Becoming a nurse is a noble pursuit and calling that attracts some of the most intelligent, caring, and skillful individuals. Ideally, as a nurse you will have a passion for the health and well-being of society. You may see yourself as a caregiver, or a healer. You will probably also love learning science and mathematics, since as a nurse part of your work may involve administering medication, examining patient data, or documenting and sharing of the people you provide care to.
It also helps to enjoy working in teams, since as a nurse you will likely also be part of a group effort in an environment like a hospital or clinic, collaborating with other nurses, personal support workers, doctors, surgeons and other administrators. You will need to have strong interpersonal skills, since you will be collaborating and performing teamwork in stressful and complex circumstances, often speaking and listening as you perform complicated tasks.
Since nurses require so many different skills, and play a key role in supporting vulnerable individuals - some of whom will be in critical condition - you can expect the training to be thorough and rigourous. As a nurse, you will be providing care to hundreds or thousands of individuals over the course of your career, and possibly making decisions that can have a significant impact on their well-being. Imagine being on the front lines of an emergency room, helping a new mother get through the perils of childbirth, or caring for infants experiencing complications at birth - you will want to have all the training possible to ensure that you provide the highest quality of care possible.
For this reason, nursing training is a process that involves years of postsecondary study. Arguably, your preparation as a nurse will start as early as secondary school, since you will need the right grades and courses to get into nursing programs. Nurses in training may choose to go through college or university, and may even want to pursue graduate degrees to advance in the profession and become a nurse practitioner - one of the highest qualifications you can have as a nurse.
If becoming a nurse practitioner is a career goal for you, you are reading the right article. We will explore what kind of training you will need to become a nurse practitioner, and where you can get the best help for your learning. Let’s get started!
Becoming a nurse practitioner or a registered nurse in Canada is a complex process that attracts the best and brightest of students. Find out how to become a nurse practitioner in Canada.
Is Nurse Training Difficult?
Preparing to become a nurse is a process that is challenging but achievable if you are focused and committed to your program. The first step is to ensure that you get a place in one of Canada’s nursing schools. Because nurses are needed in every community and province, you should have no problem finding a college or university near you with a nursing degree or diploma.
In Canada, there are different levels of nursing education - practical nursing, registered nursing, and advanced nursing practice. Practical nursing programs are much shorter and can be found in a college. Registered nursing programs will last 2-4 years, and require a university degree.
Once you have completed a program, you will have to obtain licensure to practice nursing in Canada. The national licensure exam is called the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam. You all have to renew your licensure, and the frequency at which you must renew will depend on the regulations in your province. If you are looking to specialize, you can take additional coursework. For example, some nurses may choose to specialize in the following fields:
- critical care
- pediatric care
- maternity
- emergency
- respiratory
If you are interested in rewarding, steady work that is always in demand, you might want to consider starting a career in nursing. Nurses are in demand not only in Canada but around the world.
What Kind of Nursing Program Should I Enrol in to be a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioner (NP) is a protected title that nurses can receive after they have completed additional training. A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with advanced university education that provides high quality health care. NPs assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of health issues, consulting and collaborating with other physicians and healthcare workers. They are authorized to:
- Complete a comprehensive health history and assessment
- Formulate and communicate a diagnosis
- Prescribe medication
- Dispense, sell and compound medications
- Order and interpret lab tests
- Set and cast fractures and dislocated joints
- Order some diagnostic imaging tests
- Admit, treat and discharge patients from hospitals
As you can see, nurse practitioners are authorized to perform tasks that can have a significant impact on patient well beings, similar to the care that a doctor might provide. As such, you it takes years of practical experience to become an NP, in addition to a graduate degree. You must also write a special exam to become an NP. If you are considering this option, be sure to do your research or find a mentor who has embarked on a similar journey to ensure you are taking the best pathway to achieve your goals.
Nurse practitioners are always in demand in Canada and abroad, with hospitals, clinics, municipalities, and private healthcare companies constantly looking for nursing professionals. Learn more about becoming a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner.
Is it Possible to work as a Nurse Teacher?
There are hundreds of nursing programs across the country, all of which require the employment of nurse educators that can help future nurses learn acquire the knowledge and skills it takes to be successful on the job. As a nurse teacher, you will help mentor and teach nurses - which takes an entirely different set of pedagogical skills in addition to the ones you needed to become a nurse in the first place.
Certification from the Canadian Certified Nurse Educator (CCNE) is required to become a nurse teacher. To qualify for the exam, you will need to demonstrate that you have knowledge and expertise related to pedagogical philosophies and theories, curriculum, assessment, and evaluation of learning. In short, you must be both a nursing professional and a professional educator.
Eligibility requirements for the CCNE exam are as follows:
- be a registered nurse with a current license in your province or territory
- You must have successfully completed the Canadian Nurse Educator Certification program
Or
- be a registered nurse with a current license in your province or territory
- Have a graduate degree (such as a master’s or PhD)
- Have a minimum of 3 years experience in an academic nursing setting
- Completion of professional development courses or a specialized degree related to nursing education
Becoming a nurse teacher will require many additional demands that you will have to balance with your existing role as a nurse and other family responsibilities. Once you have achieved your goal, you will have access to a whole range of career options with the added reward of being able to prepare the next generation of nurses.
The career path to becoming a nurse can be varied, with so many options and opportunities. Find out if nursing is the right pathway for you.
Is a Nurse Tutor Expensive?
With all the challenges that come with nursing training, you may be wondering if it is worthwhile to hire a nursing tutor. Hiring a nursing tutor is an excellent option to keep in mind if you are experiencing difficulties with your nursing courses, or simply want to stay on top of all the learning that is happening.
You may also want to consider hiring a nursing tutor if you need to get the right grades to enter a specific university program. You will need to have academic stream mathematics, science, and English courses on your secondary school transcript, with the best GPA possible to ensure you can get into your school of choice.
What counts as “expensive” is a relative concept. You are investing thousands of dollars, not to mention years of your life to train as a nurse, so spending money on supports to facilitate your own success is a fairly sound use of money. You will spend the rest of your career earning once you enter the workforce, so you will have lots of opportunities to see return on your educational investments!
A nursing tutor will likely cost you in the range of $25-$50 an hour, depending on the experience and background of your tutor.
What’s the difference between a nurse practitioner and a doctor in Canada? The similarities may actually surprise you.
Where Can I Find a Nursing Tutor?
Finding a nursing tutor is easy with Superprof Canada. With Superprof, you can find listings for dozens of nursing tutors from across Canada, though you may want to hire someone with experience in your province since that will be where you earn your qualification. You can message prospective tutors directly through the site’s messaging platform, and see if they have the availability and rates that will be right for you.
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