Nurse Practitioner

Specialized learning opportunities teach you to advocate for patients, offer comfort and care from within a comprehensive healthcare system.

This program also allows nurses with a Masters degree in Nursing to complete the Nurse Practitioner Program courses. Students must apply to the MScN Program in order to receive advanced standing.

A nurse practitioner:

• Is an experienced registered nurse with advanced education, skills, and extended class (EC) registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario
• Has the independent authority to perform controlled acts beyond those available to Registered Nurses (RNs), including ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, communicating a diagnosis, prescribing pharmaceuticals, performing specific procedures, and referring to specialists.
• Provides health promotion, disease prevention, and illness management for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations
• Often acts as the individual's or family's first point of contact with the health care system, similar to the role of a Family Physician
• Works collaboratively with other health care professionals to support the health of their clients

Laurentian University is part of a consortium of nine Ontario universities that offer the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program (PHCNP). Students register and learn in their home universities.

Our designated geographical boundaries extend from Sudbury, north to Moosonee and Moose Factory, northwest to Hornpayne, west to Wawa, east to Deep River and Lindsay, and South to Barrie.  As such, our program is offered largely by distance delivery to accommodate the needs of students residing in Northern Ontario.

The program incorporates problem-based and self-directed learning, simulation, and competency-based strategies to meet the critical competencies for NP practice. 

The Nurse Practitioner Primary Health Care Program at Laurentian University is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario. Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for Extended Class registration as a Nurse Practitioner in Ontario.

• A minimum of two years (3640 hours) of full-time practice, as a Registered Nurse, within the past five years
• A recognized BScN degree (or the equivalent for RNs educated outside of Ontario)
• An overall average of 75% (GPA).
• Current certificate of registration as a registered nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Successful applications must be Ontario residents as program placements must be done within the province. 
• Successful applicants must be living within the Laurentian University placement area. See this website for more details. 
• Preference will also be given to those whose work experience in nursing has been continuous and who have practical experience in one or more of the following areas: primary health care, ambulatory care settings, public health agencies, community health centres, emergency care, long-term care, or outpost nursing.

Graduates can rest assured knowing there is a multitude of career options they can explore post-graduation. Some career options include, but are not limited to: Nurse Practitioner, health administration, research, academics and public health. 

Many careers can be found in the public and private sector.