Requisite Skills And Abilities For Becoming A Registered Nurse In Alberta

The purpose of this document is to inform potential nursing students, admission officers, disability service providers and equity officers, and the public of the general demands and performance expectations of registered nurses (RNs) upon initial entry to practice in Alberta. Nursing education prepares students to meet the entry-level competencies necessary to be knowledgeable, skilled, and competent to practice nursing safely and ethically.

The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) is the legislated regulatory college for all registrants of the RN profession. According to the Health Professions Act (2000), RNs do one or more of the following in their practice:

• assist individuals, families, groups, and communities to achieve their optimal physical,
• emotional, mental, and spiritual health and well-being
• assess, diagnose, and provide treatment and interventions and make referrals
• prevent or treat injury and illness
• teach, counsel, and advocate to enhance health and well-being
• coordinate, supervise, monitor, and evaluate the provision of health services
• teach nursing theory and practice
• manage, administer, and allocate resources related to health services
• engage in research related to health and the practice of nursing
• provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations 

Requisite skills and abilities (RSAs) are the basic skills and abilities that an individual requires to meet the entry-level competencies for RNs to practise as a generalist in Alberta. These allow the individual to transition along the continuum from a nursing student to graduate nurse to RN. An entry-level RN practises nursing in collaboration with the health-care team and the health-care system.

The information in this document is intended to assist individuals considering a career as an RN or those advising someone about a career in nursing to identify their fit with the requirements of becoming an RN in Alberta, and/or determining their potential need for accommodation in the nursing education program.