Basic nursing education must equip beginning practitioners with the knowledge, skills and judgement to provide safe, effective and ethical nursing care. As a self-regulating profession, with the College as its regulatory body, nursing sets standards for the educational preparation and qualifications of individuals entering the profession. According to the Registered Nurses Act, the College is required to establish standards for and approve the university-based nursing education programs in Nova Scotia.

Matters related to standards and approval processes are the direct responsibility of the Education Advisory Committee (EAC), a statutory committee of CRNNS. This committee refers to the Program Approval Process & Standards for Registered Nurse Education Programs , and the advice of a Program Review Team, in making its recommendations to the College's Council on the approval of nursing programs.

Nursing education programs are reviewed for approval at least every five years, and they must demonstrate that all the criteria related to the standards have been or are in the process of being achieved.

The four standards for nursing education programs relate to:

• curriculum
• program
• learners
• graduates
  

Other College initiatives aimed at promoting good practice include continuing education sessions on professional aspects of nursing, and the Entry-Level Competence Project. This competence project will, with the input of nursing experts, establish the competency requirements for entry-level nurses in specific practice environments.

For more information, please contact Professional Practice and Policy Services at (902) 491-9744, ext. 224 or dm@crnns.ca.