COURSE CURRICULUM

Conestoga’s Enhanced Nursing Practice – Clinical and Critical Care program is a two-year graduate certificate designed for internationally educated nurses with a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. This program prepares students to integrate into the Canadian healthcare system, focusing on senior care and clinical excellence. In Level 1, students are introduced to professional nursing practice in Canada, enriched nursing assessments, chronic illness management, and safety standards, alongside foundational courses such as applied pharmacology and college-level communication. In Level 2, students build on communication and professional conduct skills, participate in their first field placement, and engage in hands-on learning through a clinical care lab, seniors’ care, and advanced pharmacology and pathophysiology. Level 3 focuses on advanced nursing care across the lifespan, nursing theory and research, and simulation-based professional practice, while continuing with a second field placement in Canadian healthcare settings. In the final level, students prepare for licensure through NCLEX and OSCE-focused courses, while exploring leadership, management, and trends in nursing practice. The Transition to Nursing Practice course, approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), ensures that students meet the regulatory body’s ninth requirement for registration. The third field placement provides further integration into the clinical environment, allowing students to refine their competencies. With over 400 clinical hours and a curriculum rooted in CNO standards, this program equips internationally educated nurses with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and regulatory readiness to practice effectively and confidently within Ontario’s healthcare system.