Blakpepa

I realize this post is a few months old, and im surprised that no one has suggested this, but have you considered just going to a school across the border to do your RN-BSN whilst living in Canada? For example, I live in BC and less then an hours drive away across the border is an RN-BSN program offered by U Washington. there are several 1-2 day pr week options across the border from Ontario in New York State that you should consider. It would only take a few semesters and is much quicker then doing an entire 4 yrs and shelling out thousands at an Ontario College for a BSN. There is absolutely no way that your nursing credits will transfer to any Canadian BSN program...they totally frown at the thought and make it clear that they are not willing to make any exceptions (this is also from personal experience). Dont let all your hard work go to waste, just do a RN-BSN program across the border or online and dont even think twice about it. and dont bother to transfer to a RPN again, you invested alot of time and money into an ADN so you might as well do the required BSN.

Douglas is an accredited public college...I went to Douglas! I am now at SFU and have yet to be told that my credits from Dougas are inferior. When you apply to grad school, they look at your grades and your references and GRE scores. Unless you are going to Harvard, Yale or Oxford, then i highly doubt that they are gonna say "hmm, douglas college, what is that??" Most people back east have no clue what SFU is yet take a look at their grad programs like I have and u will see an SFU grad in grad programs in practically every faculty in every major university in Canada and abroad. If you are not confident in your BSN then go to UBC/SFU and take a post grad diploma course...other then that, just apply and see what happens and dont worry about things like that.

You should actually consider taking courses in Indian culture and their health care system. There are loads of documentaries that discuss these and public health initiatives in India

I have reviewed the requirements for nurses in most countries and all seem to require a BSN in nursing. Why not just do RN-BSN afterwards? There are so many RN-BSN programs online in the US that it is ridiculous.

is the 2-4 yr wait worth it...NO. Bow Valley College in Calgary and Norquest in Edmonton both have online lpn programs with the same prereqs to get in as vcc and NO waiting list. Yes its longer but you will be able to transfer into Athabasca's lpn-rn after completion and 1700 hrs. By the time you finish you will STILL be on the VCC waitlist. I am in the same boat between going to Alberta for lpn or Bellingham and more and more the Alberta option is looking better and better each minute.

Hi, sounds like were both in the same boat...I even enrolled in the Excelsor program when I left nursing school a few years ago, lol. Im gonna pm you!

After doing 1 full yr of school in the US i would be eligible to work one year as part of training - OPT. In BC lpn is only 1 yr and i noted that the programs that i am interested in is similiar to the one being offered across the border. I have yet to ever receive a straight forward answer from CLPNBC or CRNBC so im not even gonna bother asking them anything...but i dont even want to work here anyway. In the US they have direct entry masters for ppl without BSN and for RN with a degree other than BSN and getting a masters and DNP is my goal. Im in my 30's and do not care to spend another decade as a broke student! Are you aware of what states do not require ssn. Im aware if Vermont but that is for foreign trained nurses.

Hello, I'm hoping to get some information from those who have gone to the US to take programs for LPN/RN or BSN. I am just facing a dilemma on my next educational step and I have the option to go to school in either Canada or go a few minutes across the border in the US. Just based on what I have been reading on admissions for nursing schools here in BC, I am finding the admission process way to complicated and demanding and the 3-4 year wait list to be ridiculous. I am just looking for a change as well and would just like to move forward in my life and faster. I am almost finish my degree and I dont care to spend another full time 4 years just to get a BSN when my objective is ultimately to move somewhere warm. For those of you who have gone to school in the US, what was your experience like? did you face any issues in writing exams and obtaining your license? I keep hearing that a SSN is required to write the NCLEX-RN, is this true for LPN? Are there any states that do not have this rule? What about issues with obtaining jobs/visas? All feedback is greatly appreciated!

I agree...if you dont plan on working in Canada then go to school in the US. Dont forget, when you graduate yiu have to write the canadian exams, PLUS have your credentials reviewed AND sit the US exam. To me, all those hoops and money would make me just spend the extra 4 mths. I dont see the point in the rush, its only 4 mths.

Karlalee, which school did you go to for your training? The reason why im asking is because if you have the norquest training then you would have the same training as an Alberta LPN. maybe get in contact with the CLPNA and have your qualifications assessed. If you qualify then you can register for athabasca university's lpn-bn degree. Im not sure how you would go about doing clinicals though

fyi...a city and guilds is the British equivalent to an apprenticeship type of training and certification.

you should find a direct contact and ask them if they can give you feedback on your resume.

Karalee...a city and guilds would not qualify you as a lpn in Canada, you would pretty much be closet to a health care aide. I heard Norquest college from alberta is offering the LPN program in Jamaica, is that where you graduated from? pm me if that is the case.

why not just take a rn-bsn program in the states? there are so many available online including excelsior college. I have been looking into going to the US to do my RN and compared to the hoops that you have to go through to get into nursing school here, i would just at the chance you have. I wouldn't even bother with all the hassels that come with trying to come here for an rn-bsn. You need a BSN to practice in Canada and good luck even trying to get into the programs for internationally educated nurses. I currently live in BC where the average waiting list for BSN programs in colleges are 3 years. If you read the Canadian forums you will see that one of the issues right now is lack of full time jobs; with this in mind it is highly unlikely they will take a new grad nurse from the US over a Canadian, especially since there are so many looking for jobs.

the best way to get an answer for these questions is to go on the hospitals websites and review the HR link and visit each hospital yourself.