How to become a nurse practitioner from a nurse?

[jaimie_adams]

Hi! I have a great interest in nursing and have decided to become a RN and later become a nurse practitioner but I have no one to talk to and my guidance counsellor is of no help. So i have a few questions:

What do I have to do to become a nurse practitioner once I am officially a RN?

Am I able to work in other part of the country? I am from canada and living in ontario and i was wondering if I am able to work outside of my province? Do i need to apply for that? is there some kind of international program I can sign up for?

Am i able to do a year of university abroad? I know its offered for some programs, is nursing one of them? If so, which year would be best to do abroad?

Thank you for all the help!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Many universities offer NP courses you just need to check their requirements. Usually experience is required

[ruralgirl08]

Since you are from Ontario. Check the College of Nurses website, for more information on what it takes to register as a NP. They should have a break down on the different types of NPs in Ontario, and should have a list of acceptable programs. From there, check the program admission requirements. Any other questions you can't find from searching on the net, contact them directly.

[loriangel14, RN]

You need to get your BSN and some nursing experience first. Then you will have to meet the requirements of the NP program of your choice.There is an NP program offered at University of Toronto. It's 3 years long.I believe you need at least 2 years of experience.

Nursing programs do not offer studying abroad that I know of.

[CodeteamB]

Nursing programs do not offer studying abroad.

Not entirely true. While I have never heard of a "year abroad" like to go live in Paris and take courses type deal, there are international clinicals where students can go do a preceptorship in another country. I know the U of Alberta offered these when I was attending.

[Fiona59]

For a while there was a rash of posters from the UK and Australia wanting to come to Canada for a semester to study. Then do their preceptorships here.

They kind of ran into the roadblocks of not enough clinical spots and preceptors and insurance issues.

Others thought it would help to migrate after they finished their educations.

[Daisy_08, BSN, RN]

Nursing can be a very rewarding career. There are many opportunities for nurses, from a homeless shelter to the corner office no nurses career is the same.

If you want to become an NP, there is nothing wrong with that. However I would suggest taking one step at a time. From the time you graduate high school until you can begin to apply for NP programs it will be a minimum for 6 years.

You will need to first apply for the BScN program. They are offered at many universities and at some colleges in partnership with a university. In order to get it you need to take a U English, U math and a heavy load of U sciences, and do very well in them. To get into the RPN program the requirements are the same, although I think you can take U/C level where offered. I would suggest applying for the RPN and health sciences programs as well. Both nursing programs are very competitive.

As for doing a semester abroad, it is possible if your university offers it. However you are only able to take elective courses, as the nursing courses are country specific. This will put off your graduation by a year.

[CodeteamB]

Again, there can be opportunities to do nursing clinicals abroad, without delaying your program.

http://www.nursing.ualberta.ca/en/GlobalNursingOffice/Opportunities.aspx

Check with the university you wish to attend, they may have a similar program.

[Trishrpn80]

Nursing programs do not offer studying abroad.

Some will allow you to go abroad to do clinicals in places like africa, guatamala etc. i know 3 people who did this in the past 5 yrs through momac and centennial/ryerson .. It was teir final practicum and they had to pay extra etc