[janfrn]

Canada doesn't really do the travel nurse thing. It is possible to get into a term or casual position in a lot of hospitals though. Ontario is a big province; you might want to narrow it down just a bit. Then I'd suggest you look at the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) website:
http://www.rnao.org/Page.asp?PageID=861&SiteNodeID=109
and/or the College of Nurses of Ontario website:
http://www.cno.org/reg/2005entry/index.htm
to get information on what you need to do to be registered to work in Ontario. You'll probably have to do some stuff with Immigration too...
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/index.html
Then rob a bank to pay all the fees... Good luck!

[gchelak]

Originally Posted by seabird

Hi, First time on, New and looking for some answers along the same lines.
I'm a UK diploma nurse from 1978, out for 15 years with a different job, (mum), returned while living in the USA, took their NCLEX 10 years ago and have been practicing in US ever since. Recently got a BS in Health care. Looking to do some assignments in ON, where my new Canadian husband is living. Where do I begin? Have an active UK and USA license. Can I just go in as atravel RN for 12 weeks? Do you know of any good international travel
agencies? Any info would be a help.

Welcome!
I am not familiar with the Ontario process, but am deep in the Alberta one. There must be an equivalent site for Ontario...
I hope this link helps... and hopefully they are more efficient than Alberta.
http://www.cna-nurses.ca/CNA/nursing...default_e.aspx
Gail

[night flight]

The Substantially Equivalent Competence (SEC) Assessment is a full week of exams and assessments:
Three three hour exams in peds, psych and maternity; each exam is 120 multiple choice questions and then 20 short answer written questions: you are allowed more than three hours and many need it. One three hour multiple choice exam in general and med surg, and one three hour short answer written question exam. Five paper based exams.
The clinical judgement are a type of verbal exam: you can have the question read to you, read it yourself, or read along, then you have to respond: you do one of these in each of med surg, peds, psych and maternity: Each exam takes about an hour to an hour and a half:
There are two triple jumps, and they take a couple of hours: Another type of oral exam.
You also get three clinical scenarios with another instructor in the role of a patient: These take a good couple of hours to undertake, and each patient will have an emergency of some type during the assessment that you have to deal with. During this scenario you have to do sometime during one of the three take complete VS including temperature, give oral meds, start IV, start antibiotics IV, draw up meds including insulin, dress a wound, etc.
You have to be fluent in english: Yes, fluent, both written and verbal. If not you won’t get through the exams in any time frame, or get through the oral assessments. Not an easy process.
It takes several months to set up your assessment week: And then after all this, you will wait for a couple of months to find out your results, then get told what more you have to do to register in Alberta. Perhaps better to look somewhere else.
The week is full most AMs and PMs, Short break at lunch is best so you can get back to the afternoon exam or activity to finish by the end of a day. Pack your lunch, easier and less time than trying to find lunch. Library available to stay at end of day to prep for next day. First day is surprise, but get your schedule for the week so you know what to read up on for the next day. Bring your own books if you are not form Calgary.
Calgary and Edmonton actually are about the same relative population, but Calgary is more star style and longer to get across town, and Edmonton has the other cities on the outside.
Getting hired as a NA is OK, but the pay is low, and both Calgary and Edmonton are very expensive. Wages for an RN look good, but it is a long time to get to register in Alberta while they have you in the lower NA job. Work as a NA while waiting for your landed status, scheduling the assessment and waiting to find out, then start working on your additional requirements, and once you get your landed, write the NCLEX. With that you can go to the US to work as an RN at higher wages, coming back and forth to Canada as needed. Canada is great to raise a family, but the US is easier to become an RN and work at higher wages.
Hope this helps everyone.

[purplehippo]

I think I would have to agree! Right now I am not encouraging my RN friends from the Philippines to apply here. It takes a really more complicated process to register here. Some of them are just applying at Saskatchewan where just based on their transcripts, BSN degree program and nursing experience (which are the same as mine), they are allowed to work as grad nurses.

I would still assert that each and every Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN), whether they came from the US or UK or New Zealand or Australia SHOULD undergo the SEC! That would be fair...CARNA not basing an IEN's competency simply because of the transcript of records, nursing curricula from a BSN degree and nursing experience should then apply these to all IEN's...

SEC is helpful really, it is quite a good measure of a nurse's CURRENT and ACTUAL capability, knowledge and skills... Nurses may come from the mentioned countries and may have similar program with that of Canada, but the quality of nurses produced might be different.

