Who are you and what do you do as a psychiatric nurse?
Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) are nurses who specialize in psychiatric or mental health care. They may perform standard nursing functions but also possess the clinical knowledge and skills required in mental health care settings. RPNs are able to assess patient needs, provide counselling and develop treatment plans. They may be involved in treatment or crisis intervention on a regular basis - tasks requiring excellent interpersonal skills. Douglas College offers specialized education in all of these areas and emphasizes real-world practices in learning laboratories and work-setting placements.
Are you nurses?
We are Registered Psychiatric Nurses governed under the Health Professions Act along with other nursing bodies and health professionals in this province. We do not cover the areas of obstetrics or pediatrics in our program, but do cover general medical/surgical nursing. Our programs are distinct from General Nursing programs.
Do you have to be a Registered Nurse before you can become a psychiatric nurse?
No, you do not have to be a Registered Nurse (RN) before you take our program. RNs who wish to specialize in psychiatry may apply to our program for individual consideration for degree completion.
Can I take the program part time?
At this time our programs are not offered via part time studies. The programs have been designed to be taken as full-time study. However, electives can be taken in this manner. Students who take the associate studies courses in advance of entering the psychiatric nursing programs do have a reduced course load.
