Nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

s in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

practise in a wide variety of settings, with various levels of training and experience. They provide evidence-based care and educate their patients about health and disease. The role that nurses have played in the development of Canada has been recognized through the designation of seven

National Historic Sites of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as bein ...

related to nursing. Five nurses' residences (the Ann Baillie Building, Begbie Hall, the Hersey Pavilion, the Pavillon Mailloux and the St. Boniface Hospital Nurses' Residence) were designated in commemoration of the growing professionalism of nursing and of the expanded role of nurses in health care over the course of the 20th century. The La Corne Nursing Station and the

Wilberforce Red Cross Outpost The Wilberforce Red Cross Outpost, located in the village of Wilberforce, Ontario is the location of the first Red Cross health post in Ontario. It was designated as a national historic site of Canada in 2003. History Prior to World War I, th ...

were designated, in part, in honour of the role played by nurses in delivering health care to isolated areas. Nurses in every setting demonstrate their commitment to continually improving their nursing practice by annually engaging in a written reflection, an analysis of the year, and 2 learning goals. Every nurse registered in the General or Extended class is required, under the ''Registered Health Professions Act'', ''1991'', to participate in the Quality Assurance (QA) program.

History

In 1617, Marie Rollet (1580-1649) arrived in

New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...

with her husband, Louis Hébert,

Québec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...

's first apothecary. She became New France's first laywoman, by working with her husband to tend to those who were suffering from

starvation Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy intake, below the level needed to maintain an organism's life. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, de ...

and illness, including natives. In 1641, Jeanne Mance, a nurse from

Langres Langres () is a commune in northeastern France. It is a subprefecture of the department of Haute-Marne, in the region of Grand Est. History As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe known as the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, th ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, arrived at Fort Ville-Marie, New France. She was recruited by Father Charles Lallemant, a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

priest, for the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal. In 1642, she established the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, one of the oldest hospitals in North America. In 1737,

Marie-Marguerite d'Youville Marguerite d'Youville, Grey Nuns, SGM (; October 15, 1701 – December 23, 1771) was a French Canadian Catholic widow who founded the Grey Nuns, Order of Sisters of Charity of Montreal, commonly known as the Grey Nuns. She was canonized by Pope J ...

founded the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, a religious order known as the Grey Nuns. In 1747, they were granted a charter to operate the General Hospital of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

. The order went on to expand to other cities across North America and is still in existence today. In 1990, she was canonized by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, and is the first native-born Canadian to be elevated to sainthood by the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, women made inroads into various professions including teaching, journalism, social work, and public health. These advances included the establishment of a Women’s Medical College in Toronto (and in Kingston, Ontario) in 1883, attributed in part to the persistence of Emily Stowe, the first female

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

to practise in Canada. Stowe’s daughter, Augusta Stowe-Gullen, became the first woman to graduate from a Canadian medical school. From 1884 to 1910, Mary Agnes Snively was the Superintendent of Nurses at the

Toronto General Hospital The Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is a major teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the flagship campus of University Health Network (UHN). It is located in the Discovery District of Downtown Toronto along University Avenue's Hospi ...

's School of Nursing, where she established the first nursing student residence and a proper curriculum. In 1908, she became the first president of the Canadian Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses. She was also a co-founder of the International Council of Nurses and served as their Honorary Treasurer from 1900 to 1904. Apart from a token few, women were outsiders to the male-dominated medical profession. Midwifery—practised along traditional lines by women—was restricted and practically died out by 1900. Even so, the great majority of childbirths took place at home until the 1920s, when hospitals became preferred, especially by women who were better educated, more modern, and more trusting in modern medicine.

