LPN in Sprott Shaw in Victoria as an immigrant. Is it worth to do?

loriangel14, RN · May 16, 2011

If you were already a nurse why are you going to do the course all over again? Have you applied for a nursing license in Canada? You need to do this first. They will assess your education and experience.You may only be required to do some upgrading, not the entire nursing program all over again.

Fiona59 · May 16, 2011

Hi,
I'm considering to start the LPN course in Sprott Shaw in Victoria. I was a nurse in South Korea for 5 years but I'd like to start my career in Canada as LPN. I heard that it is quicker to get LPN than RN and also more opportunities to get a job.
I wonder how much opportunity I would get after getting a license as a foreighner.
Did anyone got LPN in Canada as an immigrant? How long did it take to become LPN, and get a good job?
I will need to spend 30,000$ to start the course. I'm confident to get a license as I was a nurse, but I'm worried if I won't get an opportunity to get job because of my nationality. If it doesn't work I will need to go back to Korea with nothing.
Will it be worth to start?

W

Why on earth are you wanting to retrain? You apply to the appropriate provincial college, have them evaluate you and then find out if you need some upgrading.

Far cheaper than $30K.

Your chances of finding work would be like every other nurse in the province. If the times are good, no problems, if the times are bad (as we are currently experiencing) you have as much chance as anyone else.

sour candy · May 16, 2011

hi, hyejoo

if you study from the beginning rn course will be longer than pn course. but you don’t need to start all over.

i will take a refresh course for foreign trained rn at mti. it is cheaper than $30k and we can get a post graduate work permit after graduation. it takes about a year. what i heard is totally different from what you heard. i know somebody who was a rn in her country and got a job recently after she finished a refresh course and passed rn exam.

i really want to get into that school however i didn’t get enough ielts score to participate in that program. i am working on ielts which is a same prerequisite of rn exam.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 17, 2011

No!! Don't do it. There are many threads about SS here. Most not good. 30k is WAY too much to pay with no guarantee of an income after. I agree with the above posters. DON'T DO Sprott shaw!!

Fiona59 · May 17, 2011

I'm fully expecting the "satisfied" SS grad to pop up now and tell us about their "wonderful" experience. That poster hasn't been around in a very long time.

Hyejoo · May 18, 2011

Thank you for the replies. I was considering to enter OMNI in Vancouver but it is 2 years course, and they don't guarantee income either. (similar tuition) So I thought LPN would give me more chances. My English is not perfect yet, and I planned to get a job first, and then get used to the hospital English and get RN license here.

One my other problem is that I can find a few schooles for internationally educated nurses in Alberta, but I can't work in BC with Alberta license. Is there any way that I get Alberta license and transfer it to BC?

Hi, Hyejoo
If you study from the beginning RN Course will be longer than PN course. But you don't need to start all over.
I will take a refresh course for foreign trained RN at MTI. It is cheaper than $30K and we can get a Post graduate work Permit after graduation. It takes about a year. What I heard is totally different from what you heard. I know somebody who was a RN in her country and got a job recently after she finished a refresh course and passed RN exam.
I really want to get into that school however I didn't get enough IELTS score to participate in that program. I am working on IELTS which is a same prerequisite of RN Exam.

Thank you very much for the information. Where is MTI? My most concern is English as well. (and then job opportunity) What IELTS score do they ask? OMNI asked 5.5 academic.

loriangel14, RN · May 18, 2011

Why are you considering doing your education all over again when it is not needed? If you are an RN apply for licensure as an RN.

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · May 18, 2011

Many people will take issue with the notion that people are seeking shortcuts to registration, no matter which province. If you have been educated as an RN then you need to have your credentials assessed as an RN first before looking at the LPN designation. When it comes to IELTS scores, no province will accept less than an academic aggregate band score of 6.5 or a CELBAN score of 7. CRNBC is changing their criteria as of July 1, 2011 to INCREASE the required minimum score: https://www.crnbc.ca/Registration/Lists/RegistrationResources/501englishtests.pdf

Alberta and BC have a trade agreement that covers trades and professions to allow greater labour mobility. Information about this agreement can be found here: http://www.tilma.ca/the_agreement_benefits.asp Basically it says that if a person is a registered nurse in Alberta, their registration will be recognized in BC and vice versa.

Hyejoo · May 18, 2011

Because my license from South Korea is not recognized in Canada. :'(

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · May 19, 2011

That IS a problem. If your education from South Korea isn't accepted by CRNBC it's more than possible that CLPNBC won't look favourably on it either. But the only way to know that for sure is to request an International Credentials Evaluation Service (ICES) assessment. http://www.bcit.ca/ices/