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Alberta Supports Contact Centre

Toll Free 1-877-644-9992

Health and Social Services

Nurse - Registered

Registered nurses provide professional nursing services, deliver health education programs and provide consultative nursing services to promote, maintain, and restore patient health.

Contact

College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA)
11120 - 178 St.
Edmonton, Alberta T5S 1P2
Canada

Call: 780-451-0043
Toll-free: 1-800-252-9392
Fax: 780-452-3276
Email: carna@nurses.ab.ca
Website: www.nurses.ab.ca

Legislation

Under Alberta’s Health Professions Act [pdf] and Registered Nurses Profession Regulation [pdf], registration with the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) is mandatory. Only registered members who have an active practice permit may provide the restricted activities specified in the Regulation and call themselves registered nurses or use the initials RN.

What You Need

Registration requires successful completion of:

  • An approved nursing education program or equivalent
  • The NCLEX-RN national licensing exam

Applicants who have been out of practice for a period of time may have to demonstrate that they are currently competent to practice.

Once registered, members then apply for a practice permit. Annual requirements including minimum number of practice hours and continuing competence must be met to keep the permit active. For detailed official information about registration requirements, visit CARNA.

Working in Alberta

Registered nurses who are registered by and in good standing with a regulatory registered nurse body elsewhere in Canada may apply for registration in Alberta. For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and the CARNA website.

The certification information in this profile may change at any time and without notice. Before making any career decisions, we advise you to contact the regulatory organization or visit their website for the most updated information.

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