Learning Disability Nursing Canada

I've never heard that term used in Canada. We are trained as either Registered Nurses or Lic. Practical Nurses and then go into a specialty area after graduation (depending on our interests and what employment is available).

When you say SE Canada, do you mean the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI?

Hi

We're looking more around the Toronto area. We've noticed in the US it's called MR/DD nursing but not so sure about Canada. We're just hoping to find websites, organisations etc... that can help us to see if a move to Canada would be realistic for us. I am not a Registered General Nurse but have a diploma in LD nursing and at the moment work with patients in a secure hospital who have LD and/or mental health problems.

Any help or info would be helpful to us as we're looking but not much is jumping out at us!

Regards, sjmac

Hi

I am a British nurse who has emmigrated to Canada.

Nursing in Canada is not as easy as people think.

You have to register with a nursing association of the province that you wish to work in. Then they assess your education and experience and can take up to 8 months before you are eligible to take the Canadian Nurses Exam. You will only be eligible for taking the exam if you have a degree in nursing. A diploma is not enough anymore.

With regards to learning disabilities this is a area of nursing yet you will not find jobs advertised as this special type of nursing. It would me more under the mental health section where jobs would be available.

Please feel free to send me a personal message if I can give you any more information.

Best of luck.

Just an idea :)

If you have time have a look at some websites that offer employment to nurses in Canada. It may help you to identify where LD jobs are located and what titles and job descriptions.

www.medhunters.com

www.workopolis.ca

www.monster.ca

For example mental health jobs are sometimes located under social support jobs. You just need to have a good look.

Also maybe you should try emailing one of the nurses associations for information. It may take a week or so to receive a reply yet I have always found them very helpful.

Also do you plan on obtaining a work visa or applying to immigrate ?

I am a district nurse in England and for me it was easier to apply to immigrate .

Usually you can only obtain a work visa if the nursing position is acute nursing, A&E, ICU that type of nursing.

Personally I think it is much easier to work in USA as a British trained nurse.

Just an idea :)

If you have time have a look at some websites that offer employment to nurses in Canada. It may help you to identify where LD jobs are located and what titles and job descriptions.

www.medhunters.com

www.workopolis.ca

www.monster.ca

For example mental health jobs are sometimes located under social support jobs. You just need to have a good look.

Also maybe you should try emailing one of the nurses associations for information. It may take a week or so to receive a reply yet I have always found them very helpful.

Also do you plan on obtaining a work visa or applying to immigrate ?

I am a district nurse in England and for me it was easier to apply to immigrate .

Usually you can only obtain a work visa if the nursing position is acute nursing, A&E, ICU that type of nursing.

Personally I think it is much easier to work in USA as a British trained nurse.

Hi

At present I've got an opportunity to do a degree in either cognitive behavioural therapy or forensic issues, which do you think would be most beneificial in Canada? Have you found a big difference in Nursing in Canada to that of the UK?

Not sure about the work visa/immigration thing! We are at this stage looking to see if it's possible for us to move over there and haven't got as far as the nitty gritty stuff!

Thanks very much for your help, we really appreciate it.

Cheers, sjmac

Just another thing... How do you find Canadian life? I have a wife and two children, do you think it's easy for families to settle in? Are you glad you moved over there?

Thanks!