Registered Nurses Bridging Program

The Prince Edward Island (PEI) Department of Health and Wellness has partnered with Saskatchewan Polytechnic to deliver the Registered Nursing Bridging Program (RNBP) to internationally educated nurses to update their credentials to meet the competencies set out by the Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM).

This hybrid program combines online theoretical learning with in-person lab sessions and clinical practicum experiences, all aligned with the entry-level competencies established by the PEICNM.

You will:

• Learn about the Canadian health care system
• Study health assessment, health challenges, communications, and care of the elderly
• Study medical technology, terminology, and drug therapy theory in Canada
• Study regulations, ethics, safety, and cultural competency
• Explore issues generated by language barriers and cultural differences
• Have your clinical skills assessed in comparison to techniques and equipment used in Canada
• Take part in simulation labs and supervised clinical practice education
• Prepare to write the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)

Prior to entering the program, the learner is required to provide proof of:

• Criminal Record Check (CRC), including Vulnerable Sector Check- valid for 1 year from the issue date.
• Immunization Records – All immunizations must be up to date. Due to risk of infectious disease in the workplace, you are required to have up to date immunizations or have them in progress if they require multiple doses. before beginning your in-person clinical rotation; The form below must be signed by an approved authority on PEI and include serology results.
  • Immunizations
• CPR–C/AED for healthcare professionals or equivalent - valid for 1 year from issue date.
• You are required to have an up-to-date CPR-C/AED for healthcare professionals or equivalent certification. If you need to recertify, check with your employer first to see if they offer the session, you require or there are options available for a fee.
• WHMIS certification – valid for 1 year from issue date.

Upon entering the program, the learner is required to provide proof of:

• N95 mask fit testing – valid for 2 years from issue date. (If you have had a significant change in your face, changes in weight, major dental or facial surgery, you need to request a re-fit sooner)

If you can’t complete the N95 mask testing, you will need to notify RNBridging@ihis.org  why testing could not be completed. If there is a health concern, written documentation from your doctor needs to be submitted with your ability/inability to be fitted.

• Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention (MSIP) training: Transferring, Lifting, Repositioning (TLR) training date will be provided to you during Semester 1.

What is the PEI Registered Nursing Bridging Program (RNBP) program?

The RNBP is a 32-34 week program available to assist internationally educated nurses (IEN) in updating their credentials to meet the competencies set out by the PEICNM. This program is also available to Canadian Educated nurses looking to re-enter the workforce as a Registered Nurse (RN)

The courses are thoughtfully designed to enhance entry level competencies and ensure alignment with Canadian standards.

Delivered in a hybrid format, all theoretical courses are available online, while skills lab and clinical are conducted in-person. Learners have access to online content for skills lab and clinical.

What courses does the program cover?

There are 9 theory courses over 3 semesters (3 courses per semester). Each semester is delivered online over a defined eight-week period through a Learning Management System (LMS) called Brightspace. Each course has mandatory assessment points that need to be successfully completed. The courses are taken in the following sequence:

Semester 1

• NRSG-120 Fundamentals of Canadian Nursing Communication: You will study the importance of therapeutic communication skills for Canadian nurses. You will recognize commonly used medical terminology and apply the principles of basic communication skills in an interprofessional healthcare setting. You will identify the concepts of health teaching and conflict management skills in dealing with clients and their families.
• NRSG-103 Nursing in Canada: Your studies will focus on nursing in Canada. You will describe health and healthcare in Canada. You will discuss the foundations of nursing practice in Canada. You will appraise the roles and responsibilities of registered nurses in Saskatchewan. You will examine approaches to nursing care. You will distinguish nursing considerations for Indigenous and culturally diverse clients. You will analyze evidence-informed nursing practice and nursing research. You will examine nursing leadership and collaborative practice. You will examine trends in nursing practice.
• NRSG-106 Mental Health Nursing: You will articulate foundational theories and concepts of mental health as they pertain to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. You will analyze the anatomy and physiology of the brain in relation to mental health, and plan nursing care for clients experiencing psychobiological disorders. You will manage pharmacological interventions and examine nursing care to support mental health across the lifespan. You will then discuss a nursing care plan for a client experiencing a mental health crisis.

