156 6.4.1 Credentialing

All Canadian provinces and territories have established legislation for the NP role. Provincial and territorial nursing regulatory bodies are authorized to:

• Set the entry-to-practice competencies
• Standards of practice
• Standards for approval of educational curriculums
• Licensure requirements for NPs^[1]

The following streams of NP registration exist in Canada:

• Adult
• Paediatrics, and
• Family/All Ages (also referred to as Primary Health Care)^[2]

Some jurisdictions also register NPs in Neonatology, either as a distinct stream or as part of the Paediatrics group. Québec registers four categories of NPs: First Line of Care (Primary Care), Neonatology, Cardiology, and Nephrology. NPs can also be credentialed within the hospital systems in their jurisdictions. Hospital credentialing is quite hospital/site specific and will require work at the local level by the interested NP.^[3]