If there are any other Canadian RNs out there who went to school in the US and have been licensed in the US, I would like to hear your NNAS experiences. Have you received a "non-comparable" report? If so, have you been able to obtain provincial licensure in spite of being labeled "non-comparable?'" Are you currently living/working in Canada as a RN? How long did it take for you to receive your advisory report? What was your total cost (admin/mailing fees/cost to have licenses verified, etc)?
Nursing leaders in Canada needs to know how their "streamlined" process is actually impacting Canadian nurses who are trying to practice in our home country. NNAS states on their website that the organization "strives for transparency, timeliness and harmonization across its member jurisdictions while applying rigorous standards for assessing qualifications"- however these "standards" are not disclosed to applicants. This organization receives funding from the provinces and the federal government, and yet there is zero transparency for applicants regarding the assessment process. Applicants blindly throw their money (in US dollars) at this agency before having access to the required forms, and even then have NO idea what the criteria is. How objective can this be?
Furthermore, both US and Canadian nurses are credentialed with the NCLEX now, so shouldn't there be a pathway for RNs who have passed the NCLEX in the US?
This process MUST be improved and I would like to start by compiling the experiences of other nurses to take to leaders in nursing in Canada.
