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by Pug Lover

Hi Everybody! I am not new to AllNurses, although this is my first post. I will be attending Norquest College this Sept for the full time practical nursing program. I am set to graduate on the spring of 2009. I was wondering if anyone has gone to Norquest and would like to share their experiences. I am especially interested in the clinical part of it. Also, does anyone here work as an LPN in Edmonton? What do you think of it? Where do you work and how much do you get paid? I hope someone can answer all of my questions. Thanks!

[Fiona59]

Re: Alberta LPN

The wages are available through any employment ad. Try looking at Capital Health's website for the latest union rate. Your total hours of nursing employment determine where you are on the pay scale.

There are good places and bad and you'll figure out which are yours during your clinicals.

Norquest is notorious for being disorganized. Just count to ten and breathe. Nearly every LPN in Edmonton was trained there and it's not as bad as people tell you.

Good Luck.

[Lee Anne]

Re: Alberta LPN

I took my LPN thru Norquest in Edmonton about 5 years ago. I did all the course work via distance and travelled and stayed in Edmonton for clinicals. I found the clinicals were excellent and I couldnt have received better exposure. I received a job before I was finsihed the course.

Great experience, great instructors!

Good luck

[Pug Lover]

Re: Alberta LPN

Thank you Lee Anne that is very encouraging to hear. If anyone else has any more info on this topic it would be greatly appreciated. Im so excited to start school and just want to know everything about what its going to be like!

[Fiona59]

Re: Alberta LPN

So, how is school going? How is the LTC clinicals going?

[nursemiranda]

Re: Alberta LPN

Hey puglover,
I went to Norquest College. I graduated in April, 2008. I had a job before I was done school, and then got another job within a month after that job as that one was only casual. I currently work at an inner-city clinic downtown. We mainly serve the homeless and drug users. Its a fabulous place to work, and it is so much more refreshing than the hospital scene was. I get around 20 an hour I believe. As far as Norquest went, I actually didn't find I got alot out of that school.

[janfrn]

Re: Alberta LPN

I posted LPN wage and differential information from the recently negotiated AUPE collective agreement (pending ratification in August) here:http://allnurses.com/forums/f224/lpn...ml#post2952977 earlier today. That should clear up the pay question.

[Fiona59]

Re: Alberta LPN

The proposed settlement is causing a huge amount of dissention within the nurses of Capital Health. Many feel that the proposed wages are tied too closely to those of a NA. That the LPNs are not being recognized as professional nurses (they among the few licensed professionals within the bargaining unit).

While the rates may look good on paper, remember UNE's start at over $23/hour currently. This is a direct slap in the face to the LPNs working along side them on the floor. A UNE has been 2-4 patients (depending on their year of education) and works pretty much to the LPN scope of practice. A fresh new grad LPN deserves to make as much a UNE and remember she has a full patient load, her own meds, etc.

We also don't regain the double time for single slash days that was taken away under the last contract (we were told that the RNs and RPNs were going to lose it as well and that NEVER happened). We don't get a nice bonus like the RNs did when they signed their contract, we get 10% as do other members within the bargaining unit.

People remember what happened in Manitoba when the LPNs bargained with UNM. They got the wages up there for the LPNs and then laid them off. So people are being "advised" to settle for what has been offered. Then we are reminded that the LPNs are very small voice in a bargaining unit made up of 80,000 members across the province. There are under 6,000 currently licensed LPNs ACROSS the province.

So, it looks like we are going to get railroaded into accepting this contract whether we agree with it or not.

[Fiona59]

Re: Alberta LPN

Originally Posted by nursemiranda

Hey puglover,
I went to Norquest College. I graduated in April, 2008. . As far as Norquest went, I actually didn't find I got alot out of that school.

While I'm not the biggest fan of Norquest and it's structure and instructors, I really have to question your last sentence.

Do you really feel that you would be able to do your job without the education you received there? Would you have been able to walk in off the street and write CPNRE???

Nursing school wasn't a great experience for many of us but it got us where we are today.

[agraiven]

Re: Alberta LPN

Capital Health is recruiting 600 nurses to work as LPN from the Philippines. What can you say about this?