American going to Canada for BSN, then working in American ICU? Canadian BSN valid?

[sixthwannabe]

I am an American and Canadian Dual-citizen. My ultimate goal is to be a critical care nurse and I had everything in line until my nursing school that I was planning on attending this fall withdrew my admissions due to a late transcript. Apparently, all public universities in my state did that this year becuase more people enrolled then excepted.

I've researched and there is nothing that I can do to get back into the fall admissions for this bsn program in America.

However, I still have an offer for a canadian BSN university that starts this fall. I could go here and finish in two years, or if I really wanted to go to an american BSN program i would have to wait a whole entire year to apply and then that two more years of school==> 3 years!

At this point there is no more classes left for me to take--ive taken all nursing pre-reqs, and even finished all my organic chem series and physics series, various other un needed courses etc. Logistically there's really nothing I can do to get a BS or BA while Im waitin for the BSN and ive made up my mind not to do that.

1.)So, I was wondering, if I go to Canada and get my BSN there (At Queens university, one of Canada's top 5 universities), and then come back home to America to go into Critical care/ICU, how hard will it be??

I have American Citizenship so that's not a problem, but since I only intend on working in the USA, will hospitals be less likely to take me?

Passing the NCLEX/jumping through those logistical hoops should be ok im willing!! as long as they are fair!!!

I grew up in the United States and it will forever be my home!! I just want to get a bsn in canada so I can get in and get out faster to be a critical care nurse

[czyja, MSN, RN]

If I were you I would pack my long johns and head to Canada! Queens is a well respected University and it is well known in the US, especially in the East, and upper midwest. A resident I know went to med-school there - she loved it. I reckon it will be cheap for you, because you are Canadian. Lots of Americans are heading to Canada for higher education these days as it is a good value. They area also going to the UK and Ireland too - also great places to study nursing.

Nursing in Canada is pretty much identical to nursing in the US. I am certain you will get a great education.

If you can arrange a senior preceptorship in a critical care in the US, do it as it will be a great help in finding a job.