Advanced Care Paramedic
Ontario College Graduate Certificate
2 Semesters
School of Emergency Services
Key Details
Program Start Dates
September 2025
Please visit Ontario College Application Service to learn more about start dates.
Credential
Degree
Program Duration
8 Semesters / 4 YearsProgram Contacts
Shannon Dowdall-Smith
Program Coordinator (Year 1 & 2)
shannon.dowdallsmith@cambriancollege.ca
Frances Carvalho
Program Coordinator (Year 3 & 4)
frances.carvalho@cambriancollege.ca
International Admissions
mailboxadmissions@cambriancollege.ca
Program Overview
Earn your BScN degree from Cambrian and become a health care leader
Make a difference in your community with a rewarding, well-paid career that is always in demand. Our immersive nursing degree program prepares you to be an innovative and compassionate professional who is a front-runner in addressing evolving health care needs. Cambrian’s high-tech nursing simulation lab equips you to excel in the rapidly changing, diverse, and complex health care environment.
More than 1,000 hours of clinical experience in long-term care, hospital, and community health care agencies provide ample opportunities to practice the knowledge and skills learned in class. You’ll work with physicians, dietitians, physiotherapists, and other allied health providers to become a critical thinker who understands the value of teamwork and collaboration. As a graduate with a BScN degree, you can apply to become a Registered Nurse and further your education by pursuing Master’s and Doctoral studies.
Please note
When you accept a seat in the program, you also accept to go to any of the program’s affiliated clinical sites and you should expect that you may have to relocate. Your placement location may be different from your preference and should expect that you may have to relocate for your preceptorship placement. Clinical placements can take place on weekdays or weekends and may be an 8 or 12 hour day and/or afternoon shifts.
All related clinical placement expenses, such as travel, parking, and accommodation, are the responsibility of the student.
Program Highlights
Program highlights
- Limited enrolment
- Experience-based learning approach where you’ll apply concepts to real patients and situations through case studies, training in high-tech nursing simulation lab, and clinical placements
- Opportunity to work with members of other health care disciplines through on- and off-site experiences
- Focus on diversity and inclusion to provide culturally-sensitive care to Indigenous communities and special populations
- Preliminary approval from College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
- Free tuition and funding supplies for eligible Ontario residents through the Learn and Stay Grant
"Graduating from the Registered Nursing Program in 1995, Cambrian College equipped me with the skills, knowledge and confidence to work successfully as a Registered Nurse. Directly out of school, I started my home care company and later my Occupational Testing clinic called Total Nursing Care Inc. Over the last 28 years we have hired hundreds of Cambrian graduates and have built a reputation for excellence in the delivery of healthcare services. Thank you Cambrian College, I couldn’t have done this without YOU."
Kathy Wells-McNeilRegistered Nurse, Total Nursing Care Inc.
Admissions
Admission requirements
To be eligible to enter the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, graduates of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD; 30 credits)(or equivalent) must complete at least six grade 12 U/M courses (or equivalent) with a minimum overall average of 75%. Alternatively, applicants must meet mature student status. The following are the program-specific prerequisite requirements:
- Any grade 12 English (U)
- Any grade 12 mathematics (U)
- Any grade 12 biology (U)
- Any grade 12 chemistry (U)
International Student Admissions
Are you an international student? Learn more about additional requirements.
