I am an RN in California. Can I practice in Canada?

caliotter3 · May 10, 2017

Contact the agency responsible for nurse licensure in that area. Look them up on the internet and see what is online. That way you will have the most up to date information.

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 10, 2017

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum

Check out the college of RN for the province you plan on living in as they are the governing Nursing body. All instructions are there. Should also check out the threads on NNAS as NNAS will be a starting point

tasha700 · May 13, 2017

Yes, will do. Thank you! Started with NNAS. Does anyone know if I have to retake NCLEX RN in Canada since I already took the exam in US?

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 13, 2017

Should state on the college's website

dishes, BSN, RN · May 13, 2017

You will not need to re-take the NCLEX exam.

dishes, BSN, RN · May 13, 2017

The NNAS assessment compares the IEN applicant's education to Canadian BScN curricula and to the "Entry to Practice Competencies'. When you submit your application to NNAS, suggest you write a letter to your university asking them to send NNAS a nursing education syllabus that includes an outline and summary of the topics covered in each course including the objectives, learning outcomes hours of study like the example given in the NNAS video. To get some idea of the type of syllabus NNAS wants, look at some Canadian BSN course outlines. If you look at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) nursing course outlines you will see detailed course descriptions, course learning outcomes, competencies, evaluation criteria.

Also, ask your university to provide any information that gives details about the RN entry to practice competencies. If the university has a nursing student handbook, preceptor guide, student policy and procedure guide, they may contain information that gives the philosophy of the program, expected outcomes of the nursing program, ask them to include all this information. It's very important that the information your school provides, shows your education covered the competencies for entry-level registered nurse practice.

Give the university a flash drive and ask them to download everything onto it with your name and NNAS number. The more information that NNAS receives, the better your chances of receiving a favourable advisory report. The flash drive should contain hundreds of pages of curricula related information.

dishes, BSN, RN · May 13, 2017

While you are waiting for NNAS to evaluate your education, suggest you become familiar with the information that is on the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) website. Thoroughly review the document "Competencies in the Context of Entry Level Registered Nurse Practice in British Columbia', also review the professional standards, practice standards, case studies and practice resources. Next go to the Canadian Nurse's Association (CNA) website and review the Code of Ethics.

Once NNAS notifies you that they have received your school documents, review all the documents and ensure that there are hundreds of pages of curricula and that they include the competencies and the code of ethics.

tasha700 · May 13, 2017

Wow. So much of useful information! Special thanks to dishes.

Any idea how long the whole process will take from the day I apply to NNAS to obtaining Canadian RN license? approximately :)

Also, you mentioned that I should ask my school to send NNAS my educational info. You also mentioned that I should give them a flash drive to save all of that. Does it matter how the NNAS get the info (from school or from me?).

Thanks

dishes, BSN, RN · May 14, 2017

It may take NNAS 5-12 months to assess your education and produce your advisory report. After you have your advisory report, apply to CRNBC, they may take a couple of months to advise you of their decision, they will advise you whether you need to take a competency assessment. If you need a competency assessment you will need to book it with NCAS, it may take a couple of months to book the NCAS assessment.

You can use the search tool in the top right hand corner of AN to find threads by IENs who have been through or are going through the licensing process, search for the following threads:

'NNAS experience'

'CRNBC-Indian graduate got RN license'

'NNAS-Canadian citizens with US education/licensure'

'NNAS & CRNBC-Useful information and commentary for US educated RNs and IENs'

dishes, BSN, RN · May 14, 2017

NNAS must receive all of your education information from your school, not from you. The same goes for your employment information, they must receive it from the employer inside the employer's envelope with proof that it was mailed directly from the employer. NNAS verifies that the information is authentic and came directly from the source. Most healthcare facilities have business envelopes with their return address as well as a postage paid stamp that is stamped through a machine at their healthcare facility. Schools have similar business envelopes and they may also have special seals for their envelopes.

Having the data loaded onto a flashdrive (with your NNAS number on the data) means it will be less expensive to mail and there is less chance that data will go missing, than if you have the school mail hundreds of pages of curricula.

tasha700 · May 14, 2017

All right. Thanks again!

I'm in the process of sending my info to NNAS, but the whole process takes online (NNAS is not asking me or my employers to mail anything yet). Same for school info (it's just questions that I submit online) and pay 650$ to process my submission. Does this sound right to you?

Natasha