HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A common route is to complete high school courses in science, math and English, then apply to a Bachelor of Nursing program at a university or, in some provinces, another approved nursing program. Students usually gain hands-on clinical experience through supervised placements in hospitals, long-term care, community health or other settings. After graduation, they typically need to meet provincial or territorial registration requirements before working as a registered nurse. Some nurses later build experience and move into areas such as emergency care, mental health, pediatrics, community health or other specialties, depending on employer and role.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Assess patients to identify appropriate nursing interventions
- Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
- Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or according to established policies and protocols
- Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions
- Operate or monitor medical apparatus or equipment
- Assist in surgery and other medical procedures
- May supervise licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff
- May develop and implement discharge planning process on admission of patients
- May teach and counsel patients and their families on health-related issues in collaboration with other health care providers.
- Registered nurses may specialize in areas such as surgery, obstetrics care, psychiatric care, critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, community health, occupational health, emergency care, rehabilitation or oncology.
- Nurse practitioners are independent care providers with a broader scope of practice relative to registered nurses.
- Occupational health nurses develop and implement employee health education programs and provide registered nursing care in private businesses and industry.
- Community health nurses provide health education and registered nursing care in public health units and through home visits, manage complex home care cases, participate in community needs assessment and program development, conduct disease screening and deliver immunization programs.
- Psychiatric nurses provide nursing care, supportive counselling and life skills programming to patients in psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, long-term care facilities and community-based settings.
- Nursing consultants provide consultative services to institutes, associations and health care organizations regarding issues and concerns relevant to the nursing profession and nursing practice.
- Nursing researchers engaged in research activities related to nursing are self-employed or are employed by hospitals, public and private organizations and governments.
- Clinical nurses provide leadership, advice and counsel on the provision of research-based care for specific patient groups within the care of particular health care organizations.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Committee workInterpersonal skillsMultidisciplinary teamworkPersonnel managementTraining Staff