I think just to be fair, every IEN must undergo SEC and wait for the results. Besides, if these nurses from the mentioned countries "pass" the SEC, then they would no longer have to take courses. They can immediately work as grad nurses. So I think besides the Nursing Curricula and transcripts, etc etc... ACTUAL COMPETENCIES of EACH and EVERY IEN regardless of the country where they are from should be assessed...

[purplehippo]

I think each internationally educated nurse (IEN) must undergo the SEC just to be fair.

Since CARNA does not simply base an IEN's nursing competency simply based on the latter's BSN degree program, transcipt of records and nursing experience, etc... (which by the way how Saskatchewan does), then each IEN regardless of the country where she/he comes from should take the SEC. Anyway if the IEN "passes" the SEC then she would no longer take courses. She could go on and work as grad nurse already.

[RGN1]

Originally Posted by janfrn

I'm just looking at the CARNA website and I'm a little confused. They're sayin ghtat there are three routes to registration in Alberta, first to have graduated from a recognized nursing school in Alberta within the last five years and passing hte CRNE; number two is current registration in good standing in another jurisdiction recognized by CARNA Provincial Council (which to my mind would be anywhere in North America, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and a few other places) or third, "Applicants who do not meet the requirements under the first or second route of entry, but whose qualifications have been determined to be substantially equivalent to the competence requirements set out in the first or second route of entry, may be considered under this category. In order to make this determination, applicants may be required to undergo an assessment of their competence. Applicants who demonstrate that a combination of education, experience, practice and other qualifications provide them with the ability to practice competently may be eligible for registration in Alberta. In addition, all initial applicants must provide evidence of the following:

* good character and reputation
* fitness to practice
* proficiency in the English language"

Then, in another section it specifically mentions nurses educated in the US. (http://www.nurses.ab.ca/pdf/RegRequirmtsIEN.pdf) My interpretation of THAT is there should be no big difference in the way you're assessed compared to "us". And you're right, there is an appeals process, but don't be thinking along those lines yet!

I had hoped to talk to some of our recent US emigres yesterday at work, but I had one of those days that started off with a trip to CT within the first hour. Downhill all the way after that! I'll see who's there tonight and maybe get some info for you. Keep your chin up. It ain't over til it's over!

They have also been taking a long time with my file I received my nurse education in the UK & have passed N-CLEX yet they kept finding things they wanted clarified. The problem was that they were not telling me & just waitng for replies from others. Each time I found an excuse to email I was told what they were waiting for & was able to get it sorted within minutes!!

There was also a lack of communication from management to the assessors on the floor which also caused a delay!

At last my file is complete & has gone to the final stage but it has taken soooo long

However, as a UK educated nurse who also happens to have passed the N-CLEX it appears from the above that I should receive eligibility so I suppose I'm partly relieved! Although from the OP's experience I hope they're not going to throw the SEC at me or I'll be joining you on the appeal front! My recruiter didn't think they would have any reason to but who knows now?

I also fully appreciate that CARNA has been inundated with applications - here in the UK Alberta nursing recruitment has been running full page spreads in the nursing press for the last 3 weeks running! Under pressure staff are bound to make more mistakes & be unable to follow up on things as well.

[night flight]

Yes, CARNA does take a ling time, and don't try to expedite anything.

The SEC is intense, but it is simply an assessment. It could result in only one or two simple courses to do, or you may need multiple. It simply takes more time, time for getting the SEC, then time for CARNA to send the results, then more time to take any courses. That time may not be acceptable, as you can't work as a nurse until all the courses are complete. Then you have to get 225 hours as a GN before you can apply to write the exam, and depending upon the way things work out, you may not make a deadline for registering for the exam, delaying again until the next exam. Only three scheduled times for exams.

There is another new process where some nurses (from UK, Australia?) are allowed to work as a nurse on a special registration while they undergo courses for areas not covered in their education, like peds or mat.

[GradRNKylie]

To me I didnt have a good experience with SEC. Carna was aware of no experience in Pediatrics or Maternity and yet I had to do SEC. It didnt make any sense to me. I had no time to prepare because I felt I was pushed into doing the assessment and I went into it with an open mind and just tried it. I felt so weirded out by the experience, I still dont get why I did it in the first place. When in the end I have to do the courses in those areas.

I did email CARNA about that and asked if I can jump over the SEC and do the courses. No was the reply

Good luck to those doing the SEC