calling all l.p.n's \rpn's

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I was reading the paper today and there was an article on the shortage of nurses. ( big suprise....) The paper said that the shortage was to be discussed at the Banff summit, I will get to the point. They went on to say that the college enrollment would have to be increased , and fees waived for a period of time.

What I wish to propose is uniting all lpn,s who are eager to up-grade to r.n status to come together and write a petition to the minister of health suggesting why we would be excellent candidates for a bridging program. I do not feel we should have to complete the program from the beginning, I feel that it is a slap in the face for many r.p.n's who have worked active hospital for any lenght of time. This is not to say that I dont realize the r.n scope and study is more in depth, of course it is, but I feel we should be given some recognition for experience gained. Does any one out there share my opinion or the desire to make this happen? I would love to hear your response. I am hoping this reaches the ears of nurses practicing in canada. I feel a little more flexability in our colleges would go a long way.:cool:

Specializes in Hospital, Foot Nurse, NRSNG Educator.

Ok, nursemama2be, I found several areas to check, just by googling

( Articulation LPN to RN ) brought up a good start.

I do know of one school in Buffalo, that i am very interested in, and know of people already going there..... Trocaire College, and they were very quick to respond to my inquiry.... I will make an appt, and go and talk to them. Some girls go there, and then top it off later, with De'Youville College also in Buffalo NY. so they can later work in Canada... with a higher degree.

But I think there are a few others, as well, the key for me is "what" will anyone allow for what I already have, and experience. Which I have a great deal of in 20yrs, and two countries. And also as everyone , the cost.....

Where are you ? Close enough for Buffalo ? I can fill you in more if you like.... That is what I am doing these days, is "looking into" while working casual.... there is another one another allnurses member mentioned to me, it is in Port Huron, MI. this school is affiliated with Lambton College in Sarnia. If that is more your direction....

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Specializes in LTC, Community.

I am in hamilton.. so buffalo is closer..

i dont have much experience.. i think that will hold me back... altho i have 2 yrs of school and clinicals... so who knows...

any info you can give would be awesome...

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This freaks me out a bit... I am just going into an LPN program in the fall (2007) at George Brown in Toronto, and now I am afraid it will get me nowhere! At the same time though, I cannot manage 4 years of school at this time, so I have no choice. I was hoping that by the time I was done and worked for a bit there would be an easier way to bridge if I chose...

Oh well, I want to live (and work) in Australia anyway..

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Specializes in LTC, Community.

i know in ontario or at least around hamilton that LPN jobs are good..

I already have a job in a hospital though so my pay won't go up much but for some its a big increase.

Its not that i don't want to be an LPN but the being in the course made me want to be an RN.. i love it... i love clinicals... so this is what i want...

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Hello out there all my sister lpns/rpns!!! I totally agree that lpns in Canada are not recognized for the work they do. I too would love to upgrade to RN, here on the west coast of BC, like all across canada you need to have your BSN. All i want to do is be a general floor nurse, you know the ones who interact with the patients!! I do not have the funds to go to school for 3more years. When checking out the course at a local university i was told their was no guarentee that i would be accepted UNLESS students of the 4yr program dropped out, so the earliest i could get in would be either the 2009,2010 class. I work daily among new BSN nurses and some, i repeat some of them have no patient skills, everything was book learned, unlike the nurses of the RN diploma program. I have contacted the CRNA about the shortages of nurses and the wait lists of prospective students and asked why.......Why dont u bring back the diploma program?? Nurses trained in this program were very hands on, much more clinical hours. My response was......BSN program makes you a WELL ROUNDED NURSE.....well you know that is B.S. I dont want to go into manager postions, or teaching postions..............i just want to nurse.. I think the higher ups have CUT THERE THROATS with their BSN programs....

What would be nice to see is a LADDER program.....bring back the 2 yr diploma program, do you know how many ppl would jump at the chance at that, we would have tons of nurses instead of this shortage we currently have... to continue the ladder......within 10 yrs of becoming a diploma nurse you must complete your BSN. That is my take on this whole mess...

Many parts of canada LPNS are doing most skills that RN's do, with the exception of Hanging Blood and IV meds................COME ON CANADA, GIVE US A BREAK, and u wonder why we all want to up and leave.

Sad for the future of nursing

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Specializes in Hospital, Foot Nurse, NRSNG Educator.

Here ! here ! I think most of us are on the same page, and I have written to the RPNAO, regarding this three times now ! Once I was even told, "there were schools near me", that was it, no explanation, or offerings, and then brushed off at that. I wonder how they got that job ?

Not to mention as you have said, the wait list, and the length of time the course requires, and the non-recognition for the nurse, I have already become. What a waste.

Please, no worries, "Cherry2", I love being an RPN, and am proud of it ! It is more of a "love what I do, and want to grow MORE in it " I have made differences in peoples lives, and want to do more. I have learned that I am a great nurse, I love to learn, and just "cant get enough" , but i have enough respect for myself, to know what I deserve as well.

I am not sure what it will take for Canada, to "FIX" this. But WOW, Leogeo, you sure have a great plan....... i will follow you !!!

We should have some thing together, that actually goes to SOMEONE.. of importance........ we know there are only about a zillion of us out there that are behind your comment 100 % !

