Eligibility for licensure in Ontario/Other Provinces with MSN no BSN

[777RN, BSN, RN]

Hi!

I have read several posts stating that a BSN is required for licensure in Ontario. I have also read that those with an ADN, a bachelor's in another field, and an MSN would NOT be eligible for licensure in Ontario (there a several programs in the US that offer MSNs to ADN nurses with bachelor's in other fields).

Similarly, it has been said that those who attend a direct-entry master's program in nursing (i.e., those with a non-nursing bachelor's who enter nursing at the master's level--without acquiring a BSN along the way) would still be ineligible for licensure in Ontario. Nevertheless, it seems inconceivable to me that a graduate of, say, Yale's direct-entry master's program would ineligible for licensure in Ontario.

So, could someone please clarify this matter for me, once and for all? Is a bachelor's degree in nursing the MINIMUM entry requirement for licensure in Ontario or is it an ABSOLUTE requirement, regardless of the attainment of graduate degree(s) in nursing?

I know this or similar questions have been asked before, but as requirements change, I wondered if anyone had additional information.

Thanks in advance!

[Fiona59]

Contact the CNO and get the straight answer from the horse's mouth.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

It's an absolute requirement. Without the basics, all the advanced education in the world isn't going to make a person a nurse. I attended nursing school with a physician from China who had a MScN but didn't have a basic nursing program... she was not eligible for registration anywhere in the country. All jurisdictions in Canada have a minimum of BScN for entry to practice, and that is interpreted to mean that one must have a BScN to enter practice. By all means, contact CNO or any of the other Colleges of Nursing for confirmation.

[777RN, BSN, RN]

I appreciate your replies.

Unfortunately, I have tried to contact the CNO about this matter, but my email was never answered. Also, I'm looking for personal experiences with this, if possible.

Sorry! Not to beat a dead horse, but several matters really make this issue particularly confusing. For example, McGill University has a direct-entry master's program. So, is it true that even graduates of that program, based in Montreal, would still be ineligible to practice nursing in Ontario? Furthermore, ADN grads with bachelor's degrees in non-nursing fields are required to take a few extra courses, to round out the ADN, before being eligible for the various MSN programs in the US that allow entry into their programs without a BSN; still, all applicants must have a bachelor's degree in something.

Furthermore, some of the most prestigious institutions in the world offer direct-entry master's programs for people who already a bachelor's degree in another field, who decide later they wish to become nurses. These students do NOT obtain a BSN (in most cases)--just an MSN.

So, please, any additional clarification would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping someone who either has a direct-entry master's or went the ADN-MSN route, with a bachelor's in another field can chime in as to his/her experience with Ontario licensure acceptance or rejection!

Thanks again!