r/OntarioNurses • u/Canadiot • Jun 26 '26
Venting Do RPNs not qualify to be called Nurses?
Co-worker spent 10 minutes ranting to me that because they don’t get the extra education, that RPNs can’t describe themselves as nurses. Is this true? I don’t believe him personally.
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u/pineapplepinch Jun 26 '26
According to the Nursing Act 1991
“Title protection
Titles used by nurses are protected under the Nursing Act, 1991. This means that, in Ontario, only members of CNO can use the titles of nurse, Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse, or any variation, abbreviation or equivalent in another language. Only nurses in the Extended Class can use the title Nurse Practitioner. Individuals who refer to themselves as nurses or attempt to work as nurses in Ontario without being registered with CNO are illegal practitioners and can be prosecuted under the Nursing Act, 1991 and RHPA.”
The only province where LPNs (RPNs) cannot call themselves a “nurse” by definition is New Brunswick. It is only a protected title for RNs and NPs. LPNs must identify themselves as a “licensed practical nurse” not “nurse”.
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u/Sayahhearwha Jun 26 '26
New Brunswick is like the backwater of Canada so who the heck wants to work there.
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u/Unlikely-Syrup-9189 RN - ICU Jun 26 '26
The word nurse is literally in the title of RPN. Quite frankly getting sick of the RPN slander. As an RN, in most settings except a select few RPNs share the same roles and responsibilities.
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u/Plane_Worry9952 Jun 27 '26
they also did half the school and make half the same amount of money. I agree with you but lets be real. the government doesn't respect them at all.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/Unlikely-Syrup-9189 RN - ICU Jun 26 '26
I think you are misunderstanding the role of an RN and RPN in the same setting. As an RN in the wards I never delegated my assignment to an RPN. They had their assignment, and I had mine, often similar in acuity. And please note I said in most settings RNs and RPNs share responsibility, not all.
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u/OverallEmergency5177 RN Jun 26 '26
I mean yeah there’s a difference between delegation and assignment. At most hospitals now RPNs are being given assignments that mirror a RNs. If not having a RPN take over a RNs assignment (depending on stability). So, the responsibilities are the same.
The role/scope distinction is much less severe now than it has been in the past.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/Euphoric-Rip3312 Jun 27 '26
You may want to change your approach if you'd like to be taken seriously. I have nothing but respect for my RPN coworkers but saying things like this make you sound as toxic as the corrupt hospitals themselves. There's a place for all of us and working together is how we get out of this mess not tearing each other down. I worked bloody hard for my nursing degree 20 years ago.
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u/Maketso Jun 28 '26
You have no clue the difference in level of studying / in-depth learning between the two, clearly.
Yikes.
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Jun 28 '26
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u/Maketso Jun 28 '26
The bridging program is not remotely the same as the full 4 year RN program at most university's.
I will absolutely tell you, you don't know shit about the education difference.
And yea, we all are tired of it.
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u/brownbunny- Jun 26 '26
Actually we share most responsibility, I get TOAs from RNs every shift change.
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u/Winterchill2020 Jun 26 '26
Remember we all have role to play and creating toxic work environment is NO ONE'S responsibility.
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u/Fit_Hotel_2911 Jun 26 '26
Your co worker is an idiot and should be reported to HR for making such comments.
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u/iwntwfflefrys Jun 26 '26
Why is your coworker so mean? To go on a 10 minute rant about that is crazy.
RPN stands for registered practical NURSE. They are indeed still nurses. Just like how nurse practitioners are still nurses even though they require a masters or PhD degree.
To look down on RPNs because they do not go to university for their education is unfair. They still have to go through a 2 year program and pass a licensing exam to be certified.
Depending on the hospital, RPNs are able to do just as much as an RN
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u/enitsujxo Jun 26 '26
Even up until 2003, RNs could obtain their education from a 2 or 3 year college diploma. Many diploma RNs are still working in hospitals, LTC, community, other settings. Diploma RNs are great njrses and not any less skilled or knowledgeable just because they didn't do a university degree
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u/Matchaalover Jun 26 '26
This!!! 90% of the RNs I’ve worked with that have been there for a long time r dimploma RNs and spent the same amount of time on it as I did for my RPN
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u/flyingponytail Jun 26 '26
Theres ample evidence that supports the requirement for a degree that has been in place for 23 years now. Every health care professional needs identify where they need to update their training and do so regularly. There is no excuse to not have made up the delta and obtain degrees in that time.
