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Registration > Extended Class   

  Last modified: July 21, 2006  

Registration in the Extended Class

  1. Introduction
  2. Requirements for Registration
  3. Frequently Asked Questions

Section 3: Frequently Asked Questions

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How will Nurse Practitioners be identified as members of the Extended Class?

All members of CNO are expected to include their category (RN or RPN) with their signature to indicate their level of accountability. Because an RN registered in the Extended Class -- RN(EC), also known as Nurse Practitioner -- has additional authority, it is important for clients and colleagues to know whether he or she is a member of the General or the Extended Class. Therefore, nurses registered in the Extended Class will include the title Nurse Practitioner, the abbreviation NP, the title Registered Nurse Extended Class, or the abbreviation RN(EC) with their signatures.

 

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Can an advanced practice nurse practise without being registered in the Extended Class?

An individual in an advanced role can practise while registered in the General Class; however, registration in the General Class means the individual does not have the independent authority to perform the three additional controlled acts authorized to nurses in the Extended Class. This means that if the individual's practice requires, for example, the ordering of laboratory tests, she or he cannot do so independently. She or he must be authorized by a physician, through either a case-by-case consultation model of care, or by means of a series of medical directives4 that have been developed for specific situations.

As noted above, nurses registered in the Extended Class have the authority to independently communicate a diagnosis, prescribe drugs, order a range of diagnostic tests and use the title Nurse Practitioner or NP.

 

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Does the RN(EC) complete the same QA program as other nurses?

Yes. All nurses must meet yearly Reflective Practice requirements and participate in Practice Review. RN(EC)s are required to participate after 1800 hours of practice or three years of registration, whichever comes first.

The practice review focuses on the RN(EC)'s consultation network with other health professionals and whether she or he is complying with the section on consultation with physicians in the Registered Nurses in the Extended Class practice standard. Practice review for nurses in the General Class is conducted by random selection, but no nurses will be randomly selected in 2007 to participate in the current General Class Practice Review. Nurses who were selected in 2006 and prior years and who had an approved deferral, however, are expected to complete the Practice Review requirements.

 

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What are the standards/practice expectations for members of the Extended Class?

All nurses registered in the Extended Class are expected to practise in accordance with the standards expected of an RN in the General Class. In addition, a number of standards or practice expectations have been developed for RN(EC)s. They include specific standards for prescribing drugs, and ordering X-rays and laboratory tests. These standards can be found in CNO's Registered Nurses in the Extended Class practice standard.

 

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How much will it cost to register if I meet the requirements for the Extended Class?

The fee for initial registration in the Extended Class is $171.73. ($49.07 Initial Registration Fee + $122.66 Annual Membership Fee). GST is included.

Who should I contact if I have more questions about registration in the Extended Class?

You should contact:

Customer Service
College of Nurses of Ontario
101 Davenport Road
Toronto, Ontario M5R 3P1

Phone: 416 928-0900, or 1 800 387-5526
Fax: 416 928-6507

E-mail: cno@cnomail.org
Website: www.cno.org

 

Notes

  1. A medical directive is a prescription for a procedure, treatment or intervention that may be performed for a range of clients who meet certain conditions. The medical directive identifies a specific procedure, intervention, treatment or range of treatments, the specific conditions that must be met, and any circumstances that must exist before the medical directive can be implemented.

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