CARNA Timescale

Jaggy Thistle · Feb 13, 2008

CARNA is crap. They are ALWAYs terribly busy, but never too busy to take your money. If you are coming to Alberta, be prepared to have a bloodsucker attached.

I shall bear that in mind!! I guess no different to any other governing body of a professional group then!

Thanks anyhoo. - It is however nearing the mid feb and no word as yet

I'm feeling more phone calls and pestering people are going to have to take place. Although I'd rather not have to do this but hey it's what you have to do I guess to get anywhere.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Feb 13, 2008

This thread will be moved to the International Forum as per the new guidelines for posts to this forum, which state:

"This forum is for Canadian nurses to discuss issues unique to nursing in Canada.

Posts regarding immigration and licensure must be posted in the International Forum."

CARNA is crap. They are ALWAYs terribly busy, but never too busy to take your money. If you are coming to Alberta, be prepared to have a bloodsucker attached.

My response to this is, if you don't like the rules, perhaps you should try another game.

CARNA has a mandate to ensure that ALL nursing practice permit holders meet minimum standards of education, competence, regulation and moral character, among other important facets. If a person doesn't meet those standards, they don't meet the standards. It isn't CARNA's fault, it isn't Canada's fault, maybe it isn't anybody's "fault". But don't expect any regulatory body in Canada or the US to bend their rules or make exceptions just to increase the numbers of people calling themselves registered nurses. The registered nurse title carries with it certain expectations from the people receiving care... that standards are being enforced.

To quote Mary-Anne Robinson, RN, BN, MSA, Executive director CARNA:

"...CARNA is responding to an unprecedented increase in the number of international applications arising from overseas recruitment campaigns. CARNA is under intense pressure by government, by employers and by potential applicants to make the critical decisions required to license more nurses, more quickly.

...CARNA is commited to maintaining the credibility of our profession and to continuing to merit the high regard registered nurses have earned from Albertans."

Jaggy Thistle · Feb 17, 2008

It isn't CARNA's fault, it isn't Canada's fault, maybe it isn't anybody's "fault". But don't expect any regulatory body in Canada or the US to bend their rules or make exceptions just to increase the numbers of people calling themselves registered nurses. The registered nurse title carries with it certain expectations from the people receiving care... that standards are being enforced.
With the utmost of respect for you:- I'm certainly not expecting any "exceptions" to be made and am going through the process and will take the CRNE exam same as every other canadian nurse. But CARNA do take your money straight away and with an increase in applications means an increase in funding and therefore they could take on additional staff to cover this. I'm not asking them to do it any quicker for me than anyone else, but I was told it would be ready by a certain date and it's not. I understand they are becoming overwhelmed by international applications and i'm not asking them to process it any quicker but they must now how many assessments on average are processed per day and how many they have to do so a general timeline would be really helpful. Although it is all international applicants choice to nurse abroad, they also put a lot on the line to do this.
JT

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Feb 17, 2008

If CARNA could count on every application received being complete, with all the required documentation (education transcripts, IELTS scores, proof of registration in the location where the individual was educated and any other locations since, police background checks etc) included, and if CARNA could count on the regulatory bodies involved being efficient and willing to cooperate, and if CARNA could count on applicants following instructions perhaps they would be able to give an average of applications processed per day. But the reality is that very few applications are "perfect", meaning that every I is dotted and every T is crossed when they get it. They have to wait on regulatory bodies in other countries cooperation and convenience when verifying documents. They have issues with language barriers where they just cannot make their requirements understood. International telephone calls are not free; the calls CARNA makes are also not short. The time required to process paperwork and follow up on each step in the process costs money. The Alberta government has given CARNA a lot of money to increase their staff, but there was no predicting this surge in international applications, and the shortage of qualified workers isn't restricted to nursing. Every sector in our economy is suffering staffing shortages; this has resulted in a dramatic increase in the money people command for their services... isn't that what makes Alberta SO attractive??. At the same time that CARNA is processing thousands of international applications, they are also processing applications from ALBERTANS and from Canadians in other jurisdictions. The process is the same for everyone... submit an application with the required documentation and fees then wait.

