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A single classification of Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
National Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework Implementation Plan Project
CNO, the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators (CCRNR) and other system partners are collaborating towards the common goal of ensuring Nurse Practitioner (NP) regulation protects the public and improves health care outcomes for patient populations across the country.
Currently, there are three specialty certificates for NPs in Ontario: Primary Health, Adult and Pediatric. CNO is working with partners to change this to a single NP classification, so NPs, employers and government have the flexibility to deliver innovative and accessible services across patient populations. Under this new framework, NPs will have more opportunities to fill critical and vacant positions in underserved, rural and remote communities that may rely on NP models of primary care. This means patients will have access to the health services they need, when they need it.
Our shared vision for a single NP classification is to:
- enable the appropriate national level of regulation in the public’s interest
- facilitate collaboration among system partners
- reduce unnecessary barriers to labour mobility in Canada
Currently, CCRNR’s NP Regulation Framework Implementation Plan Project (NPR-FIPP) is focused on implementing this new framework. The national, multi-year project depends on factors such as unique jurisdictional implementation plans, regulation changes, curriculum changes and education program approval. The framework is expected to ensure consistency in:
- graduate-level education programs aligned with revised NP entry-level competencies (ELCs)
- a single national NP entry-level exam for all NPs across Canada
- one NP registration classification based on core NP ELCs
By the numbers: NP specialty certificates in Ontario
According to CCRNR’s 2015 NP practice analysis survey, we know that NPs in Canada use similar competencies regardless of their specialty certificates. If NP regulatory approaches across Canadian jurisdictions are consistent, there will be more opportunities to advance labour mobility and minimize barriers.
As of June 2024 there were:
5,000+
NPs in Ontario
8,000+
NPs across Canada
79%
of Ontario NPs in the Primary Health Care specialty
15%
of Ontario NPs in the Adult specialty
>5%
of Ontario NPs in the Pediatric specialty
<1%
of Ontario NPs in in multiple specialties
View the Registrant Statistics webpage for the most recent numbers of Ontario’s NPs holding specialty certificates.
Working with system partners
CNO is working closely with CCRNR, regulators across the country, government and health sector partners including employers, academics and NPs, to support implementing this new regulatory framework.
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