Canada-educated nurses working in the States

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Sep 15, 2005

Basi, I am completely offended by both your attitude and your nerve. When I first read this thread I had to walk away from the computer before I shot from the hip and got myself into trouble.

If the Canadian health care system is such a disaster, why on earth would you want to obtain a health care professional education within it? You say you want to "provide diversity on campus" (in our multi-cultural society we all do that already) and "become a good, dedicated... Canadian-educated nurse working in the States..." and "spread a positive (or more positive) reputation for Canadian education". Right. You think you should be given the opportunity to take a seat in a Canadian nursing school that would thus be withheld from an local student, perhaps even one of my daughters, then scurry back across the border with your newly minted degree, thus depriving the health care system you scorn of not one, but two nurses.

I'm assuming that you plan to trade on your dual citizenship and apply as a Canadian citizen despite your obvious disdain for Canada and its people.... but that would have nothing to do with economics would it? I plucked an American university's tuition schedule off the web and learned that a Minnesota resident would pay $8622 US to attend the U of M as an undergraduate, while a non-Minnesota resident would pay $20252 US for a year's tuition at this year's rates. A "Canadian" student attending the University of Alberta would pay $4798 CDN or $4063 US at today's exchange rate.

As for the difference in "health care philosophy", to follow up on your reasons for despising Canada's health care, had my son been born in the US, he would not have survived infancy. When he was born, we were just making ends meet and couldn't afford life insurance let alone health care insurance. His lethal heart defect would have killed him within days and we would have had no choice but to let it, but because we live in Canada, he is 22 years old and has a healthy heart. We put the person ahead of the pocketbook in Canada. We provide patient care, not customer service. Our life expectancy, infant mortality and numerous other health care indicators are far better than the US. Misdiagnosis and malpractice are not a Canadian phenomenon.

So what's the real reason you want to be educated in Canada?

loriangel14, RN · Sep 15, 2005

Well said. I shudder to think what would have become of my beautiful 13 y.o. daughter,who was born at 26 weeks if I was south of the border. We were just getting by and would have been faced with letting her go if it depended on our wallets to keep her alive.

I think the OP had better stay down there if she thinks so little of Canadian ways.

fergus51 · Sep 15, 2005

OK, I work NICU in the US (did in Canada too) and NO WE DO NOT LET BABIES DIE BECAUSE OF MONEY!!! Ever. If the parents want everything done, it's done. I won't say I don't think doctors might be less encouraging to poorer parents, but they do not have the right to withhold treatment because of insurance status. I am in S California and many of our babies are born to illegal immigrants, but we still give them all the care they need. Your kids would still be alive, you'd probably just have had to declare bankruptcy in their youth. Not a nice thing, I agree, but not what either of you are suggesting.

loriangel14, RN · Sep 15, 2005

Sorry. No offense meant. I guess all hospitals down there are different. I did know an RN that worked in Florida but she moved back to Canada after seeing to many people die becuase they had no money for care.Even forcing young families into bankruptcy just to keep a child alive makes no sense to me.

fergus51 · Sep 15, 2005

Sorry. No offense meant. I guess all hospitals down there are different. I did know an RN that worked in Florida but she moved back to Canada after seeing to many people die becuase they had no money for care.Even forcing young families into bankruptcy just to keep a child alive makes no sense to me.

No one can be denied emergency care. This isn't a state by state or hospital by hospital thing. By definition, premies fall into this category as would a term infant with a heart condition. They can not be left to die because of their parents financial situation. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke up your you know what. I get this kind of thing from Canadians all the time, just like the Americans always tell me all about "socialized healthcare" in Canada... Both groups have a lot of misperceptions about the others' system. I do agree that forcing young families into bankruptcy is wrong. But, that is a long way from letting anyone die.

Fiona59 · Sep 15, 2005

The original poster seems to have disappeared. Perhaps they found a space in the States or were just trolling the site???