How do I Become a Nurse Practitioner in Alberta?
The path to becoming a nurse practitioner will be unique to you. For those of you thinking of pursing a career as an NP, I hope to provide some guidance. If you want a general overview on how to become an NP in Canada, I suggest you read this post. If you plan on pursuing an NP career in Alberta, I will delineate what this journey might look like.
If you’re thinking of becoming an NP, I highly recommend this read to get you prepared.
You can also join the NP reasoning community (free & paid options) to get you ready for your career as an NP - LEARN MORE.
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs in Alberta:
Family/All ages (in other provinces referred to as a primary health care NP)
Adult
Neonatal
What is a Family/All Ages NP (FNP)?
Primary health care NPs are registered nurses with extended scope of practice. We have the ability to provide primary health care functions in health promotion, disease and injury prevention, rehabilitation, treatment, and other services. We can diagnose and treat acute illnesses and injuries, care for patients with chronic disease, prescribe medications, and order and interpret the results of diagnostic tests. NPs work autonomously and within interdisciplinary teams and serve to compliment (not replace) other professions.
Just like there are controlled acts authorized to RNs and RPNs, there are controlled acts authorized to NPs, some of which include diagnosing, ordering and interpreting tests, prescribing medications, performing certain procedures like setting or casting a fracture of a bone or dislocation of a joint. See more information on scope practice in Alberta here.
As an NP working in family medicine, I see patients for acute illness (e.g. ear pain), chronic disease (e.g. managing diabetes), preventive care (e.g. cancer screening including pap tests). I perform procedures (e.g. skin biopsies), provide motivational interviewing (e.g. for smoking cessation), and palliative care – and the list goes on! It’s a challenging career with high reward, as it has enabled me to grow professionally and personally.
What is an Adult NP?
Focuses on the care of adult patients, often in an acute or primary care setting. Adult NPs practice in diverse environments, including hospitals, clinics, community health centers, long-term care facilities. They are only certified to care for adult patients. In some instances, older adolescent care may be provided by an adult NP, when the adolescent’s developmental age and/or lifestyle may more closely approximate that of an adult.
What is a Neonatal NP?
Neonatal NPs provides expert care to premature and ill newborns, often within a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
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Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs in Alberta?
University of Alberta
University of Calgary
Let’s break down some important facts about each program.
1.University of Alberta Nurse Practitioner (NP) Programs
The University of Alberta offers an MN-NP program (masters of nursing-nurse practitioner) program with the option of a thesis-based masters (39 credits) or course-based masters (42 credits). There are 3 streams available:
Family/All Ages NP program: need 4,500 hours of RN experience working with adults and children across some diversity of settings
Adult NP program: need 4,500 hours of RN experience working with adults
Neonatal NP program: need 4,500 hours of RN experience working in a level III or higher NICU environment. *Due to a lower-than-expected number of applicants, the Faculty of Nursing is pausing intake for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) program for Fall 2025. The next intake is planned for Fall 2026 - see more info here.
Program Delivery: Hybrid, online and on-campus study options
Available full and part time:
Full-time: 20 consecutive months
Part-time: normally occur over 32 months
Courses: a combination of masters/theory courses and nurse practitioner courses
Core master’s courses: e.g. research foundation, translating knowledge, understanding complex systems
NP courses: advanced e.g. pharmacotherapeutics, advanced pathophysiology, health assessment
Academic requirements for all programs:
GPA: at least 3.0 on a 4 point scale (from the last 60 units of graded course work)
One undergraduate course each in statistics and research methods (grade B or higher, ideally within 6 years). If not met, applicants may need to complete or refresh these courses before starting the MN program.
3 letters of reference (2 from an academic setting, 1 from a nursing practice setting)
Official transcript(s) from post-secondary institutions
A completed MN Applicant Background Information Form
Other pre-requisites:
RN licence: must be licensed RNs in Canada, holding registration with CRNA or another Canadian nursing regulator.
4,500 hours of registered nursing practice, appropriate to the program category prior to entering the program:
Adult RNs who have worked with adult populations
Neonatal RNs who have worked in at least level III or higher NICU environments
Family/All Ages RNs who have worked with adults and children across some diversity of settings
Students will be tested on physical assessment skills at the beginning of NURS 516 (Adult/FAA) or NURS 518 (Neonate).
2. University of Calgary Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program
The University of Calgary offers 2 NP programs:
1)Integrated MN-NP program: a combination of master’s courses and nurse practitioner courses.
2 year-full time program, or part time (must finish within 6 years), on-campus study
2)Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Diploma (PMNP): this is an adult, acute-care focused, nurse practitioner courses. Typically students who already have another masters degree (e.g. masters of nursing) will be accepted into this program
1.5 years full time, on-campus study
Program requirement & pre-requisites
RN with a nursing degree and eligible for registration in Alberta (active CARNA or equivalent).
Certifications: Current CPR (Basic Rescuer/BLS “C” level).
Prerequisites: Undergraduate courses in research methods and statistics.
Experience: Minimum 3 years (4,500 hours) of clinical nursing, with employer verification.
References: Two required (academic + clinical).
Other: Police/security clearance, English proficiency (if applicable), and possible interview.
For admission, all NP programs in Alberta require you to have a BScN degree, RN registration, and a minimum of 4500 hours RN experience.
Can I work while I’m completing the NP program?
This depends on many factors. One should weigh personal responsibilities, work-life balance, completing the program full-time versus part-time. In general, it’s possible to work while enrolled in the program, but this is up to your comfort level. Personally, I completed the full-time post-masters NP certificate and did not work. The course content, paired with clinical rotations were very intensive, and I was able to immerse myself in the program and get the most out of it. That being said, circumstances differ, and you need to do what works best for you. It’s important to highlight that regardless of the program, it is a steep learning curve and lots of the learning is self directed. If you are seriously considering this next step in your career, our post on how to prepare for NP school will be helpful.
Is there a virtual Nurse Practitioner program?
Athabasca University (based out of Alberta - but people out province can apply) offers a Master of Nursing nurse practitioner degree online program available. It is a 33-credit online graduate program, that prepares students to work in primary health care settings. You can take up to 5 years to complete the program. Students are responsible for arranging their own clinical placements.
Where can I work as a primary health care nurse practitioner?
You can generally work in any area. This degree will give you the most flexibility (compared with acute care or pediatric NP programs). Primary health care NPs work in community settings (e.g. clinics, community health centers, long-term care homes), hospital settings (e.g. emergency departments, inpatient units) – basically everywhere. The NP role is forever evolving in our health care system. Job descriptions, responsibilities, and scope do vary significantly depending on where you land a job.
Key Take home Points:
Do your research on NP programs.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to university admissions offices to ask questions about the program or admission process.
Talk with nurse practitioners who have been through this process already.
Think about what you want out of your career (Do you want a serious challenge with career growth potential?)
The NP program (and career in general!) is intense and will probably be the steepest learning curve of your life. Don’t let this intimidate you – check out our newsletter to kick-start your NP journey.
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How Do I Become a Nurse Practitioner: Getting my License?
How Do I Study for my Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam?
Should I Become a Nurse Practitioner?