The College of Nurses of Ontario is the regulatory body for nursing in Ontario. Through provincial government legislation (the Nursing Act, 1991 and Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991), the College is accountable for public protection by ensuring that nurses in Ontario are safe, competent and ethical practitioners. The College fulfills its mandate through a variety of regulatory activities including registration; maintaining standards of nursing practice and education; enforcement of nursing standards; conducting continuing competence reviews; and establishing competencies that are required for nursing practice.
This document outlines the competencies expected of registered nurses, upon entry and ongoing registration with the College. An entry-level registered nurse is one who has graduated from an approved baccalaureate nursing education program and is registering with the College for the first time. As such, these competencies serve as the criteria against which entry-level registered nurses are measured upon initial registration with the College and entry to practice in Ontario.
The competencies are also used to guide the assessment of members’ continuing competence for maintaining registration with the College.