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Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

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279Chapter 12 – Profession of NursingRegulationsThe Nursing Act 1991 authorizes the CNO Council to make regulations,subject to the review of the Minister <strong>and</strong> approval of the LieutenantGovernor in Council, including designating the drugs that a member mayprescribe, as well as the circumstances in which a member may prescribethe drugs. 12 A regulation may designate individual drugs or categories ofdrugs. 13Education <strong>and</strong> Continuing CompetencyOntario’s education programs for nursing are well established <strong>and</strong> wellrespected. The entry to practice requirement for RNs is a four-yearbaccalaureate degree in nursing from a community college-universitycollaborative program or a university. RPNs are graduates from a two-yeardiploma in practical nursing from a community college. NPs are RNs whohave obtained advanced education <strong>and</strong> passed the extended classexamination. NPs have an exp<strong>and</strong>ed scope of practice in the areas ofassessment, diagnoses, prescription of tests <strong>and</strong> treatments <strong>and</strong> healthpromotion. 14Training in pharmacotherapy is embedded through all levels of nursingeducation, with RNs completing two years of study in addition to theeducation received by RPNs.Nursing studies include the following elements:• General concepts related to pharmacology;• How to accurately calculate drug dosages;• Various forms of drug preparation;• How to interpret the components of a medication order;• The principles of medication administration (which aligns withdispensing), <strong>and</strong>• The action <strong>and</strong> interaction within the body of selectedpharmaceutical preparations <strong>and</strong> the impact on nursing care. 15All practicing nurses must demonstrate that they have met entry topractice competencies related to pharmacotherapy, including safemedication practices. For NPs, entry to practice requirements includedemonstrating two years of safe nursing practice over the past five years,including one year in an advanced NP role, graduation from an approvedNP education program, successful completion of a regulatory exam <strong>and</strong>registration or eligibility to register as an RN.12Ibid: s. 14(1)(d).13Ibid: s. 14(1.1).14CNO. Classes of Registration. Available: http://www.cno.org/reg/regclasses.html.15CNO. Submission to HPRAC: 15.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009

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