question!

[Rong]

Could you please tell me what's the difference between RN and PRN ? Thank you a lot :)

[fergus51]

Rns have a four year bachelor degree (new ones in ontario anyways) or a 3 year diploma. They do bedside nursing in all areas of the hospital, as well as work in clinics, public health, home visiting, etc.

RPNs now have a 3 year program and also do bedside nursing, but are more limited in where. My hospital does not use them anywhere, and some hospitals only use them in med-surg or geriatrics. Other hospitals use them in every area (including the specialty areas like ICU) and they function very similarly to RNs. The pay is a little lower, but still decent.

Both are registered with the college of nurses of ontario. If you are deciding which route to pursue, the RN role will give you more flexibility in the future, but the RPN is faster and cheaper to get and may give you more than enough options depending on your area.