Temporary Class
The Temporary Class is an option for applicants to practice nursing while they complete their remaining requirements to register in the General Class.
Registrants in this class practice under defined terms and conditions. They can join the General Class after they fulfill all the registration requirements and pass their exam.
Registrants who have already failed the exam two times or more are not eligible for registration in the Temporary Class. Upon registration in the Temporary Class, Registrants will receive a message from CNO of the date their certificate of registration expires.
Temporary Class registration expires when one of the following events occurs:
- The date of expiry is reached, or
- A second failure of any approved registration exam
Before applying to this class, you are encouraged to review the Temporary Class Learning Module on Nursing Regulation as a refresher. This refresher helps applicants understand the legal and ethical issues, as well as the professional accountabilities of the nursing profession in Ontario’s health care system.
To be eligible for the Temporary Class applicants must:
- have completed a nursing education program approved or recognized in any jurisdiction
- show recent Evidence of Practice
- successfully complete the Jurisprudence Exam
- demonstrate proficiency in English or French
- provide proof that you are authorized to work in Canada
- report any past offences or findings, and
- declare any health or conduct issues that could affect your ability to practice
- have an offer of employment from an approved facility listed below:
- Boards under the Education Act
- Boards of Health under the Health Protection and Promotion Act
- Independent Health Facilities under the Independent Health Facilities Act
- Long-Term Care Homes under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021
- Psychiatric Facilities under the Mental Health Act
- Hospitals under the Public Hospitals Act
- Agencies, Boards and Commissions as defined by the Government of Ontario
- Institutions funded by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care as Community Health Centres (CHCs), Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (NPLCs) or Family Health Teams, and physicians funded by Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care primary care alternate payment plan agreements
- Post-Secondary Educational Institutions
Applicants must meet all the registration requirements before they enter the General Class. This includes, completing any additional education required to fulfill the nursing education requirement in Ontario and passing the registration exam.
Use of protected titles
When practicing nursing in the Temporary Class, registrants must identify themselves using the following titles:
- “Registered Nurse (Temporary)” or “RN (Temp)” in the case of members registered as RNs
- “Registered Practical Nurse (Temporary)” or “RPN (Temp)” in the case of members registered as RPNs.
Professional liability protection
All Temporary Class registrants must hold professional liability protection (PLP) as set out in CNO’s by-laws. They must produce evidence of PLP whenever CNO asks for it.
Terms, conditions and limitations
Temporary Class registrants are subject to a series of terms, conditions and limitations. This includes information on performing controlled acts, member accountabilities and supervision of temporary class members.
Employers must ensure that temporary class registrants are monitored and directed by a member of CNO’s General or Extended Class and that they practice in accordance to these terms.
View the Terms, Conditions and Limitations for the Temporary Class
Reporting requirements
Every Temporary 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 that is 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 practice nursing
A Temporary 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 practicing and inform the Executive Director in writing.
