12month RPN program??

RPN the reg. psych nurse is not a 12 month programme. Currently it is a two year diploma course and is expected to change to a degree course in the near future.

Vancouver Community College as a body covers Langara which has a registered nurse programme and I believe the Vancouver Vocational Institute which offers the Licenced Practical Nurse programme.

Both turn out good nurses. Are you mixing it up with Douglas or Kwantlen College?

Only one province uses the term RPN and that is Ontario.

PNs are in demand are utilized throughout the healthcare systems. It depends on which province and which health authority you are working in. Some are very PN friendly and work their nurses to full scope of practice while others are very restrictive and limit their skills.

You need to research which province and then which health authority you would be working in.

You also need to consider the cost of your education. Canadian schools charge foreign students the full price of their education and most nursing programmes in western Canada have waitlists.

Ontario has different licensing requirements as well. They only accept the four year BSN for initial licensure, and they require the two year program for the practical nurse there. The one year program in any other province will not be accepted there.

Each province as diffferent rules for licensure. They do not have states. Not sure if you are from the US or not, but the practical nurse training will not qualify you for a visa to work in Canada, the same way that if one wishes to work in the US with that training, it will not be accepted.

This isn't quite correct. The PN education is gradually changing nation wide to the two year diploma. Alberta went that route in 2005.

As far as it is understood, up here graduates from previous years will be "grandfathered". When moving provinces, all PNs have to submit their credentials to the College of the province they have relocated to. The College of LPNs then decides if the education meets the provincial guidelines and if supplemental education is required. For instance if a PN from BC moves to Alberta, they had to upgrade their Anatomy within a certain timeframe because in Alberta PNs perform eye exams, an area not covered in BC.

The diploma PN programme now includes the first year university Arts required for the BScN bridge, if it is desired at a future time. I really don't think they would deny a practice permit to someone who was missing English and Psych 101.

The sad thing is, many PNs I've met in Alberta have degrees in many fields or from other countries. They trained to be PNs before the accelerated degree programme became available or their degrees weren't deemed "the right type". Most can't be bothered with the hassle of redoing sciences and then applying to go back to nursing school for 2-3 years full time.

Are you a Canadian citizen or trying for a student visa?

As far as I know, work permits have to be applied for OUTSIDE of Canada.

If you can acquire landed status, yes. BUT you have to leave the country to apply to live here.