Canada and nursing agencies

[littlehobo]

Hi.

Are there any nursing agancies in Canada that work across the whole country. I am aiming to travel to Canada from the UK next year for a few months and although want to avoid work if at all possible :wink2: would like to register with an agency to work as a practical nurse when I run out of money!!

I don't think travel nursing will suit, as the placements are too long, I just want to do the odd day here and there. Does anyone know if this can be done. I am an RN in the UK, but want to work as a Practical Nurse whilst I'm there, but will I have to register in every Province?

So many questions!!

[Fiona59]

Hate to break it to you but you have to license/register in every province you work in. I'm currently licensed in two.

To work as a practical nurse you have to write a national exam which is only scheduled three times a year. Practical nursing isn't something you can just walk into a hospital and say you want to do.

In addition, most provinces require you to have a police security clearance if you are working with children and/or elderly. The clearance has to paid for and completed every time you change employers.

Most employers don't want staff for the "odd day or two". Orientation is at least a week on each unit you'd be working. Facilities have a casual pool that they draw staff from to work the odd days on units. These nurses both RN and LPN have been orientated to the units and are quite valued by staffing offices because they will work at short notice, work busy units, and remember where everything is (most of the time).

[lalaxton]

More bad news,

In some provinces the 'license' can be quite expensive as well, usually because it includes membership in the provinces professional association. I know in the NWT it is close to $400CDN, in Ontario it is still $125 CDN.

[littlehobo]

Thanks guys, wasn't sure how it worked over there. In the UK there are nursing agencies all over and you can join as an Nursing Assistant and work in hospitals and the community without additional input from the Hospital. No need to register as there is no formal qualification for a Nursing Assistant and police checks are all done by the agency. Although to work in a hospital they usually ask for 6 months experience.

Your system sounds safer, but kinda ruins my plans, ah well backer to the ol' drawing board!

[Fiona59]

There is a difference between a Nursing Assistant and a Practical Nurse. Nursing Assistants provide basic care, assistance with bathing, bed baths, assist with feeding, apply topical. PN's attend college for four semesters, perform wound care, administer meds, perform physical assessments, in some hospitals, have pretty much the same job duties as an RN.