ontario rpn to rn bridging

Editorial Team / Admin · Feb 28, 2016

Welcome to AN! I am not familiar with nursing in Canada, but is there a board of nursing or something similar that could provide the answer to your question?

solyra1 · Feb 28, 2016

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping someone here would know. I will call CNO on Monday and ask.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Feb 28, 2016

Moved to the Nursing in Canada forum

I suspect not as regardless you will always be held to the higher qualification

dayandnight · Feb 28, 2016

If you are in the bridging program, you can't work as a RN because you will not be able to have the license until after your program + taking the NCLEX. You will be able to work as RPN and also as Employed Student Nurse at specific hospitals (not sure if ESN is what they are called in Ontario, but they are basically RN students working at hospitals with wages similar to that of RPN). You might want to ask the CNO if you can work as both RN and RPN but it's not likely..

dishes, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2016

Yes, once you are licensed as a RN you can work as both a RPN and RN, the information is on the CNO website.

xokw, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2016

If you are in the bridging program, you can't work as a RN because you will not be able to have the license until after your program + taking the NCLEX. You will be able to work as RPN and also as Employed Student Nurse at specific hospitals (not sure if ESN is what they are called in Ontario, but they are basically RN students working at hospitals with wages similar to that of RPN). You might want to ask the CNO if you can work as both RN and RPN but it's not likely..

I think you misunderstood the question.

Yes you can hold both licenses.

toronto_nurse · Feb 29, 2016

Hello everyone. A few nursing colleagues and I were looking at starting the blended bridging program at Nipissing. Our question is whether it is possible to maintain both an RPN and RN license within the province simultaneously. Like if I were to work part time as an RPN in one facility and part time as an RN at another? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. TIA

Yes you can hold both RN and RPN within the province simultaneously but you have to pay for both licenses yearly and have separate Liability Insurance for each. You can't practice in both roles in the same facility.