Ontario, Canada RN License transfer to Washington State

Published

Hello, 

First time poster, not sure if doing this right. I am an RN licensed in Ontario, Canada and have applied for a Washington State RN license but have been told I need to complete a Pediatric Clinical to be eligible for a license in WA. Has anyone else experienced this? What colleges here allow for internationally educated nurses to complete a peds clinical? 

Thank you for your time and information!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.

Hi. Did CGFNS gave you a Visa Screen certificate? Are you going to apply for TN visa? Did the WA State BON assessed your transcript and your deficient with pediatric clinical? 

*In 2019, the State BON asked my school of nursing(s) (RPN-BScN in Ontario) to send them letter confirming I had clinical hours on Peds & Obs since my transcript did not specify. I didn't know the State BON criteria why they eventually gave me a license but my school mentioned I completed Basic & Advanced Skills Lab hours(), Complex Skills() and Assessment Lab hours() including Pediatric & Obstetric assessment.  

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 3/31/2021 at 12:06 AM, hypnotizer90 said:

Hi. Did CGFNS gave you a Visa Screen certificate? Are you going to apply for TN visa? Did the WA State BON assessed your transcript and your deficient with pediatric clinical? 

*In 2019, the State BON asked my school of nursing(s) (RPN-BScN in Ontario) to send them letter confirming I had clinical hours on Peds & Obs since my transcript did not specify. I didn't know the State BON criteria why they eventually gave me a license but my school mentioned I completed Basic & Advanced Skills Lab hours(), Complex Skills() and Assessment Lab hours() including Pediatric & Obstetric assessment.  

Hi!

Thank you so much for responding. I have completed the CGFNS CES Report. I do plan on applying for a TN visa. The WA state BON assessed my transcript and found that I have not completed a pediatric clinical. I will try asking the BON to confirm with my school about the completion of what you have mentioned. I did the 4yr BScN at YorkU, I've spoken with the Program Chair before and she said there wasn't much she could help me with. But I might try asking her again. Is there any more info you can provide? I have been struggling with this situation for about half a year and due to covid it's taking longer than usual and the programs that can help with my situation are on hold. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.
5 hours ago, Kim94 said:

Is there any more info you can provide? I have been struggling with this situation for about half a year and due to covid it's taking longer than usual and the programs that can help with my situation are on hold. 

Hello. I hear you, the Maine BON gave me a hard time in 2019. I actually brain stormed, looked at  course syllabus, and messaged my 3 schools since I had 3 health assessment courses per school. My BScN undergraduate at Ryerson, they considered lab hours on health assessment as clinical hours even with miniscule hours for peds&obs. I also argued that technically my clinical hours were in hospitals and should credit medical-surgical hours instead of community health hours. I even mentioned that even though clinical hours is for medical/surgical but sometimes we need to deal with pediatrics/ obstetrics patients. I was so frustrated. My practical nursing program at Seneca, they sent the letter involving the msg I mentioned on my first response. 

I paid CGFNS eDAS to send whatever paperworks they assessed for my CGFNS Visa Screen. The Visa Screen forms from my 3 schools had N/A for clinical hours on peds & obs & that didn't help but still I got the Visa Screen Certificate.

I got impatient thinking Maine wouldn't release my license so I applied for Nova Scotia & Michigan and got a license in < 2mos ?. 

There was someone who didn't have clinical areas on pediatrics, surgical, & psychiatrics but her school managed to send a letter with a breakdown of hours and her US (Maine) RN license was released... so may be case to case basis per State BON. 

In 2019, I actually searched for schools in Ontario/ Canada providing clinical hours on peds & obs. It was a pain since not common for schools to just have those courses by itself. Some schools have Certification programs for pediatric & obstetrics/ maternal newborn nursing but it can take (3 semesters) 1.5 years to complete each. 

*But I just applied for endorsement to California and I could have those deficiencies back. The sad part is I may need to enroll in a school in California. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

@hypnotizer90

Hi there, I am in the exactly same situation as you. I took the practical nursing program in a college, then took the 1 year-bridging program in another college then completed the post-diploma program at Ryerson. I tried to endorse my ON license to Washington's but got very ffffrrrrrustrated that none of schools provided me Peds and L&D placement, not even classes. 

I have obtained a CGFNS visa screening certificate so far, but have not  completed application for a CES report yet. It seems like most of States BON demand Peds and L&D placement. 

1) Did you end up taking the course in Cali? How much was the tution in total and how long was the course? 

2)Which States do you think it would be easy to endorse the Ontario license without Peds and L&D other than Michigan?

Your advise will be greatly appreciated ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.

1. I'm currently tied up here in New England (Eastern) so I couldn't go to California (undecided, do I really wanted to?). I have 3years up to Sept 2024 to complete the 2 courses. My research is ~5000USD per course in a semester & possibly different colleges/uni but can be cheaper in a public college. Only select Cali schools offer them or on long waiting list. 

- My previous plan was either to work in NV, AZ, OR to commute to Cali but that's an option in the farthest future. I looked at the NV, AZ, OR hospitals close to the Cali border/schools then if that hospital hire Canadians for TN. 

2. My research - those States bordering Canada has reciprocity so you can just endorse it. Problem is if you do not have SSN but some States have waiver form. Maine required SSN so they didn't release my license until I crossed the border w TN (BON gave me a letter in lieu of license). 

- Some of my Canadian colleagues went to NY, MA, New Jersey, New Mexico but got NY license first, North/South Carolina. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
hypnotizer90 said:

I looked at the NV, AZ, OR hospitals close to the Cali border/schools then if that hospital hire Canadians for TN.

Wow 5 gran per course?! It is hurting to do the courses again just for the sake of endorsing a license to Cali. 

Thank you so much for your response. I would likely be declined by WA since I am lacking peds and obs placement. While waiting for the final decision from WA, I am looking for other States (OR, TX, NY) that I can start endorsement without SSN and peds/obs placement requirements. 

Would you mind If I contact your email? If you can just shoot me a email to [email protected], I will greatly appreciate it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.
GLOWG said:

Would you mind If I contact your email? If you can just shoot me a email to n[email protected], I will greatly appreciate it.

Hi, you can message me here via private conversation if you want. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion