Canada-educated nurses working in the States

Basi · Aug 31, 2005

BS"D

"By respected, I think you mean recognized?"

No, I actually really meant respected, but I can see how you thought recognized. I meant to ask if people don't respect you b/c you don't have an American degree?

What website are you talking about? And don't worry, I'm not the type who doesn't follow through. :-)

What specifically was difficult about the trasition?--I really want to know.

Thanks so much for all the help; really really thank you.

Warmest Regards,

Basi

natawee · Aug 31, 2005

I was educated in Canada and I thought the program was excellent. As far as the health care system goes, I think its great. I am now working in the US for the past two years. I am very proud of the healthcare system in Canada. There are also alot of misconceptions about it because 'we dont pay for it', well we do its called 15% sales tax on everything we purchase. I am curious to know what you dont like about it.

FungManX · Aug 31, 2005

Basi,

You should realize that a Nursing degree from Canada does mean that

it will be respected (if the degree was obtained before 2004). mainly because

all the BSN programs were from the major Universities in Canada, like UT,

Mac, UBC etc. These Universities are pretty much on the same level

as the top tier schools in the states.

An average person would believe that the American degree would be

superior ALL the time. This is definately not the case. For example,

Pharmacy. The american Doctorate Degree (PharmD) is the equivalent of our

regular Bachelors Degree (BScPharm). American hospitals and big chains

accept our Canadian Pharm grads ALL the time to work for them. The only

thing that the Canadian Pharmacists have to do is write a simple exam.

Another example would be the Canadian MD vs American MD/DO.

Everyone that wants at American MD/DO can get it.. Canadians incl.

However. Americans that want in on the Canadian MD degree can not.

You might say, "hey.. Canadians have preference for other Canadians".

Not the case with some Canadian Universities. I believe it was at Mac.,

where they had only one American female make it into their medical school

curriculum within the last 5 years. From what I heard about her, she's

absolutely stellar..

The list goes on...

suzanne4, RN · Aug 31, 2005

Whether you train in the US, or you train in Canada, if you are not a US citizen, then you will need to go thru the Visa Screen Certificate process....unless you already have a green card.

DusktilDawn · Aug 31, 2005

Hi Basi,

I am a Canadian educated RN that works in Michigan and lives in Canada. My reasons for choosing to work in the States are different from yours:

1. After working for years part time as an RPN/LPN, I decided to become an RN. After accomplishing this, there was no opportunities for full time employment as an RN. I could have chosen to take part time and wait for full time employment, I also could have chosen to relocate to another area in Canada that offerred full time employment, but I chose not to do this.

2. There was more job opportunities for nurses in Michigan than also was offered in the area I live in. For instance, if I wanted to work in the OR, Outpatients, dialysis, etc, the opportunities for those areas of nursing where I live are more limited.

It sounds like you feel the way you do about the Canadian health system based on personal experience. You are entitled to feel as you do. Bear in mind that there are also inequities in the American system.

The delivery of nursing care I provide in Michigan is no different than the delivery of care I provided as a nurse in Canada. Perhaps you should clarify what you believe to be the different philosophies between Canadian and American health care.

It was not required for me to have further education to qualify for the NCLEX, however it is offered for those that choose to better enhance their chances of passing the NCLEX. No way out of writing the NCLEX. As Suzanne stated, if you are not a US citizen you either have to possess a Green card or obtain a Visa Screen certificate in order to work in the States.

The education I received is recognized and respected. A lot of Canadians from the area I live in work in the states, and no one has had any experience with their education being looked down upon because they were educated in Canada.

I don't think Basi is necessarily snobbish towards Canadians FungManX, I believe he has a lot of negative feelings concerning Canadian health care based on personal experience.

