Registered nurses provide nursing care to patients and may specialize in surgery, neurology, emergency care, intensive care, obstetrics, gerontology, or other areas of health care.

To work in any of these nursing areas, you must have a college or university registered nursing diploma/degree. You must also obtain a provincial licence and you may need a membership in a professional association.

To be a head nurse or supervisor, you need experience as a registered nurse and may need a university degree or other studies in management or administration.

To be a specialized registered nurse, you must have additional academic training or experience. The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) offers a national certification credentialing program in 12 specialties; this program, with mandatory exam, recognizes registered nurses as specialists in their field of work. You usually need a master's or doctoral nursing degree to be a clinical nurse specialist, clinician or consultant.

Most recent entrants have a community college diploma, and almost 3 in 10 have an undergraduate university degree.

Most provinces will require a baccalaureate degree in registered nursing as entry to practice in the coming years.