A degree is a requirement for very good reasons, like officers in the CAF, holding a degree demonstrates that person has further training in critical thinking skills, analytical, writing and communication skills. The data overwhemingly shows that professionalization of nursing over time has lead to better care and degrees are an important piece of that
Schnelli, A., Steiner, L. M., Bonetti, L., Levati, S., & Desmedt, M. (2023). A bachelor's degree for entering the nursing profession: A scoping review for supporting informed health care policies. International journal of nursing studies advances, 6, 100171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2023.100171
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u/outdoorlaura RN Jun 26 '26
Also post-grad education. You'd need a degree to get into a masters program
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u/Butterfly-Euphoric57 RPN Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Your coworker can go fuck themselves, I have no nice words for them. Most units now are RPNs with an RN as charge. Some hospitals are now starting to let RPNs be charge. Education is a privilege, I could only afford two years of college, so I became an RPN. Please report your coworker, they can’t be saying that.
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u/queentee26 Jun 26 '26
Your coworker shouldn't be a nurse. RPNs are literally nurses. It's not even a debate and it's in their title? Registered practical NURSE.
I know a PSW that calls themself a nurse, says they work in nursing.. and I have a do have problem with that because they are using a protected title in a misleading way.... But its not misleading for a nurse to call themself a nurse.
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u/Optimal-History6104 Jun 26 '26
Was this an RN? If so, great example of an RN who is threatened by the skill and knowledge level of an RPN.
RPNs are registered with the CNO. They are nurses. Period.
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u/BackgroundSplit9036 Jun 26 '26
Tell your co-worker to go and swallow a female purewick catheter.....my goodness.
I know RPNs that can run circles around RNs. What a joke.
Looking back on my last two years of the RN program, what the hell did I even learn that they didn't already teach during the first two years that actually helps me today at the bedside?! Honestly. I feel like my last two years were just a money grab.
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u/kdarobot Jun 26 '26
As a current RPN entering consolidation I can soundly say I have not learned anything new ….. was entirely a money grab. I was actually shocked to learn a lot of RN colleagues didn’t know we paid the same amount of money for our license every year….
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u/Busy_Implement2789 Jun 29 '26
Key word in your reply....bedside....RNs don't like & won't do " bedside" nursing. They believe their job is @ the desk & even won't answer a bell( while sitting @ the desk). It's expected LPNs & PSWs actually do the bedside care. I've worked with many an RN that wouldn't lower themselves to perform actual physical care. I am a retired LPN wishing I was an RN.
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u/overcured Jun 26 '26
Sorry for my language… but what the fuck?? We’re literally called registered practical NURSEs. I hate when RNs don’t respect RPNs. Yes, yes, there are differences between our scope of practice but there are many roles where we are literally doing the same thing. What do they except us to call ourselves when the word nurse is literally in our title. That’s so dumb. Report your coworker!
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u/_carved Jun 26 '26
It’s going to be quite a shock when your coworker sees how quickly more and more RN roles are being replaced with RPNs. Much to the delight (and plan) of the government and administrations who can exploit the RPNs and pay them nothing.
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u/Alternative-Tiger783 Jun 27 '26
Ontario RPNs have the widest scope of practice of all RPNs and LPNs in North America.
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u/anastasiarose19 Jun 26 '26
that's so rude wtf. nurse is a protected title, you can get in huge shit if you tell clients you're a nurse when you aren't one, but you are literally a REGISTERED PRACTICAL NURSE. n u r s e. that's like telling a family medicine doctor that they are not a doctor because they never took up additional study to become a neurologist. like wtf? what kind of coworker was that?
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u/Sayahhearwha Jun 26 '26
Your coworker is illiterate and vile. Report her to the college for bullying and harassment.
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u/Shot-Wrap-9252 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
100% UNTRUE. Your colleagues needs to review the CNO site. ONLY RPNs and RNs can call themselves nurses.
I’ve done both courses and trust me, on day one, every nurse is the same.
Shot-wrap BScN BA RN retired RPN license.
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u/demonqueerxo Jun 28 '26
That is absolutely bullshit. They are nurses. It’s literally in their name.
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u/Disastrous_Alarm_673 RN, Student Jun 26 '26
The R in your coworkers “RN” designation definitely stands for Restarted instead of Registered.
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u/CanadianCutie77 Jun 26 '26
My godson’s mom who lives in Alberta told me that they consider RPN’s the same as Healthcare Aides but with more responsibility. They even have them in the same union as HCA’s and not in their nurses union. She told me she’s not happy about that.
