Canada Vs USA

r0semar1e · May 21, 2004

Hi Fergus

I was thinking of moving to BC in the future, what are the problems with the government over there at the moment?

Reply if you can, thanks a lot :)

From Rosemarie

fergus51 · May 21, 2004

Hi Rosemarie,

Basically, we elected a fairly conservative, business friendly government. They are NOT at all friendly to labor, including nurses. The economy isn't great, so nurses are among the sacrificial lambs since the government had to pay for the tax cut they instituted. The contract nurses are working under now is one that they rejected by over 90%, but the government legislated the contract on them anyways and took away their right to strike. That contract will expire soon and they'll have to negotiate another one, but with this government there is no room for negotiation. They will have another contract imposed on them. The wages aren't bad, but things got so ugly during the last contract negotiation I knew I couldn't work there anymore. Just a few weeks ago another health union had their wages and benefits cut. A lot of the jobs are still casual and part time to save money and many hospitals will still not train their own staff in specialty areas. I'll wait until things improve before going back. I absolutely love BC and the lifestyle there and miss it terribly, but I am not going back for a few more years.

epg_pei · May 21, 2004

Hi Rosemarie,
Basically, we elected a fairly conservative, business friendly government. They are NOT at all friendly to labor, including nurses. The economy isn't great, so nurses are among the sacrificial lambs since the government had to pay for the tax cut they instituted. The contract nurses are working under now is one that they rejected by over 90%, but the government legislated the contract on them anyways and took away their right to strike. That contract will expire soon and they'll have to negotiate another one, but with this government there is no room for negotiation. They will have another contract imposed on them. The wages aren't bad, but things got so ugly during the last contract negotiation I knew I couldn't work there anymore. Just a few weeks ago another health union had their wages and benefits cut. A lot of the jobs are still casual and part time to save money and many hospitals will still not train their own staff in specialty areas. I'll wait until things improve before going back. I absolutely love BC and the lifestyle there and miss it terribly, but I am not going back for a few more years.

NB nurses are without one at the moment, have been for more than a few moons. It's gone to conciliation, whatever that means. Not a very active membership in these parts from what I hear.

Edit: Whoopee, 200th post. Yes, I am easily excited :rotfl:

Clarissa26 · May 25, 2004

I wrote to a Canadian nursing board, if you have a bachelor degree then it is equivilant to the BSN degree in Canada and the USA, assuming the hours for paeds etc are included. So I just have to catch up on those hours and I'm good to go, with any luck.

skyblue · Jul 10, 2004

I also didn't have peds and obstetrics during my clinical rotation, but I took theory

on these. I was told by the nursing department of the college where I took Nursing

that not having peds and obstetrics would not pose any problem and that CFNS will only restrict me to work in peds and obstetrics as a result, but I will still be able to get a Visascreen. Any comment on this?

suzanne4, RN · Jul 10, 2004

I also didn't have peds and obstetrics during my clinical rotation, but I took theory
on these. I was told by the nursing department of the college where I took Nursing
that not having peds and obstetrics would not pose any problem and that CFNS will only restrict me to work in peds and obstetrics as a result, but I will still be able to get a Visascreen. Any comment on this?

Not sure what country you did your training in or when you did it, but your school gave you incorrect information. No state will give you permission to sit for NCLEX without having a minimum number of hours, theory as well as didactic, in each of the required areas. The US requires that the nurse be a generalist and not a specialist. You will not get A Visa Screen Certificate, because you will have to sit for NCLEX first, and that won't be permitted.

You will have to make up the needed hours in an approved school of nursing.

Not my rules, but the governments................Sorry. :uhoh3:

CGFNS does not restrict where you can and cannot work, they do not have the authority to do so. They can only verify that your educational credentials meet US standards.