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Telephone:
416 928-0900
Toll Free in Ontario:
1 800 387-5526
Fax:
416 928-6507
Page modified June 06, 2008
Registration
For Members
For Applicants
Ontario nursing programs
CNO Practice and Employment Definitions
The following definitions are provided to assist you in making appropriate choices when answering the Annual Membership Renewal questions related to practice and employment. Using these definitions enhances the accuracy of statistical data gathering. They are divided into three main areas: Nursing Employer, Position In Nursing and Primary Area Of Practice. All terms are listed in the same order as on the form. (These definitions are listed on pages 6, 7, and 8 of your Annual Membership Renewal Instruction Guide.)
Nursing Employer
Hospital
Acute Care Hospital
A category of health care facility that is staffed and equipped to deliver care to patients in the acute phase of illness. Acute care hospitals are characterized by having medical, surgical, nursing and allied health professionals available at all times to provide rapid, intensive interventions. These hospitals commonly provide diagnostic services utilizing high technology. An acute care hospital may also provide other non-acute services such as rehabilitation or chronic care.
Addiction & Mental Health Centre/Psychiatric
Hospital A health care facility that specializes in treating persons with mental health and/or addiction problems. Psychiatric hospitals that are part of a larger organization and short-term treatment programs are included in this group.
Complex Continuing Care/Rehabilitation Hospital
Complex Continuing Care Hospital — A hospital that provides care to patients who are unstable and require 24-hour nursing care for chronic or fluctuating serious illness. Rehabilitation Hospital — A hospital that provides primarily the continuing assessment and treatment of patients whose conditions are expected to improve significantly through the provision of physical medicine and other rehabilitative services. Complex continuing care/rehabilitation hospitals that are part of a larger organization are included in this group.
Other Hospital
Any other hospital, excluding teaching hospitals, community hospitals, addiction and mental health centres/psychiatric hospitals and complex continuing care/ rehabilitation hospitals.
Community
Community Care Access Centre
An organization providing simplified service access to: visiting professional and personal support health services at home and in schools; longterm care placement; service planning and case management and information; and referrals to other long-term care services, including volunteer-based community services.
Community Health Centre
A not-for-profit, communitygoverned organization that provides primary health care, health promotion and community development services, using multidisciplinary teams of health providers.
Community Mental Health Program
A community program that is not hospital bed-based and that serves people with mental health and/or addiction problems.
Hospice
An organization whose mission is to help people with life-threatening illnesses live at home or in a home-like setting.
Nursing/Staffing Agency
An agency that provides a range of nursing services to support client care in the community and health care facilities. Services are delivered in homes, hospitals and other settings such as schools and retirement homes.
Physician’s Office/Family Practice Unit
A group or solo practice that provides episodic or continuing, comprehensive primary care. (Doctor’s Office, Walk-in Clinic, Urgent Care Centre, Family Health Network)
Public Health Unit/Department
An official health agency established by a group of urban and/or rural municipalities to develop and provide comprehensive community health care programs.
Other Community
Other community sector employers not listed above. (Independent Health Facilities, Telehealth, Canadian Blood Services, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board)
Long-Term Care
Long-Term Care Facility
A facility for people who are not able to live independently or in their own homes, and who require 24-hour nursing service to be available to meet their personal care needs. (Long-term Care Centre, Nursing Home, Home for the Aged)
Retirement Home
A residential complex that is occupied by persons who are primarily 65 years of age or older, for the purpose of receiving care services, whether or not receiving the services is the primary purpose of occupancy. (Care Home, Rest Home, Lodge, Manor, Assisted Living)
Other Long-Term Care Facility
Long-term care facilities not listed in the definitions. (Group Home, Respite Care Centre, Homes for Special Care)
Other
College/University
Post-secondary educational organization offering nursing programs.
Government/Association/Regulatory Body/Union
The federal, provincial and municipal government and their agencies, boards and commissions; the various associations involved in supporting professions and organizations; and the bodies charged with regulating health professions recognized under the Regulated Health Professions Act (armed forces, correctional institution, tribal council, LHINs).
Industry
A commercial or industrial enterprise involved in the production, manufacturing, processing or sales of goods and/or services.
Schools
Elementary and secondary schools, public or private. Self Employed An individual earning income directly from one’s own business or profession rather than from a specified salary or wages from an employer. (Private Practice)
Other
Employers not listed in other definitions.
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Position in Nursing
Advanced Practice Nurses – Other
A Registered Nurse with additional education at the graduate level who possesses and demonstrates the competencies to diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic tests and prescribe pharmaceuticals. Prior to August 29, 2007 these nurses were commonly referred to as "acute care nurse practitioners".
Advanced Practice Nurses – CNS
A Registered Nurse who has gained additional knowledge and skills, beyond that of a staff nurse, through graduate education and experience. A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an expert in a specialized area of nursing who provides direct care, participates in research, provides leadership, educates and consults with health care teams. A CNS works with individuals, families, communities, employees and organizations, and may focus on illness care and wellness care.
Case Manager
A nurse in health and/or social services who provides assessment, service planning and implementation, co-ordination, monitoring, reassessment, advocacy, evaluation of outcomes and discharge planning of services. Service is provided for individuals and caregivers who require health and/ or social services. (Service Coordinator, Placement Coordinator, Discharge Planner)
Clinical Educator
A nurse whose role is teaching a broad range of topics to patients/clients/residents, and other health care professionals. (Nurse Instructor, Clinical Practice Leader) Consultant A nurse who provides professional advice or services to organizations.
