Registered Nurse

In Manitoba, in order to become an Registered Nurse (RN), you will have to:

• take a baccalaureate degree
• be registered with the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM)

RNs either take a collaborative college-university nursing program or a four-year university nursing program — both leading to a Bachelor of Nursing degree (BN).

The title “RN” or “Registered Nurse” is a professional designation that refers to someone who is on the CRNM registered nurse registration. This designation signifies that an individual has completed an approved nursing education program, has passed an approved examination and has met all of the College’s requirements for registration. Only an individual on the registered nurse register can use the title Registered Nurse or the abbreviation RN, or any derivative.

An RN’s education is comprehensive. RNs are prepared as generalists. They have a deep knowledge base to draw on in areas such as:

• clinical practice
• critical thinking
• research utilization

Upon graduation, they will be confident in skills and knowledge to practice on all people with any illness and in any setting. As they move along gaining experiencing, shifting from novice to expert, they build on entry-level competencies. RNs can care for patients with more complex needs in unpredictable situations.

Settings include hospitals, private homes, personal care homes, rehabilitation centres, community and public health clinics, schools, occupational health, primary care clinics, community agencies, emergency services including flight nurses, research, education, or they may be self-employed.

After a few years in practice, nurses in Manitoba have the opportunity to obtain advanced practice education or may specialize in areas such as critical care, obstetrics, surgery, pediatrics, geriatrics, community health, occupational health, or oncology, to name a few.

Please visit the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) to view nursing certification programs. Employers may also provide opportunity for on-site specialty education and training.