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Nurse, RN
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
Registered nurses may work on their own or as members of a health care team.
Key roles include:
In hospitals and other health care settings, these roles may include tasks such as:
Registered nurses may focus on providing a certain type of care (such as emergency or trauma care, or critical care) or working with a certain type of patients (such as children, or people with heart disease).
More and more, nurses work in community and workplace settings as well as health care settings. To learn more, see the Community Health Nurse and Occupational Health Nurse occupational profiles.
For information about psychiatric nursing duties, see the Psychiatric Nurse occupational profile.
Nursing can be demanding work (mentally, physically and emotionally). Nurses are often exposed to biological, physical and chemical hazards. In acute care settings, they work with very sick patients. They help lift patients and routinely handle items that weigh up to 20 kilograms.
Registered nurses often work shifts that include nights, weekends and holidays.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in speaking to collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families; may teach and counsel patients and their families on health-related issues in collaboration with other health care providers
Interest in compiling information to monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions; and in administering medications and treatments as prescribed by physicians or according to establish policies and protocols
Interest in operating medical apparatus or equipment; and in supervising licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff; may develop and implement discharge planning process on admission of patients
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Registered nurses need to possess:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 100 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Apr 27, 2023 and Nov 27, 2023.
Review these skills to learn:
| Construction Specialization: Client focus | 86 |
|---|---|
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 86 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 86 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 86 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 86 |
| Construction Specialization: Judgement | 85 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 85 |
| Tasks: Collaborate to plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate patient care | 85 |
| Work Setting: Hospital/medical facility or clinic | 84 |
| Tasks: Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions | 79 |
To become a registered nurse in Alberta, graduates must meet the College & Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta’s (CARNA) requirements. These include:
For a current list of approved programs, visit the CARNA website.
Schools may require proof of current immunization, health assessments, CPR and first aid training. They may also require a security clearance.
Registered nurses may take further courses to specialize in other health care areas. See the Canadian Nurses Association website for more information.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Registered nurses provide professional nursing services, deliver health education programs and provide consultative nursing services to promote, maintain, and restore patient health.
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.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Nurse - Registered.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Registered nurses work for:
Some nurses are self-employed.
Advancing to supervisor or administrator may require a master’s degree in nursing or a related field. Registered nurses may also become nurse practitioners (NPs). They may do this by taking graduate courses and training in advanced clinical practice. For more information, see the Nurse Practitioner occupational profile.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
In the 3012: Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses occupational group, 95.8% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 3012: Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 3.6% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 1361 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Salaries for nurses vary depending on the employer and the nurse's hours, educational qualifications, experience and responsibilities.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $36.86 | $38.09 | $36.85 | $36.86 |
| Overall | $43.63 | $47.78 | $46.21 | $46.51 |
| Top | $49.34 | $59.44 | $56.12 | $59.44 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $72,818 |
|---|---|
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $72,722 |
| Public Administration | $89,924 |
College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) website: www.nurses.ab.ca
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) website: nursesunions.ca
Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) website: www.cna-aiic.ca
United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) website: una.ab.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 19, 2018. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
