Nurse

General duty registered nurses perform some or all of the following duties:

• Assess patients to identify appropriate nursing interventions
• Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
• Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or according to establish policies and protocols
• Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions
• Operate or monitor medical apparatus or equipment
• Assist in surgery and other medical procedures
• May supervise licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff
• May develop and implement discharge planning process on admission of patients
• May teach and counsel patients and their families on health-related issues in collaboration with other health care providers.

Registered nurses may specialize in areas such as surgery, obstetrics care, psychiatric care, critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, community health, occupational health, emergency care, rehabilitation or oncology.

• Occupational health nurses develop and implement employee health education programs and provide registered nursing care in private businesses and industry.
• Community health nurses provide health education and registered nursing care in public health units and through home visits, manage complex home care cases, participate in community needs assessment and program development, conduct disease screening and deliver immunization programs.
• Psychiatric nurses provide nursing care, supportive counselling and life skills programming to patients in psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, long-term care and community-based settings.
• Nursing consultants provide consultative services to institutes, associations and health care organizations regarding issues and concerns relevant to the nursing profession and nursing practice.
• Nursing researchers engaged in research activities related to nursing are self-employed or are employed by hospitals, public and private organizations and governments.
• Clinical nurses provide leadership, advice and counsel on the provision of research-based care for specific patient groups within the care of particular health care organizations. 

Employment Requirments:

Registered nurses

• Completion of a university, college or other approved registered nursing program is required.
• Additional academic training or experience is required to specialize in a specific area of nursing.
• A master's or doctoral degree in nursing is usually required for clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurses, nursing consultants and nursing researchers.
• Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.

Registered psychiatric nurses

• Completion of a college or other registered psychiatric nursing program is required.
• Registration with a regulatory body is required in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Additional information

• Nurses trained exclusively as registered psychiatric nurses (R.P.N.) are recognized only in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. In all other provinces and territories, registered nurses (R.N.) may work as psychiatric nurses without separate registration.
• Registered nurses may progress to supervisory and managerial positions with experience. 

Courtesy of: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

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