Nurse practitioner applicants
What is a nurse practitioner?
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have undertaken graduate education and training in advanced clinical practice.
NPs conduct comprehensive health assessment, diagnose health/illness conditions, treat and manage acute and chronic illness within a holistic model of care. NPs order and interpret screening and diagnostic tests, perform procedures and prescribe medications and therapeutic interventions.
Download the scope of practice standards for nurse practitioners
Before you apply
RNs from Alberta or other Canadian jurisdictions
You will need to hold current RN registration in Alberta or another Canadian jurisdiction, and will need to have reported at least 4,500 hours of practice satisfactory to the registrar. Contact nursepractitioners@nurses.ab.ca to find out if you have enough RN hours.
You must then complete an approved NP program in Alberta, or an NP program elsewhere in Canada that is recognized in one of the Canadian jurisdictions. You will then need to pass the NP registration exam for your stream of practice.
NPs from other jurisdictions in Canada
You will need to hold active NP status in the jurisdiction where you are currently registered and have 1,000 NP practice hours in the last four years, of which 500 must be NP clinical hours.
As part of the registration requirements, all CARNA members must meet the currency of practice requirement of 1,125 hours in the last five membership years. The NP practice hours above will count towards this requirement.
Internationally educated applicants
You must first be registered as an RN in Alberta, and have 4,500 hours of practice satisfactory to the registrar. Contact nursepractitioners@nurses.ab.ca to find out if you have enough RN hours. Once you have become an RN in Alberta, you can apply to the registration committee to you have NP and experience education evaluated.
How to apply
Initial nurse practitioner applicants
If you have met the requirements and are ready to apply for initial NP registration, here are your next steps.
Canadian nurse practitioner applicants
If you are or were registered in Canada outside of Alberta as an NP, here is what's required to practise in this province.
Graduate nurse practitioner permit
While waiting to complete eligibility requirements, nurse practitioner graduates may submit an application for a GNP permit so that they may engage in nurse practitioner practice.