Assignment, Orders and Delegation Policy
ASSIGNMENT
A member of the College of Chiropodists of Ontario (“College”) may assign to an individual, employed or engaged within the member’s practice, acts within the practice of chiropody which are not controlled acts, provided the member assigning the act is satisfied that the person has the knowledge, skill and judgment to safely and effectively perform those acts. The member who assigns these acts retains full responsibility and accountability to the patient for the performance of those acts.
ORDERS
Under the Nursing Act, 1991, nurses registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario are authorized to perform certain controlled acts where a member has provided an order to perform that act for one of the member’s patients1. A member should only provide an order for a nurse to perform:
- a procedure below the dermis of the foot, for example, wound care; or
the administration by injection of a drug used by the member in his or her practice. - A member should not provide an order to a nurse where the member believes that the nurse does not have the knowledge, skill and judgment to safely and effectively perform the procedure.
An order may be given either orally or in writing, however, where an order is given orally, details of the order shall be written into the member’s chart for the patient. A written order should be recorded either in the member’s chart for the patient or a copy of the order maintained with that chart.
1 The Public Hospitals Act, Ontario does not permit members of this College to make orders for in-patients within a public hospital.
DELEGATION
No member of the College should delegate any act authorized to members under the Chiropody Act, 1991 unless and until there is a specific Regulation passed by Council permitting that delegation.