Registered Nurses

01 Mar 2014 20:19
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Through their legislated scope, RNs are authorized to practice autonomously regardless of the complexity of the client's/clients' condition(s) or the predictability of the outcomes of care. RNs are diversified health care workers, able to provide care to individuals, families, groups, communities and populations of all ages and levels of health. RNs provide client care across the continuum of health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, support and rehabilitation and palliative care.

Registered nurses are the largest group of nursing care providers in the country, comprising more than three-quarters of the regulated nursing workforce in Canada.

Because of their comprehensive knowledge base, commitment to formalized lifelong learning and understanding of both system and client characteristics, the number and variety of RN roles and dimensions is unlimited, both now and in the future. The RN practice domains of practitioner, educator, administrator and researcher are those most commonly identified.

RNs may also obtain further education and work in advanced practice roles such as Palliative Care Consultant, Diabetes Educator Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner. In Community Health Centres, areas where physicians are in short supply, or in isolated rural or northern communities, RNs are often the client's first contact with the health care system and/or the sole health care provider.

Key issues facing Registered Nurses include:

Limited number of full time work opportunities
Lack of effective, long-term, overarching plan for future supply of nurses
Changes in medical/information technology

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