Semester 2

• PHAR-202 Pharmacology: You will examine foundational concepts of pharmacology in nursing practice. You will examine factors impacting medication therapy. You will formulate pharmacological interventions for clients. You will manage nursing care for clients taking anti-infective and anti-inflammatory medications. You will manage nursing care for clients taking medications that affect the nervous, cardiovascular, renal system, endocrine, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems.
• NRSG-104 Health Assessment: You will learn how to conduct a systematic holistic health assessment, and how to adapt your health assessment techniques across the lifespan. You will demonstrate a modified head-to-toe assessment, applicable in any clinical practice education setting.
• NRSG-107 Maternal-Newborn Nursing: You will discuss the foundational concepts of maternal-newborn nursing and review the human reproductive systems and considerations related to human reproduction. You will discuss the management of nursing care to support clients while pregnant; clients during labor, birth and postpartum; as well as support for at risk childbearing and newborn clients.

Semester 3

• NRSG-221 Adult Health Nursing: You will focus on nursing care required to support clients facing surgery, experiencing cancer and undergoing alterations in immune function. You will also examine the nursing care required to support clients experiencing a wide range of health alterations in cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, metabolic, digestive, oxygenation, neurological, psychosocial, sexuality and reproduction, and musculoskeletal systems.
• NRSG-222 Gerontological Nursing: You will study the growth and development of elderly clients, considering how nurses can assist the elderly and their caregivers to achieve healthy aging. Nursing care required to support elderly clients with issues related to medications, psychosocial health, complex health needs, and loss and grief will also be discussed.
• NRSG-108 Pediatric Nursing: You will examine the growth and development, and the nurse’s role in caring for children from birth to adolescence. You will promote foundations of pediatric nursing. You will formulate nursing care for pediatric clients experiencing a wide range of health alterations in the following systems: respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, endocrine, hematological, neoplastic, infectious, immunologic, neurologic, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, genetic, cognition, behavior, development, sensory, and integumentary.

What happens after theoretical courses are successfully completed?

Following successful completion of the theoretical courses the learner will move into the following schedule:

Week 25 to 27: In-person Skills Lab and Training is required. This lab will focus on practicing nursing skills and health assessments. Learners will have access to online content for skills lab:

• NRSG-223 Clinical Skills Lab

The below clinical requirements are provided during week 25 to 27:

• Clinical Information System (CIS) training
• Point of Care (POC) equipment certification
• Simulations

Week 28 to 31: 160 hours of in-person instructor-led clinical is required.

Week 32 to 34: 84hrs of in-person preceptor-led clinical is required. This schedule varies from 12-hours shifts, shift work and weekends.

Learners will have access to online content for both instructor-led and preceptor-led clinical:

• NRSG-209 Clinical Practice Education Experience

Who may be eligible for a referral to the PEI RNBP Program?

To be eligible for the RNBP, you must be referred to the program though the following:

• Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM)

Do I need to be a resident of PEI and/or Canada?

• Yes, to be eligible for RNBP PEI you must be legally entitled to work in Canada, and you must also be a resident of PEI. Proof of Prince Edward Island residency (living on PEI) is required. You must be able to provide a copy of any TWO of the following:
• PEI Government-issued photo ID,
  • PEI health card,
  • PEI residential lease/property deed,
  • Recent utility bill displaying your name and PEI address,
  • Letter from PEI government/court (marriage license, divorce, government aid),
  • Bank statement showing name and PEI address, or
  • PEI driver’s license/learner’s permit.
• Please note that a Permanent Resident (PR) card is not accepted as valid proof of residency in PEI.

What is the cost of this program?

Currently, Program fees are covered by provincial funding for all learners but may be subject to change without notice. 

How is the RNBP program delivered?

The programs is delivered through a hybrid format, all theoretical courses are available online, while the skills lab and clinical are conducted in-person. Learners have access to online content for skills lab and clinical.

How do I apply for the RNBP program?

To be eligible for the RNBP, you must be referred to the program though the following:

• Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM)

How do I apply as an Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN)?

All nurses who are seeking registration to practice as a Registered Nurse on PEI must apply or contact the Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM).

Is there any financial assistance available?

The PEI Department of Health and Wellness has partnered with SkillsPEI to provide a stipend for those who qualify. To be eligible for the stipend, applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents and have lived in Prince Edward Island for at least six months prior to the program start date.. Additional requirements will be assessed through a formal application and a Return to Work Action Plan (RTWAP), developed with a case manager. Eligible participants may qualify for a $200/week stipend (single or married participants) or a $300/week stipend (parents), while attending training.

For more information about financial assistance, contact Melanie Johnston: meljohnston@gov.pe.ca 

Eligibility & Next Steps

A referral from the Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM) is required for enrollment.

If you have been referred by PEICNM to RNBP, you can expect to be contacted within 7-10 business days.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at RNBridging@ihis.org