CNA’s Primary Care Toolkit

Role description for RNs in primary care

Role description Hiring a primary care nurse Sample recruitment plan Sample RN ad content Sample position postings Sample interview guides Scope of practice: A joint position statement Frameworks Advanced Nursing Practice: A National Framework Framework for the Practice of Registered Nurses in Canada Standards and Best Practices

In primary care teams, the registered nurse (RN) works side-by-side with the physician and other health care professionals as partners.

RNs are crucial to the team’s achievement of better screening and health promotion, early detection, chronic disease management and enhanced access. RNs take a comprehensive, holistic approach that isn’t limited to chronic disease management.

Although many practices and jurisdictions across Canada have developed position descriptions for registered nurses working in primary care settings, there is still a need for a national understanding of the optimal role of the RN. Many RNs working in primary care settings do not realize their full potential, including the valuable contributions that they can make in the health of the communities in which they work.

This page contains information that can be included in a position description for an RN in a primary care setting. It can be adapted to match the needs of interprofessional teams in different practice settings.