Prairie province settlement

In the Prairie provinces, the first homesteaders relied on themselves for medical services. Poverty and geographic isolation empowered women to learn and practise medical care with the herbs, roots, and berries that worked for their mothers. They prayed for divine intervention but also practised supernatural magic that provided as much psychological as physical relief. The reliance on homeopathic remedies continued as trained nurses, doctors, and how-to manuals slowly reached the homesteaders in the early 20th century. After 1900 medicine, and especially nursing, modernized and became well organized. The Lethbridge Nursing Mission in Alberta was a representative Canadian voluntary mission. It was founded, independent of the Victorian Order of Nurses, in 1909 by Jessie Turnbull Robinson. A former nurse, Robinson was elected as president of the Lethbridge Relief Society and began district nursing services aimed at poor women and children. The mission was governed by a volunteer board of women directors and began by raising money for its first year of service through charitable donations and payments from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The mission also blended social work with nursing, becoming the dispenser of unemployment relief. Richardson (1998) examines the social, political, economic, class, and professional factors that contributed to ideological and practical differences between leaders of the Alberta Association of Graduate Nurses (AAGN), established in 1916, and the United Farm Women of Alberta (UFWA), founded in 1915, regarding the promotion and acceptance of midwifery as a recognized subspecialty of registered nurses. Accusing the AAGN of ignoring the medical needs of rural Alberta women, the leaders of the UFWA worked to improve economic and living conditions of women farmers. Irene Parlby, the UFWA's first president, lobbied for the establishment of a provincial Department of Public Health, government-provided hospitals and doctors, and passage of a law to permit nurses to qualify as registered midwives. The AAGN leadership opposed midwife certification, arguing that nursing curricula left no room for midwife study, and thus nurses were not qualified to participate in home births. In 1919 the AAGN compromised with the UFWA, and they worked together for the passage of the Public Health Nurses Act that allowed nurses to serve as midwives in regions without doctors. Thus, Alberta's District Nursing Service was created in 1919 to coordinate women's health resources of the province. Alberta's District Nursing Service developed chiefly from the organized and persistent political activism of UFWA members and only minimally from the actions of professional nursing groups that were clearly uninterested in rural Canadians' medical needs. The Alberta District Nursing Service administered health care in the predominantly rural and impoverished areas of Alberta in the first half of the 20th century. Founded in 1919 to meet maternal and emergency medical needs by the United Farm Women (UFWA), the Nursing Service treated prairie settlers living in primitive areas lacking doctors and hospitals. Nurses provided prenatal care, worked as midwives, performed minor surgery, conducted medical inspections of schoolchildren, and sponsored immunization programs. The post-Second World War discovery of large oil and gas reserves resulted in economic prosperity and the expansion of local medical services. The passage of provincial health and universal hospital insurance in 1957 precipitated the eventual phasing out of the obsolete District Nursing Service in 1976.

Military service

Over 4000 women served as nurses in uniform in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War. They were called "Nursing Sisters" and had already been professionally trained in civilian life. However, in military service they achieved an elite status well above what they had experienced as civilians. The Nursing Sisters had much more responsibility and autonomy, and had more opportunity to use their expertise than civilian nurses. They were often close to the front lines, and the military doctors – all men – delegated significant responsibility to the nurses because of the high level of casualties, the shortages of physicians, and extreme working conditions.

Education

Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered/Licensed Practical Nurses (L/RPNs) throughout Canada study a diverse range of mandated subjects including, but not limited to:

physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemic ...

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having i ...

, pathophysiology,

epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evi ...

microbiology Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, ...

nutrition Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient ...

and dietetics,

pharmacology Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...

organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J ...

, nursing theory and nursing skill. Extensive hands-on practical training, colloquially referred to as "clinical" by students, starts as early as year one and extends to graduation.

Registered nursing education

Most provinces prefer that the

Registered Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...

(RN) hold a Baccalaureate degree, typically a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.Sc.N) or Bachelor of Nursing B.N.) or similar (degree names vary slightly depending on the granting institution). Currently, many RNs have been "grandfathered in" and are practising with a previously obtained 2-3 year diploma that was achieved at the college level, which in many cases was or is equal to practical nursing education. This cohort of RNs are encouraged by the

Canadian Nurses Association The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), known in French as the Association des infirmières et infirmiers du Canada (AIIC), is the national professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed and registered pr ...

and their respective provincial colleges to return and upgrade their education to that of the Baccalaureate prepared RN due to research suggesting that the degree-prepared RNs have improved outcomes for patients and families. RN education now is mandated to be 4 years in length through a degree granting institution (a university) in all provinces except Quebec. However, some institutions have "accelerated" baccalaureate programs at 3 years in length, where students study full-time and over the summers. Additionally, there are 2 year programs, but entrants into these programs typically have been granted previous non-nursing degrees.

