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General duty registered nurses

OaSIS code 31301.01

General duty registered nurses provide direct nursing care to patients, deliver health education programs and provide consultative services regarding issues relevant to the practice of nursing.

Overview

Also known as

  • Contagious disease transmission prevention nurse
  • Critical care nurse
  • Emergency nurse
  • General duty nurse
  • Geriatric nurse
  • Pediatric nurse

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Assess patients to identify appropriate nursing interventions
  • Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
  • Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or according to established policies and protocols
  • Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions
  • Operate or monitor medical apparatus or equipment
  • Assist in surgery and other medical procedures
  • May supervise licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff
  • May develop and implement discharge planning process on admission of patients
  • May teach and counsel patients and their families on health-related issues in collaboration with other health care providers.

Additional information

  • Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses may progress to supervisory and managerial positions with experience.
  • Registered nurses may specialize in areas such as surgery, obstetrics care, psychiatric care, critical care, pediatrics, geriatrics, community health, occupational health, emergency care, rehabilitation or oncology.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Nursing coordinators and supervisors (31300)
  • Nurse practitioners (31302)
  • Registered practical nurse (R.P.N.) (in 32101.01 Licensed practical nurses)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

3 – Health occupations

TEER

1 – Occupations usually require a university degree

Major group

31 – Professional occupations in health

Sub-major group

313 – Nursing and allied health professionals

Minor group

3130 – Nursing and allied health professionals

Unit group

31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

Occupational profile

31301.01 – General duty registered nurses

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Assisting and Caring for Others
5 - Highest Level
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
5 - Highest Level
Applying New Knowledge
4 - High Level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level
Coaching and Developing Others
4 - High Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
3 - Moderate amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
5 - Physically touching or very close

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
2 - Less than half the time
Standing
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
3 - About half the time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
5 - Every day, almost continuously
Duration
5 - All the time, or almost all the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
5 - Extremely important
Frequency
5 - Every day, almost continuously

Workplaces/employers

  • Clinics
  • Community agencies
  • Companies
  • Doctors' offices
  • Extended care facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing homes
  • Private homes
  • Public and private organizations
  • Rehabilitation centres

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Problem Identification
5 - Highest Level
Categorization Flexibility
4 - High Level
Deductive Reasoning
4 - High Level
Explosive Strength
4 - High Level
Inductive Reasoning
4 - High Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Social Perceptiveness
5 - Highest Level
Coordinating
4 - High Level
Decision Making
4 - High Level
Instructing
4 - High Level
Learning and Teaching Strategies
4 - High Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Adaptability
5 - Extremely important
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Collaboration
5 - Extremely important
Concern for Others
5 - Extremely important
Service Orientation
5 - Extremely important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: SIC

Social (S)

Social occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the interaction with others to inform, train, aid, develop, cure, or enlighten. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others, teaching, working or communicating with people.

Investigative (I)

Investigative occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the observation and systematic or creative investigation of physical, biological, or cultural phenomena. These occupations require an extensive amount of thinking and frequently involve working with ideas, searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Completion of a university, college or other approved registered nursing program is required.
  • Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Physical Health
3 - Advanced Level
Biology
2 - Intermediate Level
Client Service
2 - Intermediate Level
Languages
2 - Intermediate Level
Mathematics
2 - Intermediate Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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