Educator/Faculty
A nurse whose role is teaching nursing and nursing-related topics to students of health care disciplines. Infection Control Nurse A nurse who ensures the implementation and maintenance of evidence-based practices through education, surveillance and coordination of results in a variety of practice settings.
Informatics Analyst
A nurse who facilitates the integration of data, information and knowledge to support clinical care, health services, administration, research and teaching. (Data/ Information Analyst, Utilization Analyst)
Middle Manager
A nurse who supervises staff and is responsible and accountable for the management of a designated service area(s) within an organization. (Manager, Assistant Manager, Supervisor, Program Manager, Program Leader)
Occupational Health Nurse
A nurse who provides integrated occupational health and safety services to employers and employees and works closely with managers, supervisors and individual employees to maintain, promote and restore employee health, safety and well-being.
Office Nurse
A nurse providing nursing services to support the care delivered by a physician or group of physicians.
Outpost Nurse
A nurse who practises nursing at a nursing station in a remote community.
Policy Analyst
A nurse who gathers information, analyzes data and provides policy advice to influence an organization’s decisions and strategies.
Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner
A Registered Nurse in the Extended Class who applies advanced knowledge and decision-making skills in health assessment, diagnosis, health care management, therapeutic interventions, and health promotion and prevention for communities, and individuals and families across the lifespan.
Public Health Nurse
A nurse involved in disease prevention programs, health promotion and education programs for all age groups.
Researcher
A nurse who studies the concerns of nursing and the application of knowledge to nursing practice.
Senior Manager
A nurse who is responsible for administrating, planning and evaluating an organization, department or program. (Chief Executive Officer, President, Executive Director, Administrator, Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer/Executive, Director of Nursing, Program Director)
Staff Nurse
A nurse who provides direct care to clients in hospitals, long-term care and other types of facilities. Visiting Nurse A nurse providing a range of nursing services primarily in the home but also in other settings such as retirement homes. (Home Visiting Nurse, Community Visiting Nurse)
Volunteer
A nurse who donates professional nursing services to an organization and is accountable to that organization’s standards of conduct and practice.
Other
A nurse holding a position in nursing not listed in any other terms. (Footcare Nurse, Parish Nurse)
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Primary Area of Practice
Administration
This area is responsible for administrating, planning and evaluating an organization, department or program.
Ambulatory/Outpatients
Treatment or surgery provided in a hospital to clients who are not inpatients. (Outpatients Care, Day Surgery, Preoperative Care)
Case Management
A collaborative service consisting of interrelated processes to support clients in their efforts to achieve optimal health and independence in a complex health, social and fiscal environment. (Assessor, Discharge Planning, Placement Coordination)
Complex Continuing Care
Services for patients who are unstable and require 24-hour nursing care for a chronic or fluctuating serious illness. (Reactivation, Mental Health/ Cognitive Support, Chronic Care)
Critical Care
Care of acutely ill clients typically delivered in intensive care units and cardiac care units.
Education
Programs and services aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of clients, other health care professionals and students on a broad range of health topics.
Emergency
Services for individuals with serious, often lifethreatening, health problems or situations requiring immediate action.
Geriatrics
The care of the elderly and treatment of diseases associated with aging.
Informatics
The use of information science for disciplinespecific applications in the management and processing of data, information and knowledge to generate or support designs, decisions and discoveries. (Information Management, Utilization Management)
Maternal/Newborn
Programs and services geared to meeting the health needs of expectant and new parents, newborns and young children.
Medicine
Programs and services concerned with non-surgical techniques to prevent, cure or alleviate disease or injury.
Mental Health/Psychiatric/Addiction
Programs and services that meet the needs of individuals with mental health/ psychiatric illness and/or addictions.
Occupational Health
The development and provision of wellness programs; the implementation of safe workplace strategies; the liaising with employees and insurance companies on illnesses and injuries and back-to-work strategies.
Palliative Care
Programs and services concerned with the study and management of patients with active, progressive, far-advanced disease for whom the prognosis is limited and the focus of care is on the quality of life.
Paediatrics
Programs and services concerned with the growth, development and health of children from birth through late adolescence.
Perioperative Care
Services related to the operating room for clients needing surgical care. The services cover the preoperative, intra-operative and immediate post-operative periods for individuals.
Policy
The gathering of information, analysis of data and provision of policy advice to support an organization’s decisions and strategies.
Primary Care
Programs and services provided from the first contact with a client, including assessment, and preventative, sustaining or curative nursing care.
Public Health
Programs and services concerned with disease prevention, health promotion and education for all age groups. (Community Health)
Rehabilitation
The provision of time-limited, goal-oriented therapeutic services for all ages geared toward the optimization of health.
Surgery
Programs and services concerned with surgical techniques to cure or alleviate disease or injury.
Visiting Nursing
The provision of nursing services primarily in the home, but also in other settings such as schools and retirement homes.
Other
An area of practice not listed in any other terms.
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REFERENCES
Note: This document is dated 2003. The definitions and original references/sources contained herein were valid at that time. For the current definitions, see the most recent version of the Annual Membership Renewal Instruction Guide or the definitions above.
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