BC RN wanting to practice in AB

[iheartcanucks2012]

Hi Everyone!The reason I am strarting this topic is because i am so confused with the "reciprocity" (if it even exists) process of Candian RNs moving from one jurisdiction to another. To start with, let me tell you a lil something about my self. I am an IEN and obtained my Full Practising RN license in Vancouver. I went through all the IEN assessments, had SEC, took some courses as a result of the assessment and passed CRNE. I finished 250 supervised RN hours and was employed oncall on one of the private facility/ care home in the Lower Mainland. Family recently moved to Alberta for work, (obviously it's not me) hence i applied with CARNA. I got confused whether i should apply as a CANADIAN RN or use the IEN application. I have read that one of the reqts to apply as Canadian RN is that you must have worked 1125 hours as RN or must have graduated in a Canadian school. My question is-- does the 1125 hrs meant 1125 CANADIAN RN HOURs or doesnt matter where you practised your RN as long as you can come up with the hours.

[iheartcanucks2012]

I need your light on this guys. I have been trying to contact CARNA before we even moved here. But all I got was auto-generated response regarding the process for IENs. As much as possible i dont wanna go through the same process i had with crnbc, aside from it costs a lot of $$$$, it is so time consuming! Also, do you think CARNA will even honor hte copy of the documents i requested from CRNBC to be forwarded to them? It includes all the documents from my home cou try-- transcripts, employer reference, registration verification, assessment results, etc. I am thinking maybe they will require me to re-do my IELTs since the one i have is already expired. But i am crossing myfingers i wont have to re-do all the process of securing those documents again!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

You have been registered in Canada, so you shouldn't have to apply here as an IEN. CARNA will accept any documentation CRNBC sends them, but there may be additional information they need, or there may be additional requirements placed on you such as currency of IELTS. The 1125 hours of work refers to the preceding 5 years (which works out to about a 0.6 FTE for a single year). We self-report hours worked on our registration renewals and CARNA's computer keeps track of them. For you, those hours would not have to have been worked in Canada, since you obviously haven't been here that long. You would report your hours worked no matter where they were worked.

Contacting CARNA can be challenging. I would skip the email and go right to the phone. And keep phoning until you get a human on the other end. Good wishes...

[iheartcanucks2012]

hi janfrn! That's what I was thinkin too! So I applied as Canadian RN. I reported to have worked 260 something hours this previous year (as CRNBC renews every march 1st). I got an email fron CARNA telling me that ii filled out the wrong application and that I would have to apply as IEN because I did not qualify to apply a canadian rn. Tried calling the registration assessor but I guess she was already gone for the day since it was almost 430ish. I emailed her back and hopefully she will get back to me asap. Will keep u posted.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I would call CARNA. When I was applying to CARNA from Ontario in 2010, they were actually very helpful and I had no issue with finding a live person to accept my call. I was surprised actually, since the CNO is very challenging to navigate. Good luck.

[iheartcanucks2012]

I just finished talking to a live person from CARNA and she dropped THE bomb on me!

First off, she said I did not make the hours so I need to apply as IEN. Secondly, they want the documents be sent directly from THE SOURCE. Well, good luck to me. All the hard work I did with registering in BC went down the drain and so with the $3000+ price tag that came with it. Now if I choose to register with CARNA, I would have to cough up another $800 or so (for IELTS and assessment fee).

DO you guys thinks it's all worth it?

[Fiona59]

How badly do you want to work in Alberta? That's your decision.

[iheartcanucks2012]

Hi fiona59, I don't really know. Husband is tied for a year with his company. Have a lot of thinking to do. My mind is so clouded right now. Can't think straight.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Oh dear... I'm so sorry to hear that. It hardly seems fair or just that you've already proven yourself to another province but that's not good enough for CARNA. But as Fiona59 says, only you can decide if working in Alberta as an RN will be worth it. You could look at it as throwing down $800+ for all the administrative junk or you could look at the probability that you'd make all of that money back on your first pay cheque. Will you see it as a waste, or an investment?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I'm not surprised to hear this. An IEN who is working with us as a care aide said she will have an easier time registering in ON than with CARNA. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do. As Jan said, look at the 800 as an investment if you want to work in AB. The pay is good, so you'll recoup the costs immediately.

[globalRN]

I had a BC RN licence while I worked my masters clinical practicum as an NP student.

I had not worked in Canada for pay for the last 5 yrs

I had worked as an RN in another country.

CARNA tried to tell me I had to do a 200 hr practicum as a grad nurse before getting an RN licence from CARNA

Not so, my BC licence as an RN was current and they had to recognize it.

I had a huge fight with the registrar at the time

Having said that my BSN was from BC and my MS fron the US

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

That's the difference, GlobalRN. CARNA couldn't really dispute your application since you have a BSN from BC and a BC license. You aren't an IEN.