Registered psychiatric nursing practice requires English language skills in the four domains of communicative competence: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Pursuant to the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta Psychiatric Nursing Regulation, applicants for registration in the registered psychiatric nurse membership class must establish that they meet the English proficiency criteria established by the council.

The language proficiency requirement is not exemptible although it can be met in one of four ways:

1. Education

• • Successful completion of an approved psychiatric nursing education program in Canada where the language of instruction used for theory and any clinical and practicum experiences was English. Psychiatric nursing education programs in Canada may include bridging, refresher, and re-entry programs; or,
  • Successful completion of a psychiatric nursing education program outside Canada that the council considers to be comparable to a psychiatric nursing education program in Alberta, where the language of instruction used for theory and any clinical and practicum experiences was English within the previous five years.

2. Practice Experience

• • Practiced as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in another Canadian jurisdiction within the previous five years.

3. Registration

• • Registered in good standing as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in another Canadian jurisdiction; or,
  • Registered in good standing as a Licensed Practical Nurse or a Registered Nurse in another Canadian jurisdiction within the past two years.

4. Language Testing

• • Applicants who do not meet one of the requirements outlined above are required to provide evidence English language proficiency by completing one of the approved language tests and receiving the minimum scores. The CRPNA approved language tests can be found below.