General Class
Most nurses registered with the College belong to the General Class.
Both Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses belong in this class.
Registration Requirements
Applicants to the General Class must meet all the registration requirements before they can practise nursing in Ontario.
Membership Obligations
Use of protected titles
When practising, members in the General Class must identify themselves by the following:
- “Registered Nurse” or “RN” for members registered as RNs
- “Registered Practical Nurse” or “RPN” for members registered as RPNs.
QA Program
Every nurse in the General and Extended classes is required to take part in the College’s Quality Assurance Program.
Recent practice
Every year, the College asks all General Class members if they have practised nursing within the past three years.
Members who haven’t practised nursing during that time are asked to transfer to the Non-Practising Class or resign from the College.
Members who hold two certificates of registration (e.g., as an RN and an RPN) must declare recent practice for each certificate.
Professional liability protection
All General Class members must hold professional liability protection (PLP) as set out in the College by-laws. They must produce evidence of PLP whenever the College asks for it.
Reporting requirements
Every General Class member must tell the Executive Director about any of the following:
- a finding of guilt in any jurisdiction relating to any offence
- a charge in any jurisdiction relating to any offence
- a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity or any similar finding, in relation to the practice of nursing or another profession in any jurisdiction
- a current investigation, inquiry or proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity, or any similar investigation or proceeding, in relation to the practice of nursing or another profession in any jurisdiction.
Also, the member must provide any information requested by the Executive Director under the authority of the Nursing Act, 1991, the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, regulations under those acts or College by-laws.
Citizenship/Permanent residency/Authorization to practise nursing
A General Class member must be one of the following:
- a Canadian citizen
- a permanent resident of Canada
- someone authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to practise nursing in Ontario.
If a member ceases to be any of these, then that member must immediately stop practising and inform the Executive Director in writing.
View the Terms, Conditions and Limitations for the General Class
