Become a vital member of the health care team in the challenging and rewarding field of Practical Nursing. Canadore College, in partnership with several other colleges, has developed a four-semester Practical Nursing program designed to give you the skills needed to enter this field with confidence. The shared curriculum model increases program accessibility and transferability for students between semesters.

This program meets the standards for Practical Nursing programs as set by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and the competencies for Registered Practical Nurses as set by the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Enjoy Canadore’s unique environment for learning where small class size allows for individualized attention to students.

The program is offered at two campuses - the College Drive Campus in North Bay and the Parry Sound Campus. The College Drive Campus has an annual Fall intake, Parry Sound has a fall intake every two years.

Students receive instruction and practice in the theoretical and applied aspects of nursing and associated courses. Clinical practice is obtained in a variety of settings, including our state-of-the-art simulated nursing laboratory. You will leave this program with the knowledge, skills and judgment to practice independently and in collaboration with other members of the health care team.

Ontario Secondary School Diploma at or above the general level or its equivalent. Grade 12 English, Grade 12 Mathematics, senior level Biology and one of senior level Chemistry or Physics or equivalents are required.

Mature Students:
Applicants aged 19 or over without the OSSD will be considered on the basis of their results on the College’s Mature Student Test. Students must possess prerequisites even if they are applying as a mature student; however, college, university or upgrading equivalencies can be used if students do not possess appropriate secondary school courses.

Graduates of the new Ontario Secondary School Curriculum:
Ontario Secondary School Diploma with courses from the College (C), University (U), University/College (M), or Open (O) preparation levels.

Required courses:
Grade 12 Compulsory English (ENG 4C or ENG 4U), any Grade 12 Mathematics (C) or (U); Biology: Grade 11 or 12 (C) or (U), (SBI 3C, SBI 3U, SBI 4U); and one of the following two (2) sciences: Chemistry: Grade 11 or 12 (C) or (U), (SCH 3U, SCH 4U, SCH 4C); Physics: Grade 11 or 12 (C) or (U), (SPH 3U, SPH 4U, SPH 4C).

Selection Procedure
Rank Grade 12 English, Grade 12 Mathematics, plus senior level Biology and the better of senior level Chemistry and Physics.

A completed Canadore College Health Centre form including medical history, immunization record, Hepatitis B vaccination, and a two-step Tuberculosis (TB) test is required. Please see the online student registration handbook  for more information.

Students require Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training Level C, which must be completed to be eligible for field placements. All associated costs are the responsibility of the student. A police check is required annually and can be obtained from the police department upon payment of a fee; all associated costs will be the responsibility of the student. If you have been convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code for which you have not been pardoned, you may be ineligible for field/clinical placements.

In Ontario, the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) and the Nurses Act have conditions for provincial registration that impact Ontario students entering and completing the Practical Nursing program and writing the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE).

These conditions require students to:

• be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada or authorized under the Immigration Act (Canada);
• not have been convicted of a criminal offence or an offence under the Narcotic Control Act and the Food and Drug Act;
• not have been the subject of proceedings with respect to professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity in another health profession in Ontario or in nursing in another jurisdiction;
• not be suffering from a mental or physical disorder which makes it desirable in the public interest that the person not practice.

Provided they meet the conditions stated above, graduates of this program are eligible to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination. The College of Nurses of Ontario grants a certificate of registration to practice as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) to all candidates who succeed in the examination and meet the requirements of the RHPA and the Nursing Act.