I would suggest that if you really want to work as a nurse in Canada because you want to work in Canada, you'll find the patience needed to wait it out. If it's more a case of anywhere-but-here, then there may be other countries that have faster put-through. But we don't make many friends when we criticize and complain about the way things are done in a new country and we would do well to think about that.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 17, 2008

We are seeing changes made to certain states now with them requiring that the CES be completed before they will look at an applicant because information was always missing from the file and they had to spend increased time on trying to get the information with doing their own assessment, so they have stopped doing it. You may have sent in everything complete, but there are still many others that do not do it. Or they send in documents and the application , but no payment included and expect the governing agency to hold onto their things a year later, just does not happen.

And with the influx of more applicants, it just slows down the process, same again with the states here, longer time to get approval; but that is no reason that the Boards need to add on more staff.

And the same things holds true in Canada. And if you take into fact that there are less people in all of Canada that there are in just California, they are going to do things there way and there is no reason to increase their staff.

Anyone that is wanting to work in Canada needs to follow how things are done there, and not expect them to change. It does not work the other way around.

RGN1 · Feb 18, 2008

Compared to what I've been through for the USA & taking into account retrogression, which I wasn't expecting, dealing with CARNA has been a complete dream. There are far less hoops to jump through and staff there have been helpful and replied promptly to my queries.

I knew from the start, as they state on their website, that it is likely to take around 6 months for them to process & so far they are on schedule.

Of course I've not been approved yet but that is down to their requirements. I'm hopeful that as my credentials were absolutely fine for the USA that Canada will not have hugely varying requirements. That is the only worry I have. So if anyone has experience on that I'd be grateful if they could share their knowledge.

Jaggy Thistle · Feb 18, 2008

CARNA will not assess any incomplete application so it won't even get to that stage. They know the bits of paper they need and will not even look at the application until they have all of it (I was told that last year by a CARNA representative). However, I know I'm in the assessment queue.

Bearing in mind my OP was only asking if anyone knew of a likely timescale (as there are certain work\life dynamics to be organised if things kick off quickly and others if it's going to take 6 months or longer to be done). I'm not asking for it to be done quick, quicker or within a specific timescale. I understand I'm a number in a long list of numbers, but a ball park timescale helps make work/life decisions here.

(Also I didn't post the remark re CARNA being good/bad or indifferent, I won't use the actual terminology). I haven't cast any aspersions or complaints about CARNA either. All I said was they were hard to get hold of. I'm sorry but that's a fact.

I'm not going to even justify my seriousness of working/living in Canada I think your way off the mark here and it's getting personal when all I was asking when I posted was if anyone had a ball park figure for the timescale it takes to get things done. Yes I would love to know sooner rather than later (everybody in that position does, it's only natural), but I more than understand having to wait (it's just not knowing how long and having to put things "on hold" because it could happen really quickly that makes things more difficult).

I apologise that my post has offended you as there was certainly no intention here to do so.

RNGrad2006 · Apr 16, 2008

CARNA informed me my file was complete & was in line for processing. They said it would take around 10 weeks.

That is not bad. I am Canadian but studied in the US. I applied in BC and it takes 6 months to have your education assessed.

heathIam, RN · Apr 16, 2008

I stand by my assessment that CARNA is crap. I am unsure why you janfrn chose to take that as a personal attack on Canada. I am canadian, I can freely make an assessment about my regulatory body due to 30 some years of dealing with said regulatory body. Nor did I suggest that they should bend their rules. I said they were a blood sucking organization more than ready to take your money and I freely acknowledge that in order to continue working in canada I must suffer the consequences of dealing with CARNA. Doesn't make them any better, just a fact of life - like hemorrhoids

Rudo · Jul 23, 2009

I am just wondering if your assessment went through and how long was the wait all in all. I sent my papers 4 months ago and I am still waiting. Are you a BSN nurse or Associate Degree nurse ?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 23, 2009

Unfortunately Alberta's health care system is undergoing a total restructuring with very stringent cost-cutting measures being implemented. There's an external hiring freeze in place and that means that anyone not already employed by Alberta Health Services will not be considered for any vacancies; furthermore, any external hirings must be personally approved by the CEO of AHS. In fact, the CEO of Alberta Health Services and the minister of health for Alberta have said that there is no shortage of nurses here so there is no need to recruit internationally. So even if CARNA approved your application today and authorized you to sit for the CRNE in October, there would be no job for you. This thread might provide more information: https://allnurses.com/canadian-nurses/alberta-health-services-394908.html

mistlet0es · Jun 8, 2011

hi rudo, how was your papers? when did u got the result your ready for the SEC?