Learn moreAdditional admission requirements
- Standard First Aid
- CPR Level HCP (Health Care Providers) – Canadian Heart and Stroke Guidelines
- WHMIS certificate
- Ministry of Labour Worker Health and Safety Awareness in Four Steps Training (Bill 18)
- AODA certificate
- Respiratory Mask Fit Testing (N95-3M models)
- Criminal Record Check, including Vulnerable Sector Check (contact your program coordinator if you have a positive CPIC)
- Immunization requirements:
- Varicella
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella
- Tuberculosis Screening
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza
- COVID-19
Program delivery
Program delivery
2025-2026
Fall term start
- Semester 1: Fall 2025
- Semester 2: Winter 2026
- Semester 3: Fall 2026
- Semester 4: Winter 2027
- Semester 5: Fall 2027
- Semester 6: Winter 2028
- Semester 7: Fall 2028
- Semester 8: Winter 2029
Program of Study
Program of study for 2025-26 Academic Year
| Semester 1 | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| NUR 1101 | Nursing Foundations | 3 |
| NUR 1102 | Nursing Foundations Lab | 3 |
| BIO 1108 | Microbiology and Immunology | 3 |
| BIO 1109 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 3 |
| ENG 1107 | Introduction to Scholarly Writing | 3 |
| One Degree Breadth Elective Course. 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NUR 1200 | Health Assessment | 3 |
| NUR 1201 | Relational Practice | 3 |
| NUR 1202 | Health Assessment Lab | 3 |
| NUR 1206 | Health Assessment Clinical | 3 |
| BIO 1110 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 |
| MTH 1207 | Numeracy and Statistics | 3 |
| One Degree Breadth Elective Course. 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 21 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| CHM 2311 | Clinical Biochemistry | 3 |
| NUR 2300 | Chronic Illness | 3 |
| NUR 2302 | Chronic Illness Lab | 3 |
| NUR 2303 | Pharmacology & Therapeutics I | 3 |
| NUR 2306 | Chronic Illness Clinical | 3 |
| PTH 2303 | Pathophysiology I | 3 |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NUR 2400 | Acute Illness | 3 |
| NUR 2402 | Acute Illness Lab | 3 |
| NUR 2405 | Critical Thinking and Inquiry | 3 |
| NUR 2406 | Acute Illness Clinical I | 3 |
| PTH 2403 | Pathophysiology II | 3 |
| NUR 2403 | Pharmacology & Therapeutics II | 3 |
| One Degree Breadth Elective Course. 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 21 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NUR 3501 | Maternal, Child and Pediatrics | 3 |
| NUR 3505 | Family-Centred Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 3506 | Acute Illness Clinical II | 3 |
| NUR 3507 | Mental Health Concepts I | 3 |
| NUR 3508 | Ethics Professional Practice | 3 |
| NUR 3510 | Nursing Research | 3 |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NUR 3604 | Public Health and Community | 3 |
| NUR 3605 | Nursing and Informatics | 3 |
| NUR 3608 | Mental Health Concepts II | 3 |
| NUR 3610 | Community-MH Intregrated Exp | 5 |
| One Degree Breadth Elective Course. 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| NUR 4701 | Nursing Leadership | 3 |
| NUR 4706 | Acute Illness Clinical III | 6 |
| NUR 4708 | Inter-Professionalism | 3 |
| NUR 4709 | Health Policy Global Health | 3 |
| One Degree Breadth Elective Course. 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| NUR 4801 | Integrated Nursing Theory | 3 |
| NUR 4806 | Integrated Nursing Practicum | 12 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 146 | |
- 1
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Students must take a total of five (5) degree breadth electives from at least two (2) different categories as part of the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Two (2) breadth electives must be an advanced/upper-level course (represented by course codes beginning in 39xx). These upper-level are only available in Year 3 or 4 of the program. For more information regarding degree breadth electives, click here.
Fees
Tuition Cost
Important Notice
Fees presented are estimates based on projections for future academic year(s) of study. Actual fees charged may differ from what is published here. A full detailed listing of all fees is available in myCambrian and updated annually no later than May 1 for the following academic year. Students in Academic Upgrading are responsible for any fees listed on their invoice each term.
Tuition and ancillary fees
Please see our fees page for the breakdown of tuition and mandatory ancillary fees by program and semester for both domestic and international students.
Books and supplies
Books and supplies may be required at the course level over and above what is estimated above. Please consult your professor/instructor for further information.
College may be more affordable than you think!
Have you said, “school can wait another year”? Don’t sacrifice your future any longer – you can do it!
Whether it’s fear, financial reasons, or something else that is impacting your decision to start school, we’re here to listen to you and help in any way we can!
Work-integrated learning (WIL)
Take your education beyond the classroom!
Cambrian programs blend academic learning, hands-on training, and community involvement opportunities to help you achieve your ultimate goal – your dream career. You’ll have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios within and outside of the classroom through work-integrated learning. Whether it be a capstone project, co-op, practicum, preceptorship component, or placement, you’ll benefit from a practical, job-related experience before you graduate.
