American LPN with question about licensure in Alberta Canada

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Hi all! I have been reading posting both "closed" and open here on this forum. I am really confused!! Any help that Canadian nurses can give me would be appreciated!! Or any American LPN's that have been licensed in Alberta would also work. I am sure all that frequent here on a regular basis have gotten this question over and over again but here it is again. My question is I have 12 years experience as a LPN in USA. I applied with CLPNA. What I have read over and over again on here is "no nurse from USA can have their nclex-pn serve for licensure". I even read a "closed" posting re: a LPN from Philap. supposedly coming and working in Edmonton. That person was told under no certain circumstances could this be done without taking the Canadian exam plus there would be immigration implications etc etc. Ok fine I get it BUT where I am totally confused is I have been on Alberta, Canada "official immigration website" and this is what is printed there under LPN

Exam Requirement:

*You will not be required to write the Canadian Licensed Practical Nurse Exam. The NCLEX - PN is considered substantively equivalent

My question is has it in fact changed??? Is Alberta accepting the NCLEX-PN along with of course documentation of experience, education and all of the good things that they are asking for. It just sends a mixed message out there that so many Canadian nurses are saying it cannot be when in fact Alberta immigration site says something entirely different! Who better to ask then Canadian nurses. I applied for federal skilled worker class through CIC. Just looking for some feedback on this. Thanks so much!

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NOPE. All PNs must write and pass CPNRE.

Where are you thinking you will work. Alberta Health Services has a hiring freeze. Local new grads can't find full time employment even in walkin clinics and doctors offices.

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hmm.... I can see why it seems confusing, since you use the same application as the canadians, maybe american practical/vocational nurses are given the same consideration as the canadian practical nurses. I guess you won't know the cplna's answer for a few weeks, maybe you can post the answer when you receive it?

regards

dishes

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Specializes in intensive care, recovery, anesthetics.

Indeed it does look that you will be treated like an out of province applicant, what would mean, no exam for you. Have you emailed that person from the college and asked her (link is on the CLPNA site)?

5cats

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Thanks for your reply Fiona. I am not looking for work in a hospital. My experience is psych, ( which I think I have to be certified for), community nursing, assisted living, nursing homes, corrections, basically anything but hospital work. Can you please take a look at this site http://www.albertacanada.com/immigration/working/lpnurse.html this is where I got the information re the exam. Am I missing something?? Why would they mislead people? CLPNA sent me an "out of province" application and I have already sent the application in. I guess I will await for them to contact me once they have received all the documentation to tell me what I have to do next. The PN exam is written 3 times a year is that correct? Anyone else here apply to CLPNA? Comments are welcome! As for a job I'll apply to all the postings when it comes time and I plan to also send out my resume to facilities that are not advertising as well. Maybe things will look up by the time I'm ready to apply who knows. Thanks again

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Thank you dishes and 5cats. Do you see why I am confused?! CLPNA indeed DID send me an "out of province" application. I did speak to someone there and I was told that after my documents were evaluated they would contact me. So I will wait until then. And I will post when I get an answer from them. I contacted New Brunswick too they too told me the same as Alberta but added that it most likely will change very soon. I am just trying to be prepared as to whether I have to take the test or not as it will obviously involve travel and time to and take the test.

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irish rose 73

I wish you luck and look forward to hearing about the response you recieve from clpna

dishes

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http://clpna.com/Applicants/LicensedinAnotherProvinceorUSA/tabid/74/Default.aspx

is the CLPNA link. As far as is understood by my coworkers, your application will be assessed and then it will be determined if you meet the educational requirements to work here and then you will be given permission to write the exam. The wording in the link you provided is as far as we can understand misleading. We can't go work in the US without writing NCLEX.

The exam is only written three times a year on set dates. Fail it three times and you are required to do remedial education.

Now this is where it gets tricky. Some working LPNs from other provinces have had to remedial courses to work in Alberta despite having passed CPNRE. Alberta has a two year diploma programme for LPNs. Nurses from other provinces were found to be "lacking" in their A&P education and a few other areas.

Psych LPNs can be hired fresh out of college and there is an educational enhancement available but NOT required to work in the Psych units.

Again, have you researched working in Alberta? Our Psychiatric Hospitals fall under the control of Alberta Health Services (yes, the one with the freeze). Psych beds are being cut and there appears to be no plan in place for what to do with the displaced staff (who are all unionized and will have bumping rights).

Corrections are provincial and federal and I believe you have to be a Cdn. Citizen to work within the system. The provincial jail system employees are members of the same union as Alberta Health employees.

Assisted Living facilities and LTC (we rarely use the term Nursing Homes) are all funded to a degree by the government and are facing similar funding cuts. Many LTCs are under the same union as hospital LPNs (just different bargaining units).

Doctors offices are non-union as are medi-centres but they have their hands full hiring local new grads.

The employment picture isn't rosy for nurses right now in this province.

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