Study to be a nurse

BCCNM reviews and recognizes B.C. nursing education programs and courses required for initial registration as an LPN, RN, NP, and RPN. The college also reviews and recognizes re-entry to practice registered nursing programs. 

After students graduate from a recognized B.C. nursing education program, they can apply for BCCNM registration.

Please note: If you comple​​te your nursing program outside of Canada, you will need to apply for registration as an internationally educated nurse.​

​​​​Licensed practical nurse (LPN)

Generic ​​programs prepare students to become licensed practical nurses.

Access programs prepare health care assistants to become licensed practical nurses.

Educat​ional Institution	Campus	Program Type
Camosun College​​	Victoria	Generic
CDI College	Richmond	Generic
CDI College	Surrey	Generic
Coast Mountain College	Terrace	Access
​Coast Mountain College​	​Terrace	​Generic
College of New Caledonia	Prince George	Generic
College of the Rockies	Cranbrook	Generic
Discovery Community College	Campbell River	Generic & Access
Discovery Community College	Nanaimo	Generic & Access
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology	Merritt	Access
North Island College	Campbell River	Generic
​North Island College	​Comox	​Generic
​North Island College	​Courtenay​	​Access
North Island College	Port Alberni	Generic
​Northern Lights College​	​Dawson Creek​	Generic & ​Access
Okanagan College	Kelowna	Generic & Access
Okanagan College	Penticton	Generic & Access
Okanagan College	Salmon Arm	Generic & Access
Okanagan College	Vernon	Generic & Access
Selkirk College	​Trail	​Generic
Sprott Shaw College	Abbotsford	Access
Sprott Shaw College​	​Abbotsford	Generic
Sprott Shaw College	Downtown Vancouver	Generic & Access
Sprott Shaw College	East Vancouver	Generic & Access
Sprott Shaw College	Kamloops	Generic & Access
Sprott Shaw College	Kelowna	Generic & Access
Sprott Shaw College	New Westminster	Generic & Access
Sprott Shaw College	Penticton	Generic & Access
​Sprott Shaw College	​Surrey	​Access
Sprott Shaw College	Surrey	Generic
​Sprott Shaw College​	​Victoria	​​Access*​
Sprott Shaw College	Victoria	Generic
Stenberg College	Surrey	Generic
Thompson Rivers University	Williams Lake	Generic
University of the Fraser Valley	Chilliwack	Generic
Vancouver Career College	Abbotsford	Generic
Vancouver Career College	Burnaby	Generic
Vancouver Community College	Vancouver (Broadway)	Generic & Access
Vancouver Island University	Cowichan	Generic
​​Vancouver Island University​​	​Nanaimo	​Generic & Access

*The BCCNM Board has approved recognition of this education program. This program is still within public posting period for bylaw changes. For further information, see Bylaws​​.

Nurse and registered nurse re-entry to practice (RN)​

Educat​ional Institution	Pr​ogram Type
British Columbia Institute of Technology​​​​	Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​​Camosun College with University of Victoria	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Coast Mountain College with University of Northern British Columbia​	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​College of New Caledonia with University of Northern British Columbia​	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​​College of the Rockies with University of Victoria	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Douglas College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Kwantlen Polytechnic University	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program – Second Degree Registered Nurse Re-Entry Program for Internationally Educated Nurses
​Langara College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program Registered Nurse Re-entry Program for Internationally Educated Nurses
​North Island College with Vancouver Island University	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program​
​Selkirk College with University of Victoria	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Thompson Rivers University	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​​Thompson Rivers University - Open Learning	​Registered Nurse Re-entry Program
​​Trinity Western University	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program​
​University of British Columbia	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of British Columbia-Okanagan	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Northern British Columbia in Fort St. John	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Northern British Columbia with College of New Caledonia	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Northern British Columbia with Coast Mountain College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of the Fraser Valley	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Victoria with Camosun College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Victoria with College of the Rockies	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​University of Victoria with Selkirk College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Vancouver Community College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Vancouver Island University	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program
​Vancouver Island University with North Island College	​Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Program

​Nurse practitioner programs (NP)

​Educat​ional Instituti​on	Pr​ogram Type
Thompson Rivers University​	Nurse Practitioner (Family) Master’s Program
​​​University of British Columbia	​Nurse Practitioner (Family) Master’s Program
​University of Northern British Columbia	Nurse Practitioner (Family) Master’s Program
​University of Victoria	Nurse Practitioner (Family) Master’s Program

Psychiatric nursing programs and RPN refresher programs

​Educat​ional Instituti​on	Pr​ogram Type
Douglas College​​	Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing
​​​Douglas College​​​	​Psychiatric Nursing Refresher Certificate
​Kwantlen Polytechnic University	​Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing Program
​Stenberg College	​Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing

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Certified practice​​

Nurses with the BCCNM certified practice designation have completed additional education, h​ave specialized knowledge and skills, and are registered to practice in one or more certified practice areas.

Nurse with ce​rtifie​d practice (RN-C)

​EDUCAT​IONAL INSTITUTI​ON​	CERTIFIED PRACTICE AREA
B.C. Institute of Technology in partnership with Options for Sexual Health BC Centre for Disease Control	​Reproductive Health (Sexually Transmitted Infections)
​B.C. Institute of Tech​nology in partnership with Options for Sexual Health	​Reproductive Health (Contraceptive Management)​
University of Northern British Columbia	​RN First Call
University of Northern British Columbia	​Remote Practice
​​British Columbia Centre on Substance Use	​​Opioid Use Disorder

Additional Certified Practice edu​ca​tion

​On April 2, the BCCNM board approved a new course for Certified Practice prescribing. Read more >>​ ​

​EDUCAT​IONAL INSTITUTI​ON​	CERTIFIED PRACTICE AREA
University of Northern British Columbia​	​​Safe Prescribing for Registered Nurses with Certified Practice ​

​​Nurse with ce​rtifie​d practice (RPN-C)

​EDUCAT​IONAL INSTITUTI​ON​	CERTIFIED PRACTICE AREA
​​British Columbia Centre on Substance Use	​​Opioid Use Disorder ​

Bursari​es & scholarships​​

BCCNM doesn't offer a bursary/scholarship program. Check your education institution or contact the Registered Nurses Foundation (RNF) and the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Foundation​ (RPNF).​​​​