Nurses promote health and assess, treat, and care for health conditions by supportive, preventive, therapeutic, palliative, and rehabilitative means to attain or maintain optimal health and quality of life. There are two categories of nurses in Ontario: Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs). Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are RNs who have met additional education, experience and exam requirements set by the College. NPs are authorized to diagnose, order, and interpret diagnostic tests, and prescribe medication and other treatments.
In Ontario, regulated health professions are governed under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and health profession acts (e.g., Medicine Act, 1991).