5.11 School of Nursing

The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) is the governing body for Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in Ontario, Canada. Many students question which path is best for them. According to the CNO “the main difference between RNs and RPNs is the foundational education. While RNs and RPNs study from the same body of nursing knowledge, RNs study for a longer period of time, allowing for a greater depth and breadth of foundations knowledge”. In practice there is at times an overlap in scope of practice for the RN and RPN but generally transfers to the ability for RNs to care for unstable, critical patients and to adapt leadership roles with opportunities to pursue research or graduate degrees. Below will outline some program distinction between RN and RPNs but the full scope of practice as defined by CNO can be found RN and RPN Practice: The Client, the Nurse and the Environment.

The scope of practice statement for nursing states:

The practice of nursing is the promotion of health and the assessment of, the provision of care for and the treatment of health conditions by supportive, preventive, therapeutic, palliative and rehabilitative means in order to attain or maintain optimal function.  (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2012, p. 4)

“CNO recognizes that meeting the entry-to-practice competencies requires certain skills and abilities. Seven categories have been identified by CNO as capturing the components necessary for nursing practice1. They are: 1. Cognitive 2. Communication 3. Interpersonal 4. Behavioral 5. Psycho-motor 6. Sensory 7. Environmental” (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2012, p.2)  and can be further defined in the document Requisite Skills and Abilities for Nursing Practice in Ontario.

Fanshawe College School of Nursing offers programs in Bachelor of Nursing (RN), Practical Nursing (RPN) as well as options for Doula Studies and Personal Support Worker. The following pages will describe each program at Fanshawe.