non-practice, a member who wishes to return to practicing must demonstrate s/he has met all the requirements for initial registration and the CME requirements for the year OR complete a re-entry program.

9.  What fees must be paid to move from non-practicing to practicing status?
There is a status fee of $50 and the difference in the licensing fees.

10.  What if someone wants to return to practice after a brief period of non-practice (such as maternity leave) and hasn’t been able to complete CME requirements?  Is there some way they can be licensed?
The Registrar will assess these situations on a case by case basis, and may issue a restricted license to practice for up to six months while the person completes the CME requirements.

Restricted Licenses

11.  What is a Restricted License?
A Restricted License is issued by the College to constrain the practice of a member either by placing conditions on the renewal of the license (eg. 3 or 6 months to complete an educational such as ITLS) or limitations on the members practice (eg. Require supervision, or ban a specific protocol or ban access to drugs).  The specific restriction is recorded on the certificate of licensure issued to the member.

12.  When is a Restricted License used?
According to the Regulatory Bylaws, a restricted License may be issued by the Registrar in three circumstances: (1) where the member has not completed educational or CME requirements; (2) where the applicant has graduated but has not yet written the entry to practice exam; and (3) where the member’s practice is restricted through a Consensual Complaint Resolution Agreement with the Professional Conduct Committee or through a Disciplinary hearing.

13.  How would I know that someone has a restricted license and what the specific restrictions are?
The wallet sized membership card and the Certificate of licensure issued to the member both note that the license is restricted.  The Certificate of Licensure will also note the specific details of the restriction.  You should ask for a copy of the Certificate of Licensure to clarify the restriction.  In addition, the College notes on the list of members on the website if the member has a restricted license.

14.  Is there a fee for a restricted License?
Yes.  There is a surcharge of $100 for issuing a Restricted License.  This fee covers the cost of monitoring the restriction and issuing a special license and a replacement license once the restrictions have been met and is on top of the regular licensing fee.

Entry Level training Requirements

15.  Do applicants for licensure have to provide certificates or transcripts of their entry level training?
Yes.  Any candidate for registration must provide their certificate/diploma and official transcript from the training institution in order to be issued a license to practice.

16.  Is there any way to get a license while you wait for the certificate to be submitted?
Yes.  If there is some other evidence of program completion such as a letter from the instructor, a Restricted License can be issued for a few months until the member can supply the certificate.  However, there is a $100 surcharge for a Restricted License, so if it is only a matter of days before the certificate is available, it may be better to wait for it.  Original transcripts are required before a license will be issued.

Emergency Medical Responders

17.  Where can we get EMR training?
The college has approved the Red Cross and Saint John Ambulance EMR training programs.  Other programs could be approved if they meet the college requirements.  For example, an agency that wishes to deliver its own EMR program could submit a program proposal to the college for approval.

Fees

18.  Should a graduate in November or December wait for the next year to register to avoid double fees?
A graduate will have to pay a change of status or initial registration fee no matter when they apply for registration.  If the graduate wants to work in December, they will need to apply for a license to practice in that year and then immediately renew their license for next year.  The fee after October 1st  is 60% of the annual fee and the fee after July 1st is 80% of the annual fee.

19.  Why doesn’t the College take personal cheques?  It is such a hassle for the practitioners. You could always hold the license until you are sure the cheque is cashable.
The Council consulted with Alberta College of Paramedics (ACP) before developing its policies and the ACP strongly recommended not accepting personal cheques because of the problem of collecting on bounced cheques.  There has been no discussion of changing the policy at this stage, members must pay by means of a certified cheque, a money order, a Visa or Master card, or a company /health Region cheque.

20.  Will the Ministry of Health pay for our licensing fees?
This is a question best addressed by the Ministry of Health.  The Paramedics Act and the Regulatory Bylaws make it clear that it is a member’s responsibility to pay the licensing fee.

21.  Under employment status on the form you ask for a date of employment “from” – is this initial employment  or just in the current year?
The initial date when the member began working for this agency.   If you are currently not employed, please leave blank.

22.  Why does the College require reporting of number of calls and number of patients as lead attendant?
All professional regulators are challenged to find ways to ensure that members are competent and have recent practice (currency) of their professional skills.  Some have minimum practice requirements to establish currency (for example the SRNA requires a certain number of hours worked).  The College has not established such a requirement.  We are asking members to self-report their practice opportunities in the past year.  We are also collecting data that we can analyze for use over time to consider what might be appropriate currency standards for SCoP.

23.  What Should Fire and Industrial paramedics indicate for “# of patients as lead attendant” EMS is generally viewed as the lead attendant?
For EMS Agencies lead attendant will be the familiar concept.  For Fire and Industrial Agencies, answer this question with a count of the number of patients attended prior to transferring them to the care of EMS.

24.  Can we use an estimate for the number of patients and number of call attended?
We are expecting the numbers reported in this section to be verifiable.  If the member makes an estimate s/he should be able to explain why that estimate is realistic.  It would be advisable for the member to keep a record of the information used to develop the estimate.  Ideally the number would be accurately extracted from Patient Care Record summaries or fire calls.

