How to Become an LPN in Edmonton

Canadian nursing aides were created during the second World War to fill the shortage of registered nurses. Restricted to armed forces personnel, enrollment in the 40-week training program was opened to the public in 1947. Now, called Licensed Practical Nurses, candidates in Edmonton must complete a two-year nursing program at one of seven Alberta colleges and pass a national exam. NorQuest College in the city’s downtown offers the largest practical nurse program in Canada--four regional campuses and distance learning classes.

Things You'll Need

• CLPNA reinstatement application

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Instructions

New Graduates

• 1

  Complete a two-year practical nurse training program at an Alberta college. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) candidates must then pass the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination, or CPNRE, to be licensed.

• 2

  Complete your college program two weeks before the exam date. Apply to the College of Licensed Practical Nurses in Alberta, CLPNA, to take the exam. Fall 2009 graduates had an application deadline of December 25 for the January 13, 2010 exam.

• 3

  Pay the $600 CPNRE exam fee (as of 2009). Once CLPNA receives your fee and verification of your course completion from the college, they will schedule you for the exam.

LPNs From Other Provinces or the US

• 4

  Contact the CLPNA at clpna.com if you have completed the Canadian Practical Nurse or American Practical/Vocational Nurse training and never been licensed in Alberta. Ask for an Out of Province application. This can take a month or two and you must have your license before you can work. Ensure any future employer knows there will be a delay.

• 5

  Contact CLPNA’s registration department for an assessment if you had a prior Alberta LPN license and have worked as an LPN at least 500 hours in the previous four years.

• 6

  Complete a reinstatement application from the CLPNA if you worked fewer than 500 hours in the past four years before you can work in Edmonton.

Nurses From Other Countries

• 7

  Request a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition if you are an international applicant who graduated from a health care program. This is an assessment of your training and will include a supervised clinical placement.

• 8

  Apply to NorQuest College in Edmonton (or Bow Valley College in Calgary) for a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). They will compare your credentials with Alberta standards and determine what requirements you need. When you finish the requirements and Practical Nurse Preparation, the college will issue you a Practical Nurse credential.

• 9

  Send an application to CLPNA to take the Canadian Practical Nurse National Registration Examination. Once successfully completed, you will get an LPN license and be able to work in Edmonton