Help needed for Registration In CARNA ,CANADA

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 14, 2008

Yes, it means that the New Mexico Board of Nursing won't verify that you have passed the NCLEX and/or hold a license in New Mexico. They are refering you to their head office for that. Contact them at the web address it gives you and see what they plan to do for verifying credentialing documentation. I can understand a small state BON not wanting to have to do the paperwork for thsoe sorts of verifications... there are so many of them flying back and forth these days that the workload is unbelievable and the expense astronomical. But the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) will not give you a permit to practice without being able to document your credentials. And why should they? They have a responsibility to the people of Alberta to ensure that anyone seeking licensure as a registered nurse is indeed a registered nurse, with the required education and clinical skills to provide safe, competent and ethical nursing care at the same level as someone educated in Alberta.

In case you aren't aware, the NCLEX is not a substitute for the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE) and you will still have to pass that once your credentials have been verified and CARNA gives you permission to write. CRNE is only written in a select number of Canadian cities and it is only offered three times a year. The deadline for applying to write the June 4, 2008 exam is April 3, 2008 and you can't apply without clearance from CARNA. There are a number of other threads on this forum with similar questions posed. Maybe you could have a look at them and see what you're getting yourself into. It's not easy or fast. Sorry.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 15, 2008

You just need to register with Nursys and pay the fee for that. They can then make available your information that would be available thru the NM BON directly.

Think that the fee is about $30 US. Just go to www.nursys.com and register with them. Quite simple actually to do.

RGN1 · Jan 15, 2008

The Nursys form states that they only verify within the USA though. I'm stuck with this exact problem too!! If you go through it just sends you back to the BON if the inquiry is for outside the USA! Unless there's another form somewhere but I haven't found it.

Here is a copy & paste of what they say on the site:

Are you applying for a license within the United States or Territories?

YES - Continue to step 2.
NO – Stop. You cannot use Nursys® to verify your existing licenses. Contact the appropriate agency or authority where you are seeking licensure for information.

I'm trying to persuade CARNA to input my registration number on the NM website & verify it themselves. It only takes a second!! Oh & it's free! However, I haven't managed it yet. Annoyingly the one contact I have at CARNA is on holiday until 20th Jan, I've just tried to call.

NM states that it's on-line records are true & accurate & to be relied upon just as well as any other form of communication. So I can't see rhyme or reason why CARNA won't just go with the flow. I'll let you know when I manage to make contact again!

Ho hum!!!

harrn · Jan 16, 2008

The Nursys form states that they only verify within the USA though. I'm stuck with this exact problem too!! If you go through it just sends you back to the BON if the inquiry is for outside the USA! Unless there's another form somewhere but I haven't found it.
Here is a copy & paste of what they say on the site:
Are you applying for a license within the United States or Territories?

YES - Continue to step 2.
NO - Stop. You cannot use Nursys® to verify your existing licenses. Contact the appropriate agency or authority where you are seeking licensure for information.
I'm trying to persuade CARNA to input my registration number on the NM website & verify it themselves. It only takes a second!! Oh & it's free! However, I haven't managed it yet. Annoyingly the one contact I have at CARNA is on holiday until 20th Jan, I've just tried to call.
NM states that it's on-line records are true & accurate & to be relied upon just as well as any other form of communication. So I can't see rhyme or reason why CARNA won't just go with the flow. I'll let you know when I manage to make contact again!
Ho hum!!!
Hey ur struck in up with the same problem just like me!
Do let me know if ur able to come out of it!

RGN1 · Jan 16, 2008

Well I've written to my prospective employer to see if they can help or have any ideas. I'll let you know. Have also PM'd you.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 16, 2008

I strongly doubt you will ever convince CARNA to use a website to verify credentials for anyone. It's part of the application process that the individual obtain and supply all necessary documentation. With the thousands and thousands of applications they've been receiving in recent months, there is just no way they could take on responsibility for contacting regulatory bodies on behalf of applicants. The workload would be prohibitive. I suggest you speak to a person at the NM BON to see if there is some way they can help. If that is the only jurisdiction in the US where you hold a license and they are absolutely not going to verify your credentials, you just might not be able to get a license in Alberta.

