Registered Nurse
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Registered nurses and graduate nurses (graduates of a nursing program who are awaiting registration) provide direct nursing care to patients, deliver health education programs and provide consultative services regarding issues relevant to the practice of nursing. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, doctors' offices, clinics, community agencies, companies, private homes and public and private organizations or they may be self-employed. (National Occupational Classification)
Registered Nurses (RNs) can work in a variety of areas including critical care, mental health, surgery, pediatrics, oncology, informatics and emergency care. They can also work in health care administration and health policy. With further education RNs can become Researchers or Nurse Practitioners.
In Canada there are also other types of nurses with different scopes of practice and designations, such as Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). View the links to the right to learn more about these and other related options.
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, incl. typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational description
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- DiscoverNursing.com (U.S.) - profiles of over 100 nursing specialties. You may also want to try the 'Nursing Specialty Finder' career quiz.
- Sokanu - occupational info and videos (U.S.): Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Informatics Nurse Specialist, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Educator
- A Day in the Life of a Nurse - The Princeton Review (U.S.)
- Nursing Officer - overview of roles with the Canadian Armed Forces, includes video
- What is a forensic nurse? - from EveryNurse.org (U.S.)
- Nurse Informatician Series - profiles of practitioners from the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association
- Emergency Room Nurse interview - Job Talk podcast
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Nurse / Nurse Practitioner - University of Manitoba
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- College of Nursing - Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
- Mahkwa omushki kiim: Pathway to Indigenous Nursing Education (PINE) | College of Nursing | University of Manitoba
- Health Careers Access Program (HCAP) - prepares Indigenous Manitobans for entry to the health professions
- Professional Health Access Program - supports Indigenous students who have been accepted into a professional health program
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals - collective agreements and pay scale information
- Manitoba Nurses Union - wage scales and collective agreements by region
- Manitoba Nursing Labour Market Supply - Manitoba Government (scroll for report link)
- Reports: Regulated Nurses - workforce data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information
- Canada's Best Jobs 2018: The Top 25 - Head Nurse (#24) - Canadian Business
Professional Associations
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba
- Canadian Nurses Association
- College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba
- Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association
- Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada
- Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology
- Canadian Forensic Nurses Association
- Community Health Nurses of Canada
- Canadian Nursing Informatics Association
- Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses
- The Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
- Canadian Network of Nursing Specialties - listing of other specialty associations in Canada
- American Nurses Association (U.S.)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Regional Health Authorities - Province of Manitoba
- Health Regions in Canada - listings and maps from Statistics Canada
- Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC) - members
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Leaders in Healthcare - campus student group
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program - U of M student-led program
- The Canadian Nursing Students' Association
- Canadian Nurses Foundation - Scholarships
- Canadian Nurse journal - includes nurse profiles, news, research and professional practice info
- Canadian Black Nurses Alliance - organization that serves, mentors, and empowers Black Canadian Nurses through the power of community
- Article: Hello, nurse! - from JobPostings magazine Health Care Career Guide
- Allied Health Professions Overview - Explore Health Careers.org (U.S.)
- Doctors Without Borders: Nurses