Disease and Condition

What is Nursing?

Introduction
The goal of nursing is to restore, maintain and
advance the health of individuals, groups or entire
communities. It is a science and an art. The
science is the application of nursing knowledge
and the technical aspects of practice. The art is the
establishment of a caring relationship through which
nurses apply nursing knowledge, skills and judgment
in a compassionate manner. Both focus on the whole
person, not just a particular health problem.
Nurses have many different roles – clinical
practitioner, administrator, teacher, researcher – in
many different settings, including hospitals, longterm
care facilities, clients’ homes, clinics, industries
and classrooms, to name just a few. They care for
individuals at all stages of the life cycle and in all
states of health, from normal functioning to crisis.
RNs and RPNs
In Ontario, nursing is one profession with two
categories — Registered Nurse (RN) and Registered
Practical Nurse (RPN).
Nurses are accountable for their decisions and
actions, and for maintaining competence throughout
their careers. Although all nursing students learn
from the same body of nursing knowledge, RNs
study for a longer period of time, allowing for greater
depth and breadth of foundational knowledge in
the areas of clinical practice, decision-making,
critical thinking, leadership, research utilization and
resource management. RPNs study for a shorter
period of time, resulting in a more focused body of
foundational knowledge in the areas identified above.
What Do Nurses Need to Know?
Nurse educators use the College's standards and
entry-to-practice competencies when designing
programs. Doing so helps ensure that applicants
will meet the College's entry-to-practice
requirements. Comprehensive scientific knowledge
is one component of a nurse’s basic education,
but there are others. These include: how to apply
nursing knowledge in various situations and
practice settings; how to deal effectively and in
a caring manner with the public; how to behave
professionally and ethically; and how to assure
continued competence in nursing.
To maintain competence and ensure public safety,
nurses pursue lifelong learning as part of the
College’s Quality Assurance Program. Continued
learning can be achieved by reading professional
journals, attending courses and conferences, or
pursuing specialized education. Because of today's
rapidly changing healthcare environment, nurses
must possess current knowledge and skills, and
exercise good judgement, in order to provide
quality care to clients.
What is the College of Nurses of Ontario?
The College regulates the nursing profession in
Ontario. Established by, but at arm’s length from,
the provincial government, the College sets the
criteria for becoming a nurse in Ontario and the
standards of practice that must be met to maintain
that designation. Title protection is also within
the jurisdiction of the College. Only those with a
valid Certificate of Registration from the College
can practise as a nurse in Ontario and use the titles
“nurse”, “Registered Nurse” or “Registered Practical
Nurse.”
In Ontario, the Regulated Health Professions Act
(RHPA) and the Nursing Act, 1991, provide the
legal framework for nursing as a self-regulating
profession and give the College the responsibility
for carrying out nursing regulation to protect the
public interest.

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