Practical nursing education

Registered Practical Nurse A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practitio ...

s (RPNs) is a title applied to practical nurses in Ontario and Quebec, which is not to be confused with Registered Psychiatric Nurses, and are equivalent to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in the other provinces and territories of Canada which favour this title. Practical nurses are educated at the college level after two to three years of study and are granted a diploma upon successful completion. Practical nursing training is quite similar to the registered nurses' education with many of the same subjects, and with the same nursing skills as RN; however, given the reduced period of study, students receive a more focused foundational body of knowledge. This results in the inability of RPNs to provide autonomous care to highly acute and unstable patients, unless caring for the patient in collaboration with a Registered Nurse. RNs are also encouraged to collaborate with other RNs on highly acute and unstable patients; however, they may do so independently. Practical nursing students are exposed to hands-on training as early as the first semester of year one, continuing through to graduation, making RPNs sometimes more skill proficient post graduation. Practical nursing training is extensive compared to practical nursing training in the United States. Many RNs in the United States continue to graduate with two year associate degree programs. Should these nurses with such training wish to immigrate to Canada, they would be required to challenge the practical nursing qualification in Canada as it is viewed as equivalent to the two year registered nurse degree program in the US.

Graduate nursing education

Uniquely in Canada,

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Univer ...

offers a "direct entry"

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

, where applicants do not need previous education in nursing, achieving licensure as well as a MSc (Master of Science). However, this program is longer (by one year) than equivalent "nurse entry" degrees. RNs can pursue further education at the Masters or

Doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...

level, receiving a Masters of Science in Nursing or

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * '' Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. al ...

, respectively. Additionally, there are several different types of master's degrees. Depending upon field of study, the RN can choose to study to become a Nurse Practitioner, an Advanced Practice Nurse, a Registered Nurse First Assist ( Surgeon's assistant) in addition to many other fields of study. Unlike the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, the role of Registered Nurse Anesthetist does not presently exist in Canada.

Graduate education for nurses in other fields

* Registered nurses with university prepared education, interested in advancing their studies or practice, may choose to study to become physician assistants, at a faculty of medicine in Canada. These nurses may decide to study in this area instead of becoming a nurse practitioner. The physician assistant profession is based more in the medical-model which is similarly modeled after physician education, with theories and practice related directly to medicine. The physician assistant profession is not directly related to nursing. Nurses may pursue this area for a desire to learn the study of medicine in-depth and to practice medicine.

Nursing licensure

Like other regulated professions, after graduation from an approved program in a recognized school, nursing students pass a licensing test before they can practice as a nurse. * After completing a 2-3 year diploma program in nursing and passing the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) Computer Based Examination, one can work as an RPN. * After completing a 4-year bachelor's degree in nursing or bachelor of science in nursing and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) Computer Based Examination, one can work as an RN. * After completing a professional master's degree in nursing and passing appropriate nurse practitioner examinations, one may work as a NP.

Types of nurses in Canada

(RN). RNs obtain a four year baccalaureate degree in nursing from a college or university. There are also accelerated two or three year baccalaureate degree nursing programs. *

(RPN) in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

and

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...

. RPNs obtain a two or three year diploma in practical nursing. Registered practical nurse is equivalent to licensed practical nurse in Canada and is a region specific title. * Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), in the other Canadian provinces (

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

and the territories). Licensed practical nurse is equivalent to registered practical nurse in Canada and is a region specific title. * Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) is licensed to practice only in

, and the territories. This title should not be confused with registered practical nurse in the provinces of

and

. * Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an RN with additional training in advanced nursing which can perform additional tasks in their defined area and scope of practice.

