Irish nurse failed CRNE 1st time-can i work as a grad nurse?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 10, 2012

Most provinces have VERY FEW vacancies in nursing now. The recruiting drives of the 2008-2010 cycle filled the most pressing holes and now the remaining postings are for casual nurses in just about all but the remote nursing stations. IENs will not be offered these positions due to the high degree of autonomy and intimate knowledge of both aboriginal health care needs and the Canadian health care system that is required. Grad nurses most definitely would not even be considered for those positions. A good percentage of the Canadian nursing graduates who wrote the June 6 CRNE will not find full time employment anywhere in the short term unless they were hired prior to graduation, so it'll be doubly hard for IENs. Sorry.

prttywendy, there are no "Saskatchewan companies" with the power to revoke licenses, only the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses' Association - the equivalent to the College of Registered Nurses in other provinces.

Mona77 · Jul 29, 2012

Hi,

I had a slightly different experience, I am not in Ontario but an IEN in BC, and

at the very beginning I feared applying for positions due to the not really

encouraging posts about the job situation in BC.

After applying online for job postings in all BC regions, waiting patiently for

4-6 weeks, I had 5 phone interviews in one week (January/12) and received

job offers for all postings (all full time job offers, 3 permanent, 2 relief).

I decided to take the rural nursing advantage and I am not regretting it; in my

community we have a high percentage of First Nation population and I think I

am coping well but of course it is challenging - on the other hand when you are a professional IEN there is no reason not to be considered for a rural or remote RN

position as nursing will always imply continuous learning as well as adjustment to

new working environments.

My personal opinion is that beeing considered for a job will always depend on

your previous experience and the way you advertise or present yourself.

I completely agree that a new grad IEN has minimal chances for emloyment

at present.

Mona77

Bringonthenight · Jul 29, 2012

? mmmm

I think it's much easier for foreign nurses to get a license and work in Australia then say Canada or US. We don't even have an "nclex" type of exam!

MDM340 · Jul 29, 2012

I am a UK trained RN of 20yrs, who is now living and working in the USA as an RN with resident status... From some of the information I have read it indicates that unless I am a degree nurse I would not be eligible for RN registration in Canada, although my training encompassed all of the relevant areas, medical, pediatrics, mental health, obstetrics, psychiatry, over a 3.5yrs course...

Does anyone have any advice on the process and the easiest state in Canada that I can obtain licensure?

loriangel14, RN · Jul 29, 2012

Well for starters we don't have states, we have provinces and territories.

There isn't a province that is"easier" than the rest, they all have similar requirements. You need to decide where you want to live and apply to that province for a nursing license. Generally they require a BSN but I have heard that they make some exceptions.

Dizziafro · Jul 29, 2012

Hi, I was a RN in the UK (for 17 years) without a degree. I have just taken and passed the CRNE, and awaiting registration as a RN in Ontario. So it can be done with experience and further education.

MDM340 · Jul 29, 2012

Congradulations,

What further education was required and was it costly? How long did the entire process take? Did you have to relocate prior to taking your exam and was immigration based on your qualifications....

Dizziafro · Jul 29, 2012

Thank you MDM340. My nursing qualifications was a 3 year diploma but i had done further education in the UK e.g ENB courses, Non Medical Prescribing etc. I did not pay for anything myself, it was all continued professional development, paid for by the service i was working for within the NHS. If you can show that you have worked at degree level and/or have plenty of experience in nursing, which i'm sure you have with over 20yrs in nursing, then it is worth submitting your qualifications if you think you have a strong enough case.

The immigration process was quick, about 3 months, but that does depend on your circumstances, i am married to a Canadian. BUT the CNO are slow in my experience, i would say from purely the nursing aspect it has taken about 21/2 years to get to this point for me. I'm sure other peoples were faster depends on your situation i suppose, but i found my CNO case manager my obsticle, and of course the CNO have a lot of people to process, so waiting for answers/mail/ and things to be posted from another country is slow! so i was glad i didn't leave the U.K too soon.

I took my exam on June 6th, (you can only take it in Canada) i was planning to relocate once i had been submitted for the exam so i would not be out of work for long but it didn't work out that way, once i relocated to Canada it has been about a year to get to this point. I also have 2 other friends from diffferent countries who's time frames are very similar. So i would say if you are seriously thinking of it apply sooner rather than later and see where you stand, you do not really need to relocate until everything is set in stone, but once you have passed they will want to know what your residence staus is in Canada, so you will have to have all your "ducks in a row."

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 30, 2012

I too am a UK nurse that made the move and passed CRNE and was assessed as being Diploma as training was over 20 years ago. A lot will I think depend on when your training was and what clinical and theory shows up on your transcripts. What province are you looking at?