Former Alberta LPN moving back to Alberta.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2014

Welcome! Your post has been moved to the Nursing In Canada forum to elicit responses from nurses who live and work in the Canadian province that interests you.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2014

AHS is undergoing workforce transformation and jobs are scarce, especially if you are out of Province. You're not in the system anymore which will make it more difficult.

However....since you're willing to work rural, you should be able to find casual or temp to start.

ShirleyMc · Nov 10, 2014

According to my sister (not in the health field) who has lived in Grande Prairie for 30+ years, says they are building a hospital in GP to be completed summer/fall of 2015-ish. Article (altho I haven't read it): Grande Prairie new regional hospital | About AHS | Alberta Health Services

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Nov 10, 2014

There is a hospital being built in Grande Prairie. The most recent progress report shows that it's just a big hole in the ground right now, with superstructure construction underway. For those of us in the health care workforce, it's a promise of good things, but we know it's probably not going to be ready for occupancy when they've said it will be, and there's no guarantee that all the "new" beds will actually open promptly. The Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute opened in 2009, nearly a year after the highly-publicised "grand opening" and there are three units there that have yet to be completed for use as patient care areas. The long-promised and greatly needed Strathcona Community Hospital opened earlier this year, but only as an urgent care facility. The inpatient units have not opened and most of the primary care clinics slated for location within are still pending. There's a long history here of big plans that falter in the execution. If the new GP hospital opens on time and with all of its beds, it'll be a great day for northern Alberta.

ShirleyMc · Nov 16, 2014

Thank you for this. Sadly, your predictions re: Grande Prairie hospital sound realistic given the other examples you've presented and the track record of this province (Alberta).

Sigh. I am frantically "refreshing" after years of being out of the profession. Reading here is discouraging. Very discouraging. Thank you for posting the realities as I have zero colleagues who have remained in the profession over the years so you ladies are my only way of knowing.

The refreshing college's admins are reassuring me that if a refreshing student does well on the floor during their clinical placement, they may be hired directly by the unit manager. Doesn't sound accurate based on what I read here. Why would they misrepresent the true scenario? Sigh again.

Some days I honestly feel like quitting, going to school for something different, heck even a male dominated profession/designation as they seem to do a lot better in terms of starter wages and less intense working conditions.

I love nursing, I love Alberta, I love learning, but I am sad to see where nursing has evolved to. :-( Agh, issues for another thread...

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Nov 16, 2014

Nursing faculty members are relatively insulated from the real world. They're not employed by Alberta Health Services but by the college or university. Those involved in clinical practica may see some of what's happening at their clinical sites, such as having difficulty arranging for preceptors due to fewer bodies on the floors, but in my experience they really don't get the full picture. I had a student for an observation shift about a year ago (before the wheels fell off completely) and only saw her instructor briefly, for about 3 minutes. He had no time to notice how busy the unit was.

Another factor is that it's impossible to pick the nurses out from the rest of the staff. Almost everybody at my hospital wears those ubiquitous lagoon green scrubs - the respiratory therapists, the surgeons, the nurses' aides, the cleaning staff, pretty much the majority of those working on the inpatient care units are all indistinguishable. The only group readily identifiable is the dietary aide staff. They wear white shirts, black pants and black-and-red striped aprons. This confusion is one of the reasons behind the Wear White Wednesday campaign UNA has launched... so patients, visitors and others can easily identify the nurses.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 16, 2014

Another factor is that it's impossible to pick the nurses out from the rest of the staff. Almost everybody at my hospital wears those ubiquitous lagoon green scrubs - the respiratory therapists, the surgeons, the nurses' aides, the cleaning staff, pretty much the majority of those working on the inpatient care units are all indistinguishable. The only group readily identifiable is the dietary aide staff. They wear white shirts, black pants and black-and-red striped aprons. This confusion is one of the reasons behind the Wear White Wednesday campaign UNA has launched... so patients, visitors and others can easily identify the nurses.

This is one of the reasons why in acute care RN and LPN wear their own uniform and dress is white top black slacks/trousers and the white top has RN or LPN on it.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=nova+scotia+nurses+uniform&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=947&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=kFNoVOnVLsG2yATn8oCgBQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