Types of Training or Specialties

After receiving their initial 4-year baccalaureate degree or 2–3 years diploma and passing their licence exams, National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) or Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPRNRE), nurses take further education to specialize in whatever agency or department they are employed. It is not necessary but is encouraged by employers to join relevant professional associations for the facilitation of learning safe practices and timely adaptation, et

* Cardiovascular Nursing - i.e. Look after those recovering from cardiac procedures such as bypass, angioplasty, or pacemaker surgery. *
Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses (CCCN)
**
Cardiovascular Nursing Certification Exam Competencies
* Community Health Nursing - i.e. Play key roles in disease, disability, and injury prevention, as well as in health promotio

*
Community Health Nurses of Canada (CHNC)
**
Community Health Nursing Certification Exam Competencies
*

Critical Care Nursing Critical care nursing is the field of nursing with a focus on the utmost care of the critically ill or unstable patients following extensive injury, surgery or life threatening diseases. Critical care nurses can be found working in a wide variety ...

- i.e. Also known as ICU nurses, critical care nurses use their advanced skills to care for patients who are critically ill and at high risk for life-threatening health problems

*
Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses (CACCN)
**
Critical Care Nursing Certification Exam Competencies
* Critical Care Pediatric Nursing - i.e. ICU with children ** Uses CACCN **
Critical Care Pediatrics Nursing Certification Exam Competencies
* Diabetes Nursing - i.e. Helps manage and educate those with diabetes. **Designation: CDE fro
the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board (CDECB)
**
Diabetes Educator Standards 2014
*

Emergency Nursing Emergency nursing is a specialty within the field of professional nursing focusing on the care of patients who require prompt medical attention to avoid long-term disability or death. In addition to addressing "true emergencies," emergency nurses i ...

- i.e. Treat patients in emergency situations where they're experiencing trauma or injury. These nurses quickly recognize life-threatening problems and are trained to help solve them on the spot. They can work in hospital emergency rooms, ambulances, helicopters, urgent care centers, sports arenas, and more

** Designation: ENC(C) - Emergency Nurse Certified (Canada) *
National Emergency Nurses Association (NENA)
*** Emergency Nursing Certification Exam Competencies * Enterostomal Therapy Nursing - i.e. Therapy nursing to individuals requiring wound, ostomy and continence care

** Designation: CETN(C) — Certified Enterostomal Therapy Nurse (Canada) *
Canadian Association for Enterostomal Therapy (CAET)
**
Competencies_[PDF,_170.9_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 170.9 KB">Competencies [PDF, 170.9 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 170.9 KB">Competencies [PDF, 170.9 KB
/nowiki>* Gastroenterology Nursing - i.e. Disorders and illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, ulcers, Food allergy, food allergies, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Colorectal cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer, among others

** Designation: CGN(C) — Certified in Gastroenterology Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (CSGNA)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_104.8_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 104.8 KB">Competencies [PDF, 104.8 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 104.8 KB">Competencies [PDF, 104.8 KB
/nowiki>* Gerontological nursing - i.e. Work in collaboration with older adults, their families, and communities to support healthy aging, maximum functioning, and quality of life. ** Designation: GNC(C) — Gerontological Nurse Certified (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association (CGNA)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_314.1_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 314.1 KB">Competencies [PDF, 314.1 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 314.1 KB">Competencies [PDF, 314.1 KB
/nowiki>* Hospice Palliative Care Nursing - i.e. Relieves suffering and improves quality of life for people of any age and at any stage in a serious illness, whether that illness is curable, chronic, or life-threatenin

** Designation: CHPCN(C) — Certified in Hospice Palliative Care Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_524.5_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 524.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 524.5 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 524.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 524.5 KB
/nowiki>* Medical-Surgical Nursing - i.e. All forms of nursing from preoperative to post-operativ
problems
** Designation: CMSN(C) — Certified in Medical-Surgical Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Association of Medical and Surgical Nurses (CAMSN)
*
Competencies [PDF, 353.3 KB
/nowiki>] * Nephrology Nursing - i.e. Kidney related diseases and physiology. ** Designation: CNeph(C) — Certified in Nephrology (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Association of Nephrology Nurses and Technologists (CANNT)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_534.6_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 534.6 KB">Competencies [PDF, 534.6 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 534.6 KB">Competencies [PDF, 534.6 KB
/nowiki>* Neuroscience Nursing - i.e. Prevent illness and to improve health outcomes for people with, or at risk for, neurological disorder