25.  Why do we need a Criminal record Check?
The Saskatchewan College of Paramedics Regulatory Bylaw 2(1)(d) states that all new applications registration and all registration renewal applications (where registration has not been continuous) submit the results of a Criminal Record Check (also known in some jurisdictions as an RCMP clearance letter).  This must also include a vulnerable sector query.  It is generally agreed that offences under the Criminal Code of Canada may bring an applicant’s character in question.  As the college’s mandate is to protect the public by ensuring that only competent and ethical practitioners are registered, this requirement is one method used by the College to check on an applicant’s character.

26.  Do members have to submit a Criminal Record Check with their license renewal every year?
No. We require Criminal Record Checks only on the initial application for registration with the College or if there is a new charge or conviction since the initial application.  Any member who provided a Criminal Record Check last year, and who has no subsequent charges or convictions, does not have to provide a Criminal Record Check this year.

27.  The Registration Form asks members to declare whether they have had criminal charges or convictions in the last three years? Why three years and does that mean someone with a recent conviction or charge has to revisit information provided to the College in the registration process last year?
The three year period was chosen because there is a delay in entry of charges in to the police system so it can take more than a year for the charges or convictions to show up on a Criminal record Check.  If the offence occurred in the last three years and the member supplied documentation in the registration cycle, they should check “B” on the Registration Form and write on the form “Documentation Supplied to SCoP”.  If there is a charge or conviction that was not reported to SCoP last year, then the member should call the Executive Director to discuss what further steps are necessary.

28.  I’ve been a practitioner for years already.  What if the criminal record check shows a conviction?
If an applicant submits a criminal record check, which either states that there may be a conviction or provides the specific details of a conviction, the application must be referred for further review.  As with any policy which may potentially affect a practitioner’s livelihood, there must be consideration of the circumstances surrounding individual cases before registration is denied.  The severity of the offence, the relevance of the offence to the practice of the discipline or to the applicant’s competence to practice the discipline, as well as whether the applicant has been successfully rehabilitated must be taken into account.  Such an approach provides a mechanism for identifying circumstances where the public may be placed at risk yet allows an applicant who has been convicted of a serious offence an opportunity to demonstrate that he/she is competent and no longer a threat to the public.
The College has developed guidelines to assist in the review of such applications.  Automatic denial of registration in not an option: referral to the council is.  If the criminal conviction does not fall within the guidelines for the College’s review and approval, the application must be reviewed by council.

29.  How do I obtain a Criminal Record Check? How long does it take?
Criminal Record Checks can be obtained from the local police service where you reside.  If your community does not have a police service, you can obtain a Criminal Record Check from the nearest RCMP detachment.  Depending on the police service, there may be a charge for the results of the Criminal Record Check.  Depending on the police service, it can take a few minutes or a few days to get the Criminal record Check completed.
You will likely need two pieces of identification such as your Driver’s license and either a birth certificate or passport.  Requirements are established by each police service.  You may want to contact your local police service in advance to confirm the hours of operation, the identification documents you will need to provide, the cost and method of payment, and the length of time it will take to obtain the documentation.
Note, you must specifically request and provide written consent for a Vulnerable Sector Search to be done.  Information related to convictions for some sexual offences remain on this registry, regardless of whether a pardon has been granted.  Your Criminal Record Results must indicate that the Vulnerable Sector Search has been completed.
Remember: only the original criminal record check document obtained from the local police service (the one with the original signature) is valid for the College application purposes.

30.  What do Criminal Record Check results contain?
A Criminal Record Check report from the police service will indicate that a name check only has been completed (including a Vulnerable Sector Check) and as a result either a criminal record does not exist, OR a criminal record “may or may not exist”.  It will also confirm whether there are any outstanding charges.
A document that indicates a criminal record “may or may not exist” does not automatically mean a conviction exists.  It means that a fingerprint check may take several months to complete and may require an additional application process.

31.  What happens to my Criminal Record Check report once it is received by the College?
To ensure confidentiality and privacy of information, the Criminal Record Check document is maintained in confidential, secure files by the College.  The application information and the Criminal Record Check are kept confidential and accessible only to the Registrar.  If the document indicates that a criminal record “may or may not exist”, the Registrar will require additional information from you.  In this case both the criminal record check document and the additional information may be presented in de-identified form to the Registration Committee of Council, and potentially to the full Council.  All Council and Committee members swear an oath to protect confidentiality.

32.  Who pays the cost of my Criminal Record Check?
The individual obtaining the Criminal Record Check is responsible for paying its cost.

33.  Could someone be denied a license because they have a criminal record?
Yes.  The Registration Committee of the College reviews all applications with serious criminal records and recommends to the Registrar whether a license will be issued or restrictions will be placed on the license.

