Nursing Program Designed for Bridging to University Level

The field of registered practical nursing requires nurses to work in variety of settings including operating rooms, long-term care and specialty areas such as emergency, pediatrics and community settings. A recent study commissioned by the Canadian Nurses Association predicts that this year, 59,000 to 113,000 new nurses will be needed. As such, Centennial College offers an academic pathway to assist registered practical nurses (RPNS) a bridge to BScN in approximately three years. Upon successful completion of all program requirements, students may apply to the post-diploma nursing degree program at Ryerson University, offered by the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing and the Chang School of Continuing Education. Graduates will be prepared to work with persons and communities of diverse backgrounds, ages, degrees of health and illness, in a variety of contexts.

To apply for the Registered Practical Nursing Bridging program at Centennial College, applicants are required to have a college diploma in nursing or practical nursing or university nursing degree. In addition, there are separate requirements depending on an applicant’s previous nursing experience.

Once accepted, students learn to: apply generic skills that will facilitate the practice of nursing, ongoing learning and self-development, including effective communication and interpersonal skills; demonstrate scholarly writing; apply decision-making models which reflect critical thinking and self-reflection; assess knowledge appropriately and using research outcomes; acquire basic technological literacy skills; understand self, society and its institutions in order to assume a role as a responsible citizen; practice from a primary healthcare perspective with a multicultural client population including individuals, families, groups and communities; provide nursing care to clients in complex healthcare situations; and provide safe, effective and ethical nursing care that meets the current College of Nurses of Ontario professional standards for registered nurses.

This range of skills is taught through a combination of lectures and hands-on learning. With this nursing program being housed at Morningside Campus, Centennial College’s most technologically advanced location, students learn in a place with simulated clinical environments and all of the latest nursing technology. Faculty members who are knowledgeable and experienced lead students through courses such as Health Assessment, Acute and Chronic Illness Theory, Mental Health Nursing Practice, Community Nursing Theory and more. Evidence based practices are threaded through the delivery of the program. To round out training, students partake in a registered practical nursing placement with hospitals and community agencies during different shifts. Clinical placement allows students to develop networking opportunities.

This Registered Practical Nursing Bridging to University Nursing offering is particularly beneficial to RNs who hold a certificate of registration in Ontario without evidence of current and safe clinical practice; RNs who hold a certificate of registration in Ontario and are currently practicing but would like to review their nursing knowledge and practice in an acute medical and surgical or mental health and community setting; internationally-educated nurses who have not met the 2005 baccalaureate nursing education requirements for Ontario RNs; and RPNs who hold a diploma from a community college of applied arts and technology (CAAT).