St. Lawrence College to Offer Registered Nurse – Prescribing Program
St. Lawrence College (SLC) is pleased to announce that it will offer new training to registered nurses (RNs) to expand their role to include prescribing of medications. Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced they would allow registered nurses to prescribe medications, after meeting specific requirements, for certain conditions such as contraception, immunizations, smoking cessation, and topical wound care in a variety of settings including long-term care homes and retirement homes.
SLC is delivering this training through its Continuing Education online platform and registration will begin in the upcoming weeks, with courses starting in January 2024. Applicants must be RNs with current registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) without restrictions, with two years of full-time experience (or equivalent).
“In consultation with partners and using evidence from other jurisdictions to align with legislation; the Registered Nurse-Prescribing program was developed to meet the needs of Ontarians in a safe in efficient way,” said Dr. Barb LeBlanc, SLC’s Dean, Health and Wellness. “The comprehensive educational program will preserve patient safety while training RNs, who are authorized, to prescribe medications identified for certain conditions by the Nursing Act.”
“I’m thrilled that SLC is one of the colleges approved to deliver this critical training to expand the scope of nursing in Ontario,” said Glenn Vollebregt, SLC President and CEO. “Nurses are incredibly skilled and play an integral role in supporting the good health and ongoing care of Ontarians. We are proud to have been educating nurses and other healthcare professionals for over fifty years and this training is another example of how colleges respond to ensure training meets the needs of the workforce and communities.
SLC is part of a consortium of seven Ontario colleges delivering this Ontario Graduate Certificate program across Southeastern and Northwestern Ontario. Indigenous and bilingual ways of knowing and learning were considered in the development of the program to ensure that the needs of all communities served can be met. The online program delivery model ensures access for nurses across all of Ontario and learners are encouraged to register for their program with the college that is in closest proximity to their preferred clinical placement location.
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