The Council of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRPNS) is pleased to
announce the approval and adoption of the Registered Psychiatric Nurse Entry Level Competencies
(ELCs) (2025). The ELCs are revised every five to seven years at a national level to ensure they remain
relevant to current RPN practice, are consistent across jurisdictions, and align with workforce mobility
requirements under the Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade.
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
To complete this update an in-depth review and evaluation of the 2014 ELCs was conducted. This
process involved consultation with all provincial and territorial regulatory bodies that regulate RPNs, as
well as with RPNs from diverse practice settings, including direct care staff, psychiatric nursing leaders,
psychiatric nursing faculty, clinical educators, and employers.
The updated RPN ELCs reflect the foundational knowledge, skills, judgments and attitudes required for
safe, competent, ethical and compassionate psychiatric nursing care. The revised ELCs highlight the
holistic and integrated nature of RPN practice, recognizing not only the psychosocial and relational
aspects of care, but also the medical and surgical competencies that RPNs bring to diverse health care
settings. Importantly, the new ELCs also place increased emphasis on culturally safe care and cultural
humility, supporting RPNs to actively contribute to addressing anti-Indigenous racism in health care.
The updated 2025 RPN ELCs will come into effect on January 1, 2026, replacing the current 2014
version. Educators of psychiatric nurse education programs will incorporate the updated ELCs in the
psychiatric nurse curriculum and program. This date is intended to provide the psychiatric nursing
education program sufficient time to implement the ELC’s into the curriculum for the 2026/2027
academic year.
CRPNS encourages RPNs, students, educators, employers, the public, and others to review the updated
RPN ELCs to better understand the expectations for entry-level RPN practice in Canada.