** Designation: CNN(C) — Certified in Neuroscience Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses (CANN)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_122.6_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 122.6 KB">Competencies [PDF, 122.6 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 122.6 KB">Competencies [PDF, 122.6 KB
/nowiki>* Occupational Health Nursing - i.e. Work to prevent, investigate, and treat workplace related illnesses and injurie

** Designation: COHN(C) — Certified in Occupational health nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Occupational Health Nurses Association (COHNA)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_545.4_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 545.4 KB">Competencies [PDF, 545.4 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 545.4 KB">Competencies [PDF, 545.4 KB
/nowiki>* Oncology Nursing - i.e. Cancer related care in which nurses administer chemotherapy, work in clinical trials, deliver care to patients receiving radiation treatment, and acquire specialized skills (e.g. central line management

** Designation: CON(C) — Certified in Oncology Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_515.5_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 515.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 515.5 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 515.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 515.5 KB
/nowiki>* Orthopaedic Nursing - i.e. Care for patients with musculoskeletal diseases and disorders, such as arthritis, broken bones, joint replacements, fractures, diabetes, genetic malformations and osteoporosi

** Designation: ONC(C) — Orthopaedic Nursing Certified (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Orthopaedic Nurses Association (CONA)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_166.1_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 166.1 KB">Competencies [PDF, 166.1 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 166.1 KB">Competencies [PDF, 166.1 KB
/nowiki>* PeriAnesthesia Nursing - i.e. Monitor patients who are recovering from anesthesia and medical procedures

** Designation: PANC(C) — PeriAnesthesia Nurse Certified (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association: National Association of PeriAnesthesia Nurses of Canada (NAPANc) *
Competencies_[PDF,_548.9_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 548.9 KB">Competencies [PDF, 548.9 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 548.9 KB">Competencies [PDF, 548.9 KB
/nowiki>* Perinatal Nursing - i.e. They teach mothers-to-be about pre-natal health, and what they'll experience while carrying a baby. They also educate patients on childbirth options, and how to bond with and care for the baby after it is bor

** Designation: PNC(C) — Perinatal Nurse Certified (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_293.5_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 293.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 293.5 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 293.5 KB">Competencies [PDF, 293.5 KB
/nowiki>* Perioperative Nursing - i.e. Work in hospital surgical departments, day-surgery units (also called ambulatory surgery), clinics and physicians' offices. They work closely with the surgical patient, family members and other health-care professionals to help plan, implement and evaluate treatmen

** Designation: CPN(C) — Certified in Perioperative Nursing (Canada) ** National Nursing Specialty Association
Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC)
*
Competencies_[PDF,_696.7_KB
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF, 696.7 KB">Competencies [PDF, 696.7 KB
/nowiki>">DF, 696.7 KB">Competencies [PDF, 696.7 KB
/nowiki>* Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing - i.e. Provide support to people suffering from various mental health conditions. The work involves helping the patient to recover from their illness or to come to terms with it in order to lead a positive lif

*
Registered Psychiatric Nurse Regulators of Canada (RPNRC)
*
Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses (CFMHN)
**
CFMHN Canadian Standards for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Standards of Practice
* Rehabilitation Nursing - i.e. Help individuals affected by chronic illness or physical disability to achieve their greatest potential, adapt to their disabilities, and work toward productive, independent live

*
Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (CARN)
**
Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Exam Competencies

Legal regulation

The profession of nursing is regulated at the provincial and territorial level in keeping with the principles of professional regulation endorsed by the International Council of Nurses. In the western provinces,

psychiatric nurses A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a ...

are governed by distinct legislation. All registered nurses and nurse practitioners in the province of Alberta are expected to maintain their clinical competence in order receive an annual practice permit from th
College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
which also sets standards for scope of practice and provides practice support.

References

External links

CIHI Regulated Nursing Professions Database
- provides supply and distribution statistics for the three nursing professions in Canada.
Margaret May Allemang archival papers
related to the history of nursing and nursing education in Canada held at th
University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services
{{North America topic, Nursing in Healthcare in Canada