Registry Numbers

34.  Does my Registry number have to begin with 10, 20, 30, or 40 for me to work in Ambulance Services?
No.  The first two digits of the registry number indicate classification or license level, not employer.  It is true that historically the Ministry of Health used the first two digits to indicate employer.  The College has discontinued that practice.

Licensing Exam for Entry to Practice

35.  Why does Saskatchewan need licensing exams?
Entry to practice licensing exams are used by regulators to provide assurance that the initial registrant is qualified/competent to practice.  It is a key practice to ensure protection of the public.  Historically, Saskatchewan did not have a licensing exam.  Because there was only one training provider in the province, the government was assured of the quality of graduates through its regulation of SIAST.  However, SCoP does not regulate SIAST.  We have instituted licensing exams initially at the PCP and ACP levels as a means to assess competence before we issue a license.

36.  I thought it had something to do with Labour Mobility?
That is another factor which caused Council to accelerate the other implementation of licensing exams.  Under the Labour Mobility provisions of the Agreement on Internal Trade, regulators in other provinces must license practitioners who are licensed to practice in other Provinces.  Other regulators were concerned that practitioners could come to Saskatchewan for a license and avoid their entry to practice exams but then turn around and use the SK license to get a license from their province.  SCoP agreed, as part of the negotiations to implement full labour mobility, to close this “back door” approach to other regulators’ licenses.  To do this Council initially required all out of province graduates to write the licensing exam in the province in which they trained.  Now they can write the SCoP licensing exams.

37.  Who has to write a licensing exam?
Only new applicants for registration or reinstatement with SCoP at the EMT/PCP levels or members who are upgrading to the PCP or ACP level must write the entry to practice licensing exams.

38.  Do people who are seeking to renew their license with the College need to write the exams?
There is no connection between the exams and license renewal.  No one has to write the exam to get their license renewed.  With one exception, people who are currently registered with the College do not write the exams.  The exception is current members who train to a new level may be required to write the exam-eg. An EMT/PCP graduating as an ACP will write the exam.  There is no exam at this time at the EMT-A/ICP level but when the College has developed that exam, it will be required of those upgrading to ICP status.

39.  Are SIAST graduates exempt from the exam?
SIAST graduates from programs that started prior to Aug.1, 2009, are exempt from the exam.  SIAST graduates from PCP and ACP programs which started after August 1, 2009, must write the exam if they wish to be licensed to practice in Saskatchewan.

40.  Do people who are licensed in another province have to write the SCoP licensing exams?
For initial registration, if a person is licensed in another province, they are eligible for a Saskatchewan license to practice without the SCoP entry to practice exams.  Similarly, if a SCoP member wishes to be licensed in another province, s/he would not need to write that province’s exams.
The SCoP exam is a written assessment.  The written exams are comprised of multiple choice, true/false, and scenario questions.  The content of the exam is drawn from the Saskatchewan Emergency Protocols and the National Occupational Competency Profile for Paramedics.  Two and a half hours are allowed to write the exams which are 135 to 145 questions.

41.  Is there a cost for writing the exam?
Yes.  The fee to write the licensing exam is $300.00

42.  If someone fails their first attempt at the written exam, can they rewrite?
The Regulatory Bylaws allow for three attempts at the exam (the initial and two rewrites).  The rewrite must be at least 15 days after the initial attempt.  There is a $300.00 fee for each rewrite.

43.  What if someone fails in all three attempts at the exam?
A person who fails all three attempts at the licensing exam will not be allowed to write again until they take a refresher program.

Field Support System

44.  How does a person get to be a coordinator? Can they just sign up?
In order to become a coordinator, a person must (1) be nominated/authorized by a manager of their agency and nominated by one of either an instructor, supervisor, EMS Coordinator/Director or some other member in good standing who is in a position of authority (ie. two nominations); (2) complete the training offered by SCoP and (3) sign the agent and confidentiality agreement with SCoP.

45.  Is the Coordinator position tied to the specific agency which nominated the person to be a coordinator?
Yes.  The position is tied to the nominating agency- the person is an agent for the College for that agency.  But if some other agency hires them and nominates them, they would not have to retake the training.
46.  Is there a limit to the number of people an agency can nominate to be coordinators?
No.  The number designated is determined by the agency who nominates them.  Of course they must all complete the training and sign the agent and confidentiality agreement with the College.

47.  Is a coordinator limited to working with the employees of the agency which nominated him/her?
This is an issue best worked out with the agency manager.  From the College perspective, once you are trained and have signed the agent and confidentiality agreement with the College, you may work with any member of the College who designates you as their coordinator on the privacy waiver on their registration form.

48.  How do we get access to coordinator training?  Will it be available around the province or only in Regina?
We will attempt to make it available in a few locations around the province, but will need to manage this in an affordable way.

49.  Who signs off the Coordinator CME Form?
Another coordinator, a practitioner at the same level or higher, or the College Executive Director.  The Coordinator cannot certify his or her own CME.

Copyright © 2012 Saskatchewan College of Paramedics