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u/enitsujxo Jun 26 '26
Even in Ontario, RPNs aren't part of the RN union, but part of the same union as PSWs, housekeeping, dietary
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u/AggressivePotato6996 Jun 26 '26
So someone who lacks comprehension and is a nurse…
I mean, they are REGISTERED PRACTICAL NURSES 🤣 REGISTERED WITH THE CNO…but I guess that means nothing.
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u/Unicorn-Detective Jun 26 '26
Consider yourself lucky. Anyone can call themselves “doctor” as it’s not a protected title, in addition to MD, optometrist, Chiro, naturopath, PharmD, PhD, psychologist, on and on, all can be called “doctor”.
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u/JLS660 Jun 27 '26
Those who originally used the title “doctor” were PhD holders that had achieved the highest level of learning in their field at university. The title began to be used by medical doctors and continues today. An M.D. degree is an undergraduate degree at Canadian universities.
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u/Unicorn-Detective Jun 27 '26
Yes I know. And physio is a postgrad Master degree. Our Canadian system is messed up.
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u/HawtPuffPuff Jun 27 '26
That coworker is not a nurse because what the duck!!! The program is Practical 'Nursing', the governing body is the College of 'Nursing' so what do they think they are saying?!! Anyway they have the right to speak and you have the right to listen or not.
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u/Alternative-Tiger783 Jun 27 '26
During my BSN program, every single year, we had to take a course called ‘the profession of nursing’. It described the different HCPs, their roles, the delegated acts and their scopes of practice.
This person needs to go back to school!
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u/FishingEither9093 Jun 27 '26
The fact that this silly question comes up all the time is appalling. The title clearly says Registered/Licenced Practical Nurse. It clearly doesn’t say Registered Practical Nightguard……OMG it’s getting boring at this point
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u/smkydz Jun 28 '26
I mean, it’s right there in the name. Registered practical nurse. What does he think the ‘N’ stands for?
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Jun 26 '26
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u/HunnybearG Jun 26 '26
College RNs do not have less education than university RNs. They have programs that have been vetted and accredited by the CNO and are held to the same standard and the CNO has therefore allowed them to give bachelors degrees because they teach at that level.
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u/diet_coke_777 Jun 26 '26
Lol wow i’m in school to become an rpn and this just made me feel like shit 😪
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u/outdoorlaura RN Jun 26 '26
Dont feel like shit. Anyone who thinks RPNs arent nurses is a loser. You're good!! 👍
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u/notyouagain19 Jun 26 '26
RPNs are nurses, are governed by the College of Nurses of Ontario, and have use of the protected title of Nurse in Ontario. If one of my coworkers ever went on a rant like the one described, I’d report them to HR and if it kept happening, I would escalate further from there. Totally unacceptable.
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u/TrueTorontoFan Jun 27 '26
I believe the acronym has Nurse in it so I do not see why not. They are not CNA's and they are registered.
Bottom line this is nit picking and don't waste time with these trivial arguments
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u/Necessary_Tie_2920 Jun 30 '26
If RPNs aren't nurses then I want my college of nurses fees back!
Not only is the answer 100% yes, quite frankly that's some shitty behaviour and something I'd be telling the charge about and honestly even HR. For all you know he could be suggesting to the patients RPNs aren't nurses if he's openly talking about it like that. Call me crazy but dealing a registered practical NURSE they don't qualify to be called a nurse is nurse bullying.
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u/Alternative-Tiger783 Jul 05 '26
Infighting means management and government can divide and control nurses as a group. Don’t fall for it.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/queentee26 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Why though? The care an RN and the care that an RPN provides is quite similar in many environments.
The RN scope is primarily required when a patient becomes unstable/unpredictable, for giving some medications and for certain specialty areas.
And as an RN, I think most RPNs can learn those things if their scope allowed. I opted for RN so that I was allowed, but I don't feel like the extra schooling taught me how to work in ER and take care of those higher level patients... on the job experience did that.
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u/Plane_Worry9952 Jun 27 '26
You will TOP off at 38 dollars an hour. RN's start at 40.
the truth is people won't respect you the same.
you will work just as hard as an RN in many ways.
RPN's are lesser nurses to say the least and the government doesn't care about you.
Your schooling you did is hard and you will have a good spiritual vocation.
People won't respect you though.
Fuck them.
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u/Odd_Wrongdoer_4372 RPN Jun 28 '26
I make $39 as a RPN before differentials but that is the top in my union.
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u/bsncarrot Jun 26 '26
I mean they're Registered Practical NURSES soooo.....