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Telephone:
416 928-0900
Toll Free in Ontario:
1 800 387-5526
Fax:
416 928-6507
Last modified August 6, 2004
Registration
For Members
For Applicants
Ontario nursing programs
Frequently Asked Questions about RPN programs
- How is the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) involved with educational programs for registered practical nurses?
- What are the admission requirements to enter a nursing program?
- What is involved in the education of Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs)? How does it differ from the education of Registered Nurses (RNs)?
- How do I know which nursing program is right for me?
- Can RPNs become RNs?
How is the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) involved with educational programs for registered practical nurses?
CNO is the regulatory body for nursing in Ontario. Like other regulatory health colleges, it sets the requirements for entry to practise the profession. CNO is not a school.
What are the admission requirements to enter a nursing program?
Each college or university sets its own requirements for admission. To find out what these requirements are, you will have to contact the school/program directly.
What is involved in the education of Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs)? How does it differ from the education of Registered Nurses (RNs)?
Both categories of nurse study from the same body of nursing knowledge. RNs study for a longer period of time allowing for greater depth and breadth of foundational knowledge in the areas of clinical practice, decision making, critical thinking, leadership, research utilization and resource management. RPNs study for a shorter period of time, resulting in a more focused body of foundational knowledge in the areas identified above.
How do I know which nursing program is right for me?
There are different factors to consider when looking for a nursing program such as: the school's location; the clinical facilities with which the school is affiliated; the size of the student body; or the instructor-to-student ratio.
You can find out more about a school by checking its website, visiting the location and speaking to students in, or graduates of, the program.
Can RPNs become RNs?
Yes, but RPNs require further education to become RNs. At the present time, RNs are educated at the baccalaureate level usually within a combined college-university collaborative program. Entrance requirements for these programs are set by the individual institutions. Any advance standing for an RPN would be granted by the school.
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