How do I become a Nurse Practitioner in Canada?
(in 2024)
The path to becoming a nurse practitioner will be unique to you. For those of you thinking of pursing a career as an NP, I hope to provide some guidance. In a series of posts I will review basic steps from point A (applying to programs) to point B (getting your licence). If you’re interested in becoming a nurse practitioner in Ontario, read this post.
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
NPs are registered nurses who have additional education, nursing experience, and expanded scope to autonomously diagnose and treat, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, refer to specialists, and perform medical procedures (1). Scope of practice varies between provinces.
What NP programs are there in Canada?
There are several things to consider when choosing a program. What speciality focus are you interested in pursuing? Do you prefer online learning versus in-person? What programs do you qualify for based on your previous education and degree(s)? Majority of programs in Canada offer the primary health care (family, all ages) program. Some institutions offer specialty programs. The primary health care program offers flexibility with your career as you can provide care to patients of all ages. For example, I have colleagues who graduated with the same degree as I did (primary health care NP) and some work in adult/acute care (e.g. adult ICU), others work in pediatrics, and I work in family practice. On the flip side, if you obtain a pediatric NP degree, you would not be certified to provide care to adult patients.
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In Ontario, we have the Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program which is offered through a partnership of nine Ontario universities and is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (2). All 9 schools follow the same primary health care NP curriculum, with a blended delivery model (online classes, synchronous and asynchronous approach). As a prospective student, you apply to your preferred university NP program. There are online components, and in-person tutorials and labs at each program site. For example, when I was enrolled, pathophysiology was offered as an online course, and my classmates were from different sites (e.g. York university, University of Ottawa). As another example, the advanced health assessment course was offered as an in-person tutorial at my university.
Scroll to the bottom of this post to review an updated list of nurse practitioner programs in Canada.
How long does it take to be a nurse practitioner?
First, you need to get your licence as a registered nurse (RN). There are several paths to become an RN. Undergraduate programs take 4 years, however there are bridging programs (if you are an RPN/LPN) and accelerated programs (if you have previous undergraduate degrees).
In Ontario, most NP programs require 2 years of full-time clinical experience as an RN, but practice hours vary from province to province. Primary health care programs will accept most areas of clinical experience (there are exceptions) - I would check individual program pre-requisites. Experience matters - if you are thinking of pursuing a career as an NP, think about how your RN experience will translate to your NP role. If you want to work in family medicine, consider working in diverse clinical areas; if you want to work in acute care, focus your time in a tertiary care setting; if you want to work in pediatrics, it would be helpful to work in a pediatric care setting. Your experience as an RN will help you reflect on your clinical interest(s).
Once you have your required clinical hours as an RN, you can look into what NP programs spark your interest.
Most programs in Canada offer 2 streams: Master of Nursing-Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (MN-PHCNP), which is 2 years full-time, and the Post-Master’s Certificate (PHCNP) which is 1 year full-time. To qualify for the post-master’s certificate program, you need to have at least a master’s degree first (a master’s in nursing science degree or nursing PhD is an accepted pre-requisite, however some programs may accept other master’s degrees). Terminology for these programs vary between institutions, but the premise is the same. Most programs offer a part-time study option.
I did a Master of Nursing thesis degree (MScN) first (2 years of study), so I qualified for the post-master’s certificate program. In other words, it took me 3 years to become an NP. If I had taken the MN-PHCNP program, it would have taken me 2 years (but I was in no rush!) The certificate program focuses solely on clinical course work (e.g. assessment, diagnosis, treatment) along with clinical placements. The 2-year master’s program combines research-type courses (e.g. research methods, statistics) and the clinical courses.
Are there online NP programs in Canada?
Most programs are in person; however, some schools offer distance learning (e.g. Athabasca university). Some courses are offered online, and others are in person at your respective university.
Practical tip: During the application process, if you have specific questions for prospective programs, reach out to the program administrator/contact person (found on program websites). I did this during my application process, and it was very helpful.
Everyone’s NP journey is unique. Get as much experience as you can and ask lots of questions!
Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the NP licence process - tips and tricks.
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Key Take Home Point: In Canada, most schools offer primary health care NP programs in 2 streams (2 years full-time, and 1 year full-time certificate program for students with a previous master’s/PhD degree). Some schools offer specialty programs (acute care/adult, mental health, pediatric, neonatal).
| University | Program | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| University of Victoria | Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner Nurse Practitioner Post Degree Diploma | Primary health care/family |
| University of British Columbia | Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care/family |
| University of Northern British Columbia | Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care/family |
| Thompson River University | Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care/family |
| University of Alberta | Post-Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner | Family and All ages, Adult/Older adult, Neonatal |
| Athabasca University | Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner (online/distance learning) | Primary health care |
| University of Calgary | Post-Masters Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Adult health acute care |
| University of Regina | Collaborative Nurse Practitioner Program ((online/distance learning) | Primary health care |
| University of Saskatchewan | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care |
| University of Manitoba | Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner Stream | Primary health care |
| University of Toronto | Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care, Adult, Pediatric |
| Post-Masters Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Adult, Primary health care-global health | |
| Lakehead University * | Master of Nursing with Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program | Primary health care |
| Laurentian University * | Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (MScN) | Primary health care |
| McMaster University * | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| Queen’s University * | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| University of Windsor * | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| University of Ottawa * | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| Western University * | Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| York University * | Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners program | Primary health care |
| Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) * | Combined Master of Nursing/Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program | Primary health care |
| Université McGill / McGill University | Master of Science Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care, Adult care, Mental health, Pediatric, Neonatal |
| Université de Montréal | Masters of Science Nurse Practitioner | Primary Health Care, Adult, Mental Health |
| Université de Sherbrooke | Masters of Science Nurse Practitioner | Primary Health Care, Adult |
| Université du Quebec à Chicoutimi | Nurse Practitioner Diploma | Primary health care |
| Université du Quebec à Rimouski | Nurse Practitioner Program | Primary Health Care, Mental Health |
| Université du Quebec à Trois-Rivières | Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Diploma | Mental health |
| Université du Quebec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue | Nurse Practitioner Program Primary Health Care | Primary health care |
| Université Laval | Master of Science in Nursing Nurse Practitioner | Primary health care |
| Memorial University | Nurse Practitioner Masters Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Graduate Diploma | Primary health care/ family all ages |
| University of PEI | Master of Nursing Thesis Stream and Nurse Practitioner Stream | Primary health care |
| University of New Brunswick | Nurse Practitioner Graduate Degree | Primary health care |
| Dalhousie University | Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner Program | Primary health care |
| *Ontario consortium universities |
Related Posts
How Do I Become a Nurse Practitioner In the U.S.?
How Do I Become a Nurse Practitioner: Getting my License?
How Do I Study for my Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam?
Should I Become a Nurse Practitioner?
How to Prepare for a Nurse Practitioner Job Interview
Preparing to Become a Nurse Practitioner? Here are 3 Tips
References/Readings:
1. Canadian Nurses Association [Internet]. [2023]. Nurse Practitioners. [cited 2023 Oct 2]; https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/nursing/advanced-nursing-practice/nurse-practitioners
2. Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program [Internet]. [2019]. The Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program: An Overview. [cited 2023 Oct 2]; https://np-education.ca/about/