Course Overview
Please Note: This course has been revised to combine the previous Module 1: Competencies, Requirements, and Standards and Module 2: Knowledge-Based Practice – Prescribing Medications and Ordering Diagnostics into a single, integrated course. The updated course structure reflects a streamlined experience and consolidated pricing.
If you have already completed Module 1, once you are registered in the new course, you will be directed to the new content. You are also welcome to revisit Module 1 as a refresher, but you will not be required to repeat previously completed work.
Advance your practice and support timely, client-centred care with the knowledge and clinical reasoning required for safe nurse prescribing. This course prepares Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) to integrate assessment, clinical decision-making, prescribing, and monitoring within their authorized scope of practice.
Through interactive readings, simulations, quizzes, and self-reflection, you will build practical skills grounded in current legislation, professional standards, and ethical practice. Delivered in a flexible, self-paced online format, the course can be completed over 12 weeks with approximately 40–50 hours of study.
The cost of the course is $600.
Scope and Authorization
This course supports knowledge-based readiness for nurse prescribing but does not grant prescriptive authority or expand scope of practice. Prescribing authorization in Alberta and Manitoba is granted by the applicable regulatory body and is limited to specific practice settings, populations, and clinical supports. Nurses must practice within these parameters and follow all regulatory and employer requirements.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply legislative, regulatory, and professional standards to safe prescribing practice
- Conduct focused assessments and use clinical reasoning to inform prescribing decisions
- Apply pharmacology and medication safety principles to select and monitor therapies
- Order and interpret authorized diagnostic tests within scope
- Develop and evaluate client-centred prescribing plans, including documentation and follow-up
- Integrate ethical principles such as informed consent, privacy, and accountability into practice
Assessment Structure
Your learning is reinforced through a combination of:
- Unit-based quizzes and reflective activities
- Simulation-based learning
- A midterm and final examination
To receive your certificate of completion, you must:
- Achieve a minimum average of 80% on the midterm and final exam
- Complete all required quizzes and learning activities
* Successful completion demonstrates your readiness for nurse prescribing practice; however, authorization is granted separately by your provincial regulatory body.