RPN staffing for Ontario employers
Registered Practical Nurses for long-term care, retirement living, community programs and clinics — the nurses who carry the routine schedule so your RN time goes where it is actually needed.
What an RPN is, in plain terms
An RPN is a nurse regulated by the College of Nurses of Ontario, on the same register and under the same standards as an RN.
Entry to practice is a two-year practical nursing diploma. Under the Nursing Act, 1991 an RPN is authorized to perform the same five controlled acts as an RN — medication administration by injection and inhalation, procedures below the dermis, and the rest of the list. There is no separate, smaller set of tasks.
What is different is where the College expects an RPN to reach for help. When a resident becomes less predictable, more complex, or higher risk, the RPN is expected to consult. That is a standard, not a limitation of skill, and it is the reason RPN staffing works well in stable populations and needs an RN alongside it in unstable ones.
If you have ever been told an RPN “cannot” do something, the honest answer is almost always that they can, and the real question is whether the client in front of them is predictable enough for them to do it without consultation. RN staffing
When an RPN is the right placement — and when it is not
| Situation | Our honest read |
|---|---|
| Stable long-term care residents, established orders | RPN. This is the core of the role and the most cost-effective way to staff the schedule. |
| Retirement residence, assisted living and memory care | RPN, with RN or nursing leadership available to consult. |
| Medication rounds and treatment cart | RPN. |
| Routine wound, catheter, ostomy and diabetic care | RPN, where the presentation is predictable. |
| New admission with an unclear picture, or a resident actively declining | RN. Ask for one rather than filling the slot cheaply. |
| Charge responsibility over an unstable unit | RN. |
| Personal care, transfers, feeding, companionship | PSW. Paying an RPN rate for this is money spent on the wrong role. PSW staffing |
We would rather tell you the mix is wrong than bill you for a nurse you did not need. If a request comes in that we think should be a PSW shift or an RN shift, we say so before we confirm it.
Where we place RPNs
Long-term care homes
Medication and treatment rounds, resident assessments, documentation, and cover for vacancies, leaves and outbreak surge.
Retirement residences
Assisted living and memory care floors, wellness nursing, and coverage when a regular nurse is off.
Community and home care
Scheduled visit nursing, medication management and nursing support inside a private home care plan.
Clinics and treatment rooms
Injection clinics, dressing changes, screening and vaccination programs.
Group homes and supported living
Nursing oversight for adults with developmental disabilities or complex medical needs.
Hospitals
Complex continuing care, rehabilitation and medicine units, where an agency arrangement is in place.
Verified before the first shift, not after it
Every RPN we place has been through the same file before they are offered to you.
- Government photo identification and proof of eligibility to work in Canada.
- Current registration and standing confirmed directly on the College of Nurses of Ontario register — not from a document the candidate hands us.
- Police vulnerable sector check completed and reviewed.
- References spoken to, from previous supervisors.
- Immunization and health records on file and kept current for the settings we place into.
- AODA, WHMIS, worker health and safety awareness and workplace violence and harassment training, plus orientation to your site.
What it costs, honestly
One hourly bill rate per role and shift type, quoted in writing for your site.
The rate includes wages, statutory payroll costs, vacation and public holiday entitlements, WSIB coverage, screening, training and 24/7 coordination. Nights, weekends, statutory holidays and short-notice fills carry a premium.
An RPN bills below an RN and above a PSW. The saving is real, but it is only a saving when the population genuinely suits the role. Building a schedule out of RPN lines and then having no RN to consult is not a cheaper plan — it is a deferred one.
Rates move with region, volume, shift pattern and notice, so we quote rather than publish. Send the roster and you will get a number.
Questions we get asked
Can an RPN administer medications, including injections?
Yes. Administering a substance by injection or inhalation is one of the controlled acts authorized to RPNs under the Nursing Act, 1991, subject to the usual requirements for an order, competence and the standards of the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Can an RPN take charge of a shift?
It depends entirely on the population and what support is available. In a stable, predictable environment with an on-call RN or manager, it is common. On an unstable unit it is not appropriate, and we will say so.
Do you supply RPNs for single shifts, or only blocks?
Both. Single shifts, recurring lines, block bookings for a leave, and full vacancy cover until you recruit. Continuity improves with blocks, and we will always suggest them where the schedule allows.
Are your RPNs employed by you?
Yes. Payroll, source deductions, WSIB coverage and Employment Standards Act entitlements sit with Help Now Healthcare.
How much notice do you need?
More notice means better continuity and a better rate. That said, our desk is answered 24/7 and same-day requests are part of the job — we will tell you honestly whether we can cover it.
Can we hire an RPN from you permanently?
Yes, and it is often the smartest route, because you have already worked with them. Agree conversion terms at the start of the assignment. Permanent recruitment
Request RPN staffing
Tell us the site, the floors, the shift pattern and the start date.
Send the site, the roles, the shifts and the start date. We come back with what we can actually cover — including when the answer is that we cannot.
Answered 24/7 on 1-888-507-6236.
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