Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Enhanced Nursing Practice - Clinical and Critical Care Conestoga College

This one-year graduate certificate program is geared to experienced internationally educated nurses holding a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing. Through theory, labs, simulation, and supervised clinical practice, this program focuses on caring for the client in an acute clinical setting. It allows students to develop skills in critical thinking, decision making, nursing diagnosis, care planning, implementation, and evaluation of care. In addition, course content will cover the philosophy, culture, communication skills, ethics and practice of professional nursing in Canada. The program includes extensive clinical experience in an acute-care setting.

Program Outcomes

Integrate theory, principles, nursing concepts, anatomy physiology, and path physiology within the context of the patient and family into competent nursing practice in an acute care environment within the Canadian Health Care system.

Conduct comprehensive assessments and interpretation of subjective and objective data using the skills of observation, interviewing, history taking, and physical assessment.

Implement evidence informed decision making to optimize client's outcomes within the Canadian Health Care system.

Comply with legislation and regulations governing nursing practice within the Canadian Health Care system.

Use self-regulation and reflective practice to function ethically and competently within the parameters of the Canadian RN's scope of practice

Demonstrate professional behaviors and actions to meet the therapeutic needs of the clients, family, interprofessional team and community.

Communicate in a variety of ways to collaborate effectively with clients, families, communities and other members of the interprofessional team.

Graduate Opportunities

Graduates of this program will gain the knowledge and authentic experience necessary to enter confidently into the Canadian health-care workforce. Students will learn the skills necessary to work as a nurse in the areas of general internal medicine, surgery, cardiac and coronary care, emergency and ambulatory care.