Becoming a Registered Nurse
If you are interested in caring for people and a high school graduate, you can eventually become a Registered Nurse (RN). There are a number of steps you need to take before you can turn your dream into a career, but they are straightforward and you’ll find there is plenty of support along the way.
For starters, you will need a post-secondary education; a diploma counts but a degree will open up more career options. For specific information about the education requirements, advice and tips, check out Nursing Education Guide.
After you have completed your education from an approved nursing program you need to be “registered” by a provincial or territorial nursing regulatory body in Canada to ensure you meet an acceptable level of competency before beginning to practise. In Ontario, this is the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Because nursing is a self-regulating profession, establishing and maintaining high standards of practice is critical — not only for the safety of patients but also the long-term advancement of the nursing profession. Researching and expanding nursing competencies through best practice development is another important contribution RNs can make after they begin to practise.
These sections will help you understand how nurses are regulated and the steps involved to become registered regardless of your background or situation.