If you are an internationally educated nurse, this Enhanced Professional Practice Gerontology and Chronic Illness program will be perfect for you if you:
- Have nursing work experience
- Want to learn gerontology nursing practices in Canada
- Already completed a program equivalent to the Enhanced Nursing Practice – Clinical and Critical Care also offered by Conestoga College.
This program will deepen your capacity to care for seniors who are living with chronic illness and their families. It emphasizes working in a professional socialization framework and promotes nursing excellence within the context of the Canadian health-care system.
If you intend to apply for nursing registration in Canada, you’ll be pleased to know that this one-year Enhanced Professional Practice Gerontology and Chronic Illness graduate certificate program offers an NCLEX preparation course in term two. This subject plus the field placement each term will help you prepare to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
English competency is a requirement to qualify for admission to the program – even for citizens from countries where an English test is waived. So, if you do not meet the language requirements, you may want to enroll in the General Arts and Science – English Language Studies (ELS) program of Conestoga.
An overview of the Enhanced Professional Practice Gerontology and Chronic Illness at Conestoga College
This program emphasizes working in a professional socialization framework. You will thus be able to care more efficiently for seniors living with chronic illness and their families.
| Course Code | 1362 |
| Level of Study | Graduate Certificate |
| College | Health & Life Science |
| Duration | One year |
| Qualification | Ontario College Graduate Certificate |
| Total Tuition Fee* | $15,816.66 |
| Intake Dates | September, January, and May |
* The amount is subject to change without notice by Conestoga College. We invite you to check back with us regularly for the updated fees.
Course Delivery
Conestoga College offers this Enhanced Professional Practice – Gerontology and Chronic Illness graduate certificate program at the Doon (Kitchener) campus. This program of study teaches the course using:
- Classroom lectures by professors and guest speakers
- Hands-on experience, simulating real life experience in laboratories
- Clinical practice
You can look forward to spending 40% less on books as the program is part of Conestoga’s eText initiative. You may even read in advance as eText integrates digital resources that are available during the first day at the college.
Please note that you will also be responsible for:
- Travel costs to and from the institution where you will take your field placement.
- Costs associated with respirator fit testing required for your clinical practice.
Before deciding if this nursing program will benefit your nursing career in Canada, read about Conestoga College a government-funded post-secondary institution in Ontario, Canada.
Careers and Learning Outcomes
This nursing program will prepare you with enough knowledge and authentic work experience to enter the Canadian healthcare workforce. And, once you have Canadian registration, you may work in several fields such as:
- Long-term care
- Community-based care
- General internal medicine.
You could look forward to acquiring or further training in the following skills sets or competencies by enrolling in the program:
- Integrate nursing research and theoretical underpinnings as they relate to gerontological nursing practice within the context of the Canadian health-care system.
- Uphold the principles of accountability, diversity, equity, and dignity in the care of Canadian seniors and their families through the examination of the role of the registered nurse.
- Differentiate between normal age-related changes and pathological changes in the older adult to support the promotion of healthy aging and disease prevention.
- Conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments to design individualized plans of care.
- Comply with legislation and regulations governing nursing practice within the Canadian health care system through practice demonstration in clinical, simulated, and real-life environments.
- Promote person- and family-centered care and strengthen interprofessional collaborative practice to meet the therapeutic needs of those affected by chronic illness, multiple comorbidities, and life-limiting disease in clinical, simulated, and real-life environments.
- Respond in a way that meets the needs and expectations of persons, families, and populations at the end of life.
- Examine strategies to promote professional self-care to optimize resilience in the provision of safe and quality nursing care.
- Implement strategies to enhance professional leadership capabilities at the levels of the professional, organization, and the health-care system.
- Analyze the health impact of public policy on the Canadian population
- Determine appropriate responses to clinical scenarios using evidence-informed methods and tools.
Course Outline
This nursing study program recognizes may act on requests for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition or PLAR. Review the list of subjects below versus what you have already studied or trained for if you are interested in applying for LPR.
| Course Code | Course Description |
| COMM8210 | Professional Communication and Conduct |
| CON0101 | Conestoga 101 |
| FPLT8140 | Field Placement I (Enhanced Nursing Practice Gerontology and Chronic Illness) |
| HEAL1895 | Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) |
| NURS1445 | Nursing Theory and Research |
| NURS8587 | Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment |
| NURS8615 | Professional Practice Applications in Seniors Care |
| NURS8686 | Seniors Care in the Canadian Health Care System |
| NURS8725 | Living With Chronic Illness |
| OHS1320 | Safety in the Workplace |
The following courses are for your second term.
| Course Code | Course Description |
| FPLT8150 | Field Placement II (Enhanced Nursing Practice Gerontology and Chronic Illness) |
| HEAL1811 | Mental Health First Aid |
| NURS8375 | NCLEX Preparation |
| NURS8580 | Achieving Success in Your Health Care Career |
| NURS8747 | Nursing Leadership and Management |
| NURS8945 | Policy & Advocacy: Throughout the Lifespan and Across the Continuum of Care |
| NURS8955 | Practical Foundations of Community Service |
| NURS8965 | Care of the Person and Family at the End of Life |
| NURS8965 | Care of the Person and Family at the End of Life |
| NURS8975 | Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Preparation |
International students may, under certain circumstances, remain in Canada with a post-graduation work permit. Read about the post-graduation work permit and see if you will qualify after graduation.
Entry Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing and registration as a Registered Nurse in the country where you completed your nursing education.
- Successful completion of a program equivalent to Conestoga’s Enhanced Nursing Practice Clinical and Critical Care.
- Conestoga College will give preference to your application if you completed at least one year of clinical experience in your home country.
- You must meet the minimum scores in any of the following tests. The test result must be less than two years old at the time of your application:
- TOEFL iBT: 88
- IELTS Academic test: 6.5 overall, no score less than 6.0
- CAEL: 70, no sub-test less than 60
- PTE Academic: 58.
- Conestoga English Language Test (CELT): Band 6.
- You must present the following to qualify for field/clinical placement learning experience:
- A complete immunization record including MMR, Tdap, Varicella, and Hepatitis B.
- Seasonal flu vaccination during flu season, from October to March.
- TB Testing: Evidence of current 2-step or previous 2-step + current 1-step if over one year has passed since 2-step testing.
- Standard First Aid and CPR – HCP levels must be completed in Canada.
- An annual police check for Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS).
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
Conestoga College recognizes prior learning of skills, knowledge or competencies that you gained through your work, formal and informal education, non-formal learning, or other life experiences.
This prior learning must be measurable at the required academic level. It must also meet Conestoga standards of achievement for current courses. You may also undergo further assessment such as challenge exams and portfolio developments.
Once you complete the assessment, Conestoga records your proper course credit on your official transcript.
Protect your investment to study abroad. Get updated information on a Canada study permit application.
