Moving to montreal from tx-taking the professional exam soon

lalaxton · Sep 24, 2004

Not sure you will find anything else specific to Quebec but you should have little problems as there is very little difference in basic nursing between Canada and the US. Having gone to nursing school in Montreal and going the other direction. I actually studied for my Canadian exam with a NCLEX book and did very well (although this was awhile ago) Only minor differences in drug trade names so my suggestion is always know the generic name of a drug. You are of course aware that you will have to also pass a french test before getting your registration (license)?

beausud · Oct 3, 2004

don't forget that the blood sugar values are also "measured" differently... good luck. i miss being there :)

angela_jane · Oct 20, 2004

I can't help you with books. I just wanted to say GOOD LUCK!!! I'm from Austin, Texas, and just moved up to Vancouver a little over a year ago!!! I'm actually planning on getting certified here and then moving back to Austin within the next 2 years!!!! Start buying some warm sweaters!!!

aj

gchelak · Nov 14, 2004

what are the normal blood sugar levels for Canada? Is there other lab differences too- like cholesterol, etc?

PS

Hi angela_jane! I am actually living in Dripping Springs TX and moving back to Canada in 1.5 years!

Fiona59 · Nov 14, 2004

Normal BGM is 4.0 - 8.0. mmol. Just remember 4-8 feeling great. Ok, its dumb but it stuck with me.

Only thing I can think of is make sure your metric calculations are good.

Oh, and wet cold is totally different from dry cold. Spent 18 years on the prairies, -35C was nothing, now I shiver in 8C and rain!!!

student_girl · Dec 1, 2004

I don't know if you read french, but check out www.oiiq.org It says that some colleges offer preparatory courses. I'm also aware that there is a book, I've seen it in my school library, but I don't know if it's available in english. Good luck!:)

Pattiecake · Dec 5, 2004

I don't wanna rain on your parade, but your RN board exams are going to be in French, if you settle in Quebec. Unless you are absolutely excellent in French, you might want to pick any other province than Quebec. You will also have to pass a French comprehensive exam prior to getting any job in Quebec. I know, because I am an Anglophone RN (Englisc-speaking) living in Quebec, but working in US.

rubriam · Dec 5, 2004

Update

Thank you everyone for the answers posted. I took the OIIQ exam (available in english and french) I think it was a little bit harder than the Nclex only because I was not used to the format of the OIIQ exam. The OIIQ board test is devided in two day 1st day short answer questions and 2nd day Objectively Structure Clinical Examination (OSCE) clinical test, in other words, practice test, and the NCLEX is computarized multiple choice questions.

Here is my experience with the OIIQ test and hopefully it will help others.

What I did to study? As mentioned earlier I bought the test guide that the OIIQ sells (available in English) I studied, twice. Also, I studied exactly as if I was taking the NCLEX. I went to all the bookstores here in Montreal thinking that I would find other preparation nursing books for the this test only to found out that the bookstore have nothing for the OIIQ exam and a bunch for the NCLEX exam. So, my plan was to brush up on my weaknesses, and then review, at the end, my strengths. I used the same books and CD's that I used, to study for the NCLEX.

For the OSCE, I used the same book, "Professional examination preparation guide" that I bought from the OIIQ (available in English) and acted it out. the OSCE makes you feel that you are in the real world. They are actors and they act as patients and you act as their nurse. It was that simple, is just like taking a lab exam. You perform the skill.

I passed the exam, I AM A NURSE IN QUEBEC NOW, all I need to do now is pass the french exam.

As for finding work here in Quebec, I contacted the nursing recruiter at the hospital were I wanted to work via email, then made an appoitment showed my resume, I had and interview and I was hired within 2 weeks. I'm so excited because after a long process I'm part of the work force again.

Note: you don't need to pass the board exam, to find a job because the OIIQ gives you a letter stating that you have been recognized as a "candidate of nursing". And you start working as a "GPL." It is just like in Texas where you start working as a "graduate nurse", until you pass the board exam.

As for the french exam, the "Office de la langue francaise" has pass a law article 35 that they give up to a year to pass the french exam, renewable yearly, up to 3 times. So, you get a temporarly permit for 4 full years. You have to sit the french exam yearly but if you don't pass it it is renewable.

Also, I want to add that I started this process while I was in Texas, all the process was done by mail. Once, I moved to Montreal I changed the address with them and received my results without a problem in my new home address in Montreal.

Thank you again for all the helped received.

tonybologna · Dec 6, 2004

I am glad I found this board because I am applying to MBA school at McGill and Concordia. My fiance is a registered nurse here in PA. I have a few questions for you.

Did you take the OIIQ exam before or after you moved to Montreal? I assume you have to take it before since you had to have a job offer before moving to montreal if you are not applying under the skilled worker program (see immigration quebec).

Since my MBA program is only two years, and if we decide to move back to the U.S., I suppose there is no point in my fiance taking the french speaking test if she can just renew the temporary permit twice? However, how does this affect performing her job? Do you think she has to know some french at least to do nursing in Montreal for two years and be an effective nurse? She currently doesn't know any french.

student_girl · Dec 27, 2004

I don't think your girlfriend needs to learn french. Many hospitals, like Douglas and Jewish's mostly speak english and don't require that the nurses learn french. Second, learning french is VERY hard. It's much more difficult than english.

tonybologna · Dec 27, 2004

Thanks for the info. She probably won't learn french since she would only be there for 20 months, which is the length of my MBA program, if I get in. I am 26 and the average age is 29 so that is working against me... I am waiting for their decision.