Best of luck to you Basi

fergus51 · Aug 31, 2005

I will suggest you don't voice your plans when applying for a Canadian program. Your teachers probably wouldn't take too kindly to it since most people don't see the value in watering someone else's garden. I work in the US right now and no one has ever questioned my education or my experience. Basically if your immigration is in order and you have a lisence and a pulse, you will not have trouble finding a job and no one cares where you went to school. I have recently begun looking into Masters programs and 3 of the reps I spoke to have been Canadian, so don't worry about respect. Our new grads seem to be pretty valued because they tend to have more clinical time than American new grads in some programs. This is partly why new grad orientations to regular floors are much shorter than in the US. I was shocked when I heard new grads down here needed months of orientation on med-surg floors.

Basi · Aug 31, 2005

BS"D

I am a U.S. citizen (dual citizenship with Canada).

Basi · Aug 31, 2005

BS"D

It's absolutely true that I am biased b/c of personal experience. But I can't help that. Sorry.

What I am most curious about is if those of you educated in Canada and working in the States find the healthcare philosophies very different in the two countries and if you had trouble transitioning.

Thanks so much everyone for all your help.

fergus51 · Sep 1, 2005

The only things I still find difficult about working in the US is the increased amount of litigation and the Burger King mentality towards healthcare (consumers vs patients). I would rather be a patient in Canada than a customer here.

MaraG. · Sep 5, 2005

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with our health care system. I hate to say but that could have happened any where.

My dad went to Hawaii several years ago. While he was there he fell and broke his hip. While in the hospital x-rays of his chest were taken. He has always had raspy breathing and doctors always question it. The next day he had an appointment with a doctor about his lungs. My mom asked about this, after all it was his hip that was broken not his lungs. My parents were told it was a mistake and not to worry.

A year later my parents went back to Hawaii and my dad got sick and went to the hospital. They told him to go home ASAP they sent current and dated x-rays of his chest home with them. Once home it turned out that the appointment that was "a mistake" was to tell him that he had a mass growing in his chest and that it could be cancerous. He died 3 months later! (about 18 months after the doctors first saw this mass growing in his chest)

The docotors knew about this when he broke his hip. The person at the desk canceled his appointment and did not bother to look into why he had it and there was no follow up as to why he never showed up for his appointment!

So you see things can happen any where! I have dual citizenship and this does not stop me from wanting to work in the states or here. It just makes me realize that anyone can make a mistake and everyone has an opinion that may or may not be the right one.

I am sure that things like this happen more often than we realize. But please don't hold one experience against an entire system.

Basi · Sep 5, 2005

BS"D

To tell you all the truth, I am not here to debate the value of Canadian health care vs. American health care, etc. I just want to know about Canadian-educated nurses who have worked in the U.S.

JMP · Sep 5, 2005

BS"D
To tell you all the truth, I am not here to debate the value of Canadian health care vs. American health care, etc. I just want to know about Canadian-educated nurses who have worked in the U.S.

I can tell you my experience... I am Canadian educated and seriously considered working in Arizona. I flew to Arizona, twice, talked to every person I could about health care. Example: every cab ride I took I asked the cab driver about their health care and how they felt about the system. Without fail ...none of them had insurance.... one was a young diabetic woman who prayed every day that she did not need health care.... this type of thinking and what Fergus referred to as the CUSTOMER (Burger King mentality) VIEWPOINT. patients are CUSTOMERS....BUT not if you are poor or disadvanced, or working poor, etc. in the US

So in the end, I could not justify the US health care system. My cousin was living in Florida at the time and she and her husband paid 800 dollars a month in health care insurance....like a second mortage and they both had second jobs to pay for it.

I could not justify it....so I stayed here, in Canada and happy I did. When the war broke out...well, I PERSONALLY disagreed (knowing that not every Canadian thinks this way) and was triple glad I stayed home.This is my OWN personal decision......you have to make yours, as does everyone else.

We are very very and I mean VERY different countries ...never think we are even close to being the same...values, etc are VERY different. You have to understand the differences and then see if you can live with them.