Learn more about previous opportunities in this program!
Sunnybrook Hospital – This placement offered students practical, relevant work experience. They used clinical knowledge and skills to apply the nursing process through the experience of providing safe, effective, and quality care to clients and their families.
Extendicare York – During this placement, students applied communication techniques in eliciting comprehensive health histories, developed interviewing skills, formulated initial nursing plans using the nursing process, and performed physical examinations to evaluate health status.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts – This placement offered students the opportunity to gain practical work experience in a health care setting. Students focused on aspects of community health nursing, population health, health promotion, health protection, and illness/injury prevention.
Field of Study
School of Nursing
Do you have the compassionate nature and critical thinking skills needed to excel in the field of nursing? Cambrian offers a wide range of programs that provide you with the bedrock to succeed as a nursing professional, from basic training as a personal support worker to mastering the talents of an exceptionally qualified registered nurse with a BScN degree.
Specific program pathway
Students who have graduated from a Practical Nursing (PN) diploma may receive advanced standing in the Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. To be eligible, students must meet the admission requirements and complete the Practical Nursing to Registered Nursing Bridge semester (PNRN) by applying to PNUR at OCAS.
Applicants who successfully complete the Bridge semester may then apply and compete for advanced standing in year three.
Nursing Program Transformation Initiative (NPTI) Bridge Programs
Cambrian College is participating in several Nursing Transformation Initiatives, providing flexible and independent study options to support growth in the healthcare field.
Career Outcomes
Need a career coach?
Explore how this program can lead to a great career! Cambrian’s Career Coach platform is a user-friendly, online tool that provides up-to-date and comprehensive labour market data to help you explore career options, salary expectations for the Greater Sudbury region, and more!
See where you'll be learning!
Minimum technology requirements
Success in this program requires that you come equipped with some program-specific technology requirements.
Minimum technology requirements
- Regular access to a computer with a reliable Internet connection
- Webcam and headset
- Personal computer
- Windows 8, 8.1, or 10 operating system
- Web browser: Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer 10 or higher
- Apple Mac
- OS X operating system
- Web browser: Firefox or Safari
You’ll be accessing industry-standard software as part of your program. Your program coordinator and IT will set you up with access on your computer or within our campus labs. If you have any questions about these technology requirements, please email info@cambriancollege.ca or call (705) 566-8101, ext. 7303.
System requirements for assistive technology
To access the widest range of assistive technology (AT), a Windows-based computer is recommended.
- Recommended OS: Windows 10 or newer
- Recommended CPU: Intel or AMD multicore processor
- Recommended RAM: 8 GB
- Recommended Storage for assistive technology: 8 GB of available hard drive of solid state drive space (please note this is not the total drive size and refers specifically to available space needed for assistive technology)
- Recommended Audio: Speakers or headphones for text-to-speech and microphone for speech input
While Apple computers can provide many AT options, some specialized software may not be available/compatible with this platform. Please consult with the Glenn Crombie Centre for further details.
Bring your own device (BYOD)
Cambrian College has implemented a BYOD principle to both enrich the student learning experience in and out of the classroom and to ensure flexibility!
Faculty Members
Shannon Dowdall-Smith
Program Coordinator / Professor
shannon.dowdallsmith@cambriancollege.ca
Frances Carvalho
Program Coordinator (Year 3 & 4)
frances.carvalho@cambriancollege.ca
Dr. June Raymond, RN, PhD
Dean
Gerusa Senhorinho
Professor
Jennifer Hudder
Chair
Johanna Love
Professor
Katherine Timmermans
Professor
Kim McNab
Professor
Laura Killam
Professor
Remar Mangaoil
Professor
Ryan Carbone
Professor
Francoise Gravelle
Professor
Natalie Chevalier
Professor
Ready to take the first step?
Start gaining the highest level of skills at Cambrian now – and you’ll be ready to take advantage of the many career opportunities waiting for you just around the corner. The future is yours!
Have Questions? We are here to help.
If you have any questions about programs, funding, OSAP, deadlines, student services, or anything else, reach out to our support team and we are happy to help!
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