The College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta (CRPNA) is pleased to announce the approval and adoption of the Registered Psychiatric Nurse Entry-Level Competencies (ELC) in Canada (2025) as the entry level competencies for the Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) profession in Alberta. The new Registered Psychiatric Nurses Entry-Level Competencies replace the 2014 competencies and will come into effect January 1, 2026.
The Registered Psychiatric Nurse Entry-Level Competencies are revised every five to seven years at a national level to ensure they are relevant to RPN practice, consistent among the jurisdictions, and support workforce mobility. The review process includes consultation with each of the regulatory bodies that regulate RPNs, as well as with RPNs from a variety of practice settings, psychiatric nursing faculty and clinical educators, and employers.
On March 1, 2025, the CRPNA Council approved and adopted the Registered Psychiatric Nurse Entry-Level Competencies in Canada (2025) as the entry level competencies for the RPN profession in Alberta.
The RPN ELCs are used by the regulatory body, psychiatric nursing education programs and other external partners for several purposes, including but not limited to:
- Curriculum development
- Psychiatric nursing education program review and approval
- Development of the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination (RPNCE)
- Professional conduct review
The new Registered Psychiatric Nurses Entry-Level Competencies replace the 2014 competencies and will come into effect January 1, 2026.
The updated entry level competencies reflect the profession’s commitment to client- centered care, addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health care, and ensuring evidence-informed psychiatric nursing practice — now and in the future.
