Nurse Practitioner Career Profile
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are Registered Nurses (RNs) who have advanced education and clinical training. They can perform physical exams, diagnose and treat health problems, order lab work and X-rays, prescribe medicines, and provide health information.
Nurse practitioners are licensed by the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan and certified by the Saskatchewan Association of Nurse Practitioners.
What is it like working as a Nurse Practitioner with the Saskatchewan Health Authority?
The Nurse Practitioner is prepared with the necessary competencies to practice in health care environments that assess and treat patients with acute and complex care needs, ranging from common to complex patients with more than one medical condition.
Nurse Practitioners are in high demand in Saskatchewan with full-time, part-time and casual opportunities available across the province. The highest demand is currently in the Far North. The province offers some of the highest wages and premiums in Canada and generous relocation packages and incentives for hard to recruit positions.
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What can I earn as a Nurse Practitioner?
The current pay per hour is Pay Band Nurse Practitioner $52.59 to $62.91.
In addition to the above pay band, the SHA provides a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Extended Health and Dental benefits
- Defined – Benefit Pension Plan
- Life and Disability Insurance
- My Wellbeing Program – resiliency resources, mental health and family support
- Annual Vacation
Nurse Practitioners working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority are unionized employees and are a member of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN).
How do I become a Nurse Practitioner?
In order to practice as a Nurse Practitioner in Saskatchewan, individuals are required to:
- Work as a Registered Nurse to gain experience - Five (5) years experience as a Registered Nurse in an emergency or critical care environment preferred
- Complete a Master of Nursing - Nurse Practitioner program (MN-NP)
- Register, or be eligible for registration, with the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS) as an RN(NP)
- Other required courses often include:
- Basic Cardiac Life Support, Level C Certificate (BCLS)
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support / Pediatric Advanced Life Support (ACLS / PALS)
- CAEP Canadian Triage and Acuity Score Course
- International Trauma Life Support Certificate (ITLS)