I wish there were some of the more progressive places around here, i am in a small town, and cant use a great deal of my skills, (THAT I AM GOOD AT ) and they are drifting farther and farther back in my "brains/locker". AGAIN SUCH A WASTE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Seems a lot of frustration here. I used to be an RPN student in Toronto (2 years ago) but I'm now residing in the US. Husband got a job here so I decided not to continue my RPN program, which is 2 years there compared to 10 mos. here. When you compare the curriculum, there's not much a difference. The 10-mo program here includes the "essential" nursing subjects, like anat. & physi, pharm, nursing theory, etc. The big difference I noticed is that in the college which I went to (I guess, it's the same with every college there) even adult students (or those who already have previous college degrees) still have to pay and attend basic english or computer classes. When I was attending those subjects, I feel like I was wasting my time, effort, and of course money! But not taking them would mean I wouldn't be able to complete the requirements. Anyway, I'm planning to take the Associate Degree here (2 years) and I'm glad that I got a favorable response about transfering in some credits.

I don't hate to say this but reading all the arguments posted here -- I agree, it all boils down to money. I strongly agree that experience should count -- there's no substitute for that. For institutions hungry for Profit -- students are their helpless victims. Sometimes, I wonder whether there's really a shortage of nurses??? As bigger flock of students going to nursing schools (b/c of so-called nursing shortage), more money coming in to schools. Slashing the period to do the bridging program means lesser profit. Since the demand is high, the schools are in a better position to take "only those who are able to pay, not those who are capable and have shown the potential to become better or great nurses."

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Specializes in Hospital, Foot Nurse, NRSNG Educator.

Terrific MARWAN, good for you !!! I totally agree, and have said for years.... "where is the shortage, and is there really one.... when the government is not doing what it could to get more nurses out there NOW ! " forcing us to go longer, and at full term, and at full cost ???? how sensible is that anyway ?

And it closed the school, I went to , and tore the building down, ( a parking lot) now they are scrambling to find areas to teach in, and slowly bringing in some classes once again. Here and there.... Waste, waste, waste.

Where did you go in the states ? I have now chatted with yet another girl at work, that went in Buffalo.. ... 2.5 yrs, and has two weeks left to go, expensive, but she worked the whole time..... too. and will have her B.S. to still work here. My brain is a smok'in now !

my only worries now are, can i still manage it at my age ? Maybe this 51 yr old brain may just smolder...... tee hee.

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I'm in Massachusetts. I will have yet to submit my applications to about 2-3 colleges for fall 2008. I got a 10-month-old daughter so i have to postpone my plans. I have written to my target colleges and they said, they may be able to transfer in credits, which is good. Also, I noticed that there's a lot of online programs (accredited) that are available to LPNs who want to be RNs or RNs-BS. Do you have that option too in Canada?

Forget about your age. Just do it!

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Specializes in Hospital, Foot Nurse, NRSNG Educator.

I am not sure about some of the distance learning, and how it works to Canada. I had considered it on and off for 10yrs, while in the US and then back. I wasn't sure until I found this website, that there were people actually doing it. But now, just don't know if there are any from here, that have done anything like that..... but will keep checking..... Our youngest Daughter starts college in Sept, I can't jeopardize her education in the process.

But excited to LEARN.... and scared to death. but that has never stopped me, in the past. your in a nice place, we have family there. And very doable. Good that the baby is young, you will appreciate having done it all now. I wish I had. But I don't stop anyway..... and this website, is such an inspiration to us all.

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HI Carz,

How is your bridging program? I am an RPN student of George Brown College, I am thinking of taking the bridging program.

thanks

felix

felix

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I realize that this is a very old thread but things haven't changed at all in five years. I am going back for my BSN. I am an LPN and I have not been able to find any sort of reasonable work. I would even take regular part time at a nursing home, full time, I have given up on. You see, where I live, if you are not an RN, you will be lucky to get casual at a nursing home, you could work at a retirement home where you will be assigned at least 80 - 90 residents, half of whom should be in long term care. If you do home care, you will earn $17./hr. So now, at great expense to my family, in order not to starve and stay employed, I will do my BSN. The sad part is that I could be fine as a LPN but the opportunities are so limited. In my area, you have to be an RN to work at a clinic or Dr. office. To say that I am angry is an understatement. Nursing in Ontario without an RN is near impossible.

I have just come across your message and hope you are still available to hear from us in Saskatoon. LPN's where I work are treated pretty good and with great pay too!! Add the full benefit program and you can see why we're all pretty happy here. :lol2: We work on a thoracic-vascular unit at full scope (except for IV meds - and even that's on the way soon). Pay rate starts at $24/hr (Operating room tech's at almost $30/hr). It's a really fast paced unit and the shift goes by quickly, not everyone appreciates the quick pace of our ++ acute ward so we seem to have a high staff turn-over, however LPN's seem to stay because it's the place to be if you want good pay, less responsibility (no iv meds) and great surgical experience. Keep an eye out though because it doesn't happen in every hospital here. I moved here from Manitoba after having pretty much the same experience as you are experiencing right now. I've been here 5 years and can't see myself moving anywhere, I don't even think about taking my RN anymore.

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