Printable version

Registered Nurses (3152)

Among the occupations currently in highest demand in All of Québec

The English text is currently unavailable. Please refer to the French text below.

Qualification and skills most often required

Le baccalauréat en sciences infirmières ou le diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC) en soins infirmiers sont demandés. L’adhésion à l’Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec est obligatoire pour porter le titre et exercer la profession. Il est important de vérifier auprès de cet ordre professionnel quelles sont les conditions d’admission ainsi que les modalités particulières qui s’appliquent aux personnes diplômées à l’extérieur du Québec. Des compétences en gériatrie et en soins aux personnes en perte d’autonomie sont de plus en plus recherchées en raison du vieillissement de la population. Une bonne capacité d’adaptation, le sens de l’observation, du discernement, le sang-froid, la résistance au stress, le respect, l’empathie, des aptitudes à communiquer et la capacité de travailler en équipe sont des qualités recherchées. Une bonne résistance physique est également nécessaire. Le bilinguisme est parfois demandé.

Reason for labor demand

La croissance, le vieillissement de la population ainsi que le caractère essentiel des services médicaux expliquent la demande de personnel. Les besoins liés au remplacement des personnes qui prennent leur retraite constituent aussi une source de débouchés dans cette profession. La demande pour des infirmières cliniciennes et des infirmiers cliniciens est croissante. Les conditions de travail parfois difficiles (horaires de travail irréguliers, heures supplémentaires, charge de travail, etc.) expliquent un certain roulement de la main-d’œuvre dans cette profession. La demande vient notamment du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux (les centres hospitaliers et les centres d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée) et des résidences pour personnes âgées. Le recrutement se fait souvent directement auprès des établissements de formation.

View job offers on Online Placement

Job titles

Nature of work

This unit group includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, registered psychiatric nurses and graduates of a nursing program who are awaiting registration (graduate nurses). They provide direct nursing care to patients, deliver health education programs and provide consultative services regarding issues relevant to the practice of nursing. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, doctors' offices, clinics, community agencies, companies and private homes, or they may be self-employed.

Fields of interest

  • Providing others with care and assistance

Main duties

  • General duty registered nurses perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Assess patients to identify appropriate nursing interventions
  • - Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, co-ordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
  • - Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or according to established policies and protocols
  • - Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions
  • - Operate or monitor medical apparatus or equipment
  • - Assist in surgery and other medical procedures
  • - May supervise licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff
  • - May develop and implement discharge planning process on admission of patients
  • - May teach and counsel patients and their families on health-related issues in collaboration with other health care providers.
  • - Occupational health nurses develop and implement employee health education programs and provide registered nursing care in private businesses and industry.
  • - Community health nurses provide health education and registered nursing care in public health units and through home visits, manage complex home care cases, participate in community needs assessment and program development, conduct disease screening and deliver immunization programs.
  • - Psychiatric nurses provide nursing care, supportive counselling and life skills programming to patients in psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, long-term care facilities and community-based settings.
  • - Nursing consultants provide consultative services to institutes, associations and health care organizations regarding issues and concerns relevant to the nursing profession and nursing practice.
  • - Nursing researchers engaged in research activities related to nursing are self-employed or are employed by hospitals, public and private organizations and governments.
  • - Clinical nurses provide leadership, advice and counsel on the provision of research-based care for specific patient groups within the care of particular health care organizations.
  • * Registered nurses may specialize in areas such as surgery, obstetrics care, psychiatric care, critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, community health, occupational health, emergency care, rehabilitation or oncology.
  • * Nurse practitioners are independent care providers with a broader scope of practice relative to registered nurses.

Employment requirements

  • * Registered nurses
  • * Completion of a university, college or other approved registered nursing program is required.
  • * Additional academic training or experience is required to specialize in a specific area of nursing.
  • * A master's or doctoral degree in nursing is usually required for clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurses, nursing consultants and nursing researchers.
  • * Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
  • * Nurse practitioners
  • * A master's degree in nursing, or a nursing program or other advanced nurse practitioner diploma program is required.
  • * Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories
  • * In Ontario, successful completion of the Extended Class Registration Examination (ECRE) is required for registration as Registered Nurse in the Extended Class RN(EC).
  • * Registered psychiatric nurses
  • * Completion of a university or college registered psychiatric nursing program is required.
  • * Registration with a regulatory body is required in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

More information in All of Québec

Employment in 2011 65,000
Skill level Professional
Average annual full-time income in 2005 51,000$
Job prospects-by occupation (2012-2016) Good
Unemployment rate in 2011 Low