Registered Nurse – Prescribing

Confederation College's "Registered Nurse – Prescribing" program equips RNs with the skills to prescribe medications in various healthcare settings. This initiative responds to Ontario's 2023 healthcare mandates, focusing on areas such as contraception, immunizations, smoking cessation, and topical wound care, particularly in long-term care and retirement homes. The program, developed with stakeholder input, aligns with Ontario’s legislative requirements and provides comprehensive training through its online platform.

Confederation College will be delivering the new training for Registered Nurses in partnership with seven other colleges. Registration will commence soon with courses beginning in January of 2024 through the online learning platform of the participating colleges. Eligible applicants must be RNs with current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) without restrictions and have a minimum of two years of full-time experience (or equivalent).

Program Highlights

Upon completing this program, RNs will be proficient in:

1. Understanding the scope and limitations of RN prescribing in Ontario, in line with CNO guidelines.
2. Adhering to Health Canada’s protocols for reporting adverse drug reactions.
3. Employing diagnostic reasoning in medication prescription, grounded in thorough health assessments.
4. Implementing pharmacological principles, underpinned by evidence-based decision-making.
5. Applying ethical decision-making in prescribing, with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
6. Maintaining precise records of assessments, diagnoses, and prescriptions.
7. Ensuring client understanding of medication plans, including side-effects and interactions.
8. Developing effective client follow-up strategies.

Graduates will be equipped to prescribe medications for specific health conditions, enhancing their roles in diverse settings such as long-term care and retirement homes. This expansion of services will address critical needs in the healthcare sector and contribute significantly to patient care in Ontario.