Career guide
Registered nurse
Registered nurses assess patients, plan and give care, give medications and treatments, teach patients and families, and coordinate care with the rest of the team.
- StatusRegulated profession
- Training4-year degree
- Pay scale$80.00–$90.00 an hour
- Openings now4
A day in the job
A typical shift starts with handover from the nurse before you. You check on each of your patients, give medications on schedule, watch for changes, chart what you see, talk with doctors and families, and get patients ready for tests or discharge. Most hospital jobs work 8- or 12-hour shifts, including nights and weekends.
Where you could work: Hospitals, clinics, community, long-term care
How to get there
- Earn a Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an approved Alberta program (about four years)
- Complete the clinical placements built into the program
Alberta schools: University of Alberta (opens in a new tab), University of Calgary (opens in a new tab), MacEwan University (opens in a new tab), Mount Royal University (opens in a new tab), University of Lethbridge (opens in a new tab), Red Deer Polytechnic (opens in a new tab)
Licence and registration
- Pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam
- Register with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta before you practise
- Renew your permit every year
Official starting point: College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (opens in a new tab)
Trained outside Canada?
Nurses educated outside Canada usually start with the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS), then apply to the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, which decides whether more education or an assessment is needed.
Important: Requirements can change and may differ for internationally educated professionals. CareZelo links to official bodies but does not determine eligibility.