Passed the CRNE! And now a question...

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 4, 2007

You need that piece of paper from CARNA before you can call yourself an RN, because you really aren't "registered" until you're registered. Congratulations, by the way!! I hope you realize that it will be a bit of a wait for that retro cheque, though...

leosrain, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2007

You need that piece of paper from CARNA before you can call yourself an RN, because you really aren't "registered" until you're registered. Congratulations, by the way!! I hope you realize that it will be a bit of a wait for that retro cheque, though...

That makes sense...and it's what I expected. It will just be a long wait until July when I can finally sign my name RN!

As for retro check...it's a good way for me to save money...so I can wait! :)

Sean

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 4, 2007

You can spend that retro cheque on whatever might need to be cleared up, and use your contract retro cheque for Christmas... if they've gotten a settlement by then! Things are not going well. We'll see what mediation brings...

leosrain, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2007

Well, we have all the power these days. There should be no reason for us not to get everything we demand!

Sean

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 5, 2007

Quite frankly, we have no power in this situation and that has been proven time and again. Nurses cannot go on strike or develop any kind of work-to-rule campaign without risking huge fines (both at the union level and at the personal level), formal complaints to CARNA and even arrest. Oh yeah, King Ralph threatened to lock us all up last time we were bargaining. And he put legislation in place to give him that ability. Then he stacked the labour relations board so that about 92% of the time, when a situation reaches arbitration the LRB finds for the employer. The LRB went so far as to advise the province on how to draft the legislation that took away our right to strike.

There are a lot of very angry people in Capital Health right now because in January we voted to standardize the benefits package, with the implication being that we'd end up with superior provisions across the board and nothing said to suggest otherwise. Then earlier this week we got a notice in the mail telling us that effective April 1, as agreed upon by HBAS and UNA, our dental benefits have been rolled back to the lowest common denominator. The change also removed the coverage for dependent life insurance. I was at the information meeting our local had before the ratification vote, and so was Heather Smith. Nothing was said about anything being rolled back; had there been I wouldn't have recommended to my members that they approve. The Joint Committee has a lot to answer for.

As it stands now, the wage increase they are proposing falls short of the raise the MLAs just got (4.9%), based on the average wage increase province-wide in the last fiscal year. And they want us to agree to a four year contract. Those two points right there guarantee a long, bitter battle.

Teachchildren123 · Apr 10, 2007

Congratulations!

Be a good one!

I know you will!

WYZQ07 · Apr 10, 2007

I wrote the CRNE on Feb. 7th, 2007. I received my results today....passed! WeeeEEEEEeee!
My workplace will give me retro pay back to February 7th for the difference between grad nurse pay and RN pay (sweet).
My question is...when can I start calling myself a Registered Nurse? Is passing the test enough, or do I need to send in my registration form and wait for the license?
I just want this looooong process to be over and finally sign my name with a lovely RN behind it. :)
I'm in Alberta, if that makes a difference/helps.
Sean

congrats...r u from edmonton? Do u attend any CRNE prepation class? i;m planning to take CRNE this oct... could you pls give some good suggestion on it? thks