RGN1 · Jan 17, 2008

Actually it takes less time than opening an envelope - because it's geared up for that.

As they are on this massive recruitment drive they are certain to find that they have many nurses in this situation. My registration with NM runs out at the end of this year & is just soooo not relevant - all the really important things like my training transcripts & UK registration & experiences are already with them. It's seems totally ridiculous that this could stop me getting registered - when it makes no difference whatsoever to my nursing credentials or abilities!! Remember in my case it's not my credentials that need verifying - it's just proof that I hold a current NM license.

Again I wish I never ticked the box - but that would've been lying - why is it that people who do things above board & correct always end up in the worse boat?!!

I will, of course, ring NM & will keep discussions up with CARNA but it really is a very silly situation to be in!!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jan 17, 2008

Actually it takes less time than opening an envelope - because it's geared up for that.
As they are on this massive recruitment drive they are certain to find that they have many nurses in this situation. My registration with NM runs out at the end of this year & is just soooo not relevant - all the really important things like my training transcripts & UK registration & experiences are already with them. It's seems totally ridiculous that this could stop me getting registered - when it makes no difference whatsoever to my nursing credentials or abilities!! Remember in my case it's not my credentials that need verifying - it's just proof that I hold a current NM license.
Again I wish I never ticked the box - but that would've been lying - why is it that people who do things above board & correct always end up in the worse boat?!!
I will, of course, ring NM & will keep discussions up with CARNA but it really is a very silly situation to be in!!

Will this website simply indicate that you hold an active license there? Or will it include information about any disciplinary actions that may have been brought against you, or any restrictions on your license there? (I'm not suggesting that there are any, but they won't know that without proof from the BONs. There are people who lie...) CARNA needs that information as well. They must have verification of your current license in addition to your education and initial and subsequent registration information so that they can protect the people they serve, and themselves. They even ask those who are renewing their Alberta licenses about that in part to assess integrity. In the current climate of human resources desperation it would be easy enough for someone with a number of serious lapses in practice (abuse, unprofessional behavior, substance abuse, theft, etc) to simply move to another state, province or country and bury their past bad acts if this sort of thing wasn't scrutinized. There have been a number of highly publicized cases where doctors have done exactly that because there was no process for backchecking their records, and their patients ended up maimed or dead.

Let's not forget that it shouldn't be up to the regulatory body one applies to for registration to seek out and obtain proof that the applicant is qualified and honorable... Nursing is one of the most portable professions going, and there are many nurses who travel the world working in a different country every couple of years. If you think of the amount of time and effort you've taken to pull together your stuff, added a few more countries, then multiplied that by several thousand... the system would grind to a halt. There has to be way to have NM's BON cooperate; yours isn't the first or only request they've had and yours isn't the last either. They'll have to find a way.

RGN1 · Jan 17, 2008

Yes it includes disciplinary actions etc etc.

I agree with you but NM doesn't seem to! Of course I'll find a way & I'll post it on here but you have to admit it's frustrating!! I have to add it's NM I'm frustrated with, not CARNA.

RGN1 · Jan 23, 2008

Well there's been excellent news for both of us (I hope HJ doesn't mind me sharing this) because CARNA has been wonderful & understanding & has accepted the on-line license verification system in New Mexico.

Both our files are now complete & awaiting assessment. They have told me that I will know in the next 10 weeks if my credentials are acceptable to CARNA.

Thank goodness for such nice people who were willing to look into the matter and not just put up a brick wall & say "well this is how we do it so tough!" Which I have to say would proabably not be the case had the situation been reversed!

Makes me even more positive about my move to Canada.