registered psychiatric nurse (rpn)




OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:


Who is the licensing body responsible for Registered Psychiatric Nurses in Alberta?

In Alberta, you must be registered with the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta (CRPNA) to practice as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. Only registered members may call themselves Registered Psychiatric Nurse.

What are the licensure requirements for internationally educated Registered Psychiatric Nurses?

Internationally educated Registered Psychiatric Nurses must:

  • Have held Registered Psychiatric Nurse status and, provide verification of registration as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in all jurisdictions where applicant held practicing permit as a registered care provider.
  • Must have a Psychiatric Nursing Education Program. The minimum acceptable requirement for program length is 20 months. The 20 month period only includes time spent in classroom or clinical setting. Please remove this, Program of study must meet the basic Canadian standards and these are currently under review, but IEN program must meet the basic requirements for theory and clinical.
  • Must have at least 1400 hours of Psychiatric Nursing Practice. These hours are only required if applicants have not recently graduated from a program in the last 4 years.
  • Applicants may be required to demonstrate English proficiency. This is determined at the time of the interview. Please remove the second sentence we are looking at English language and its not done at time of interview, course must have been in English and applicant must be proficient in English.
  • Write and successfully achieve the required passing score on the CRPNA Registration Examination for Psychiatric Nurses.

Tips for completing application form:

Internationally Educated Registered Psychiatric Nurses must apply directly to CRPNA and ensure the

� The new applicant and assessment fee are included.
� The application has been authorized by a Notary Public with a seal/stamp of authenticity. (A Notary Public is a public official whose chief function is to authenticate contracts, deeds, and other documents by an appropriate certificate with a seal. They can be found through the Internet or phone directory. Note that you may be charged a fee)
� The following forms must be directly submitted to CRPNA from the source: Out of Country Application Form, Confirmation of Registration, Employer�s / Immediate Supervisors Reference, Request for Transcript, Test of Good Character, International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)   The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta provides translation services. This is an IQAS requirement not a CRPNA requirement. CRPNA also needs directly from the source transcripts and hours as per the form applicants need to send to their school. They also require a criminal record check.

 

What are the accepted English language proficiency tests and where can I be tested?

Applicants must successfully achieve the required passing score on one of the CRPNA approved English proficiency tests. This includes: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) TOEFL, IELTS and CanTEST. To learn more about where to take an English language proficiency test in Alberta, visit English Language Proficiency Tests and Locations.

Examination Information

The CRPNA advises applicants of their eligibility to take the CRPNA Registration Examination for Psychiatric Nurses. Candidates have three attempts to write the exam. Applicants are encouraged to be aware of registration deadlines, exam fee and the turnaround time for exam results.

Recommended readings to prepare for the exam:

  • Recommended readings to prepare for the exam:

    • Mosbv’s Canadian Comprehensive Review of Nursing (Latest Edition) Toronto: Mosby
    • Psychotropic Agents (Latest Edition) Ralph, Irene Grand Forks, BC: IGR Publications
    • Addictions and Mental Health (Latest Edition) Ralph, Irene Grand Forks, BC: IGR Publications www.igrpublications.com
    • Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Varcarolis E. M. 2002 Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company
    • Review Series Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and Medical Surgical Nursing Lippincotts or Mosby’s (Both companies produce “rapid” and “comprehensive” review texts)
    • Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing (Latest Edition) Springhouse Notes Pennsylvania: Springhouse Company
    • Adult Health Nursing (Latest Edition) Beare P. G., Myers J. L. Toronto: Mosby

What are the educational requirements for Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Alberta?


The minimum education requirement for psychiatric nurses is a diploma in psychiatric nursing. In Alberta, Grant MacEwan University is the only approved school that offers a program specifically related to psychiatric nursing.

Additional Occupational Information
For more information on occupational duties and wages, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service at. www.alis.gov.ab.ca and search for Psychiatric Nurse under Occupational Information.

What training programs or services are available for internationally educated Registered Psychiatric Nurses?


Re-entry Program

Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology � SIAST (in Saskatoon
Psychiatric Nursing Re-entry Program
http://www.siast.sk.ca

The program is for individuals who: have not been registered in Canada and require or want to prepare to write registration exams.


Refresher Program

Douglas College (in New Westminster, BC)
Psychiatric Nursing Refresher Certificate Program
http://www.douglas.bc.ca

What information resources are available for Registered Psychiatric Nurses in Alberta?

Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada (RPNC)
website: www.rpnc.ca 

Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
website: www.cfmhn.ca 

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU)
website: www.nursesunions.ca 

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)
website: www.cna-nurses.ca

United Nurses of Alberta (UNA)
website: www.una.ab.ca