EdmontonAB

Hi, I'm wondering where is the best place to buy a Littman Classic II in Edmonton. I know CUI sells them for $120 and Canadian College of Emergency Medical Services sells them for $95. Does anyone know of anywhere else I could try. Where I might hopefully get one cheaper. Also where is the best place to buy drug and lab books for clinicals. Thanks

I have worked at the Kentville hospital casual as an LPN three years ago, so I may be able to help. I am now living in Edmonton but have not worked in any of the hosptitals here. The pay is lower in Kentville and the shift differential not as good but the cost of housing and rentals is a lot lower to. The kentville hospital is relatively small so the floors aren't divided up like they are in the city hospitals. The hospital is just two floors in height. The main floor has outpatient services, emergency, psych and offices, etc. The second floor was divided into med, surg, ICU, OBS and peds. So you really get a mix of everything. They added more beds to their surgery dept lately so I see that they are advertising 3 full-time positions in surg and 1 in med. There is also a $5000.00 grant through the gov't for moving allowance is you secure a full-time/part-time job in Nova Scotia. But you have to stay there for a year or pay it retroactively back if you leave. You might want to check into this I not sure if you can still apply but it was part of the NS recruitment strategy. When I was there a lot of new grads had recently started. Some of them seemed content and some not so much. You may want to go visit Kentville first, especially if you've never been there before, as it is a lot different from Calgary. The weather is also I lot different there with lots of snow and ice in the winters. The valley is really beautiful though especially in the spring, summer and fall. I tried to get on their web site but I'm unable to. The IWK (children's hospital) seems to have a lot of positions posted right now to, they are in Halifax. Hope this helps! Please let us know how you make out.

Well, I was planning on working in Edmonton but if I can't find a full time job here I will be moving. I have been a LPN since 1990 and now taking the LPN to BN program, I figure I've spent my time on the casual list (even though not as an RN). If Duck-it thinks Alberta doesn't need anymore RNs then I'm sure I lot of new graduates will be leaving to find full-time work.

Hi, I am interested about moving back to NS once I graduate (RN) and I am wondering if Nova Scotia has a new grad inititative program. Does anybody know? Thanks

You should have no problem finding a position in BC. When I went to the careers interaction day in Edmonton a few months ago most of the recruiters were from BC. They told me that the new grad initiative program throughout BC has monthly intakes and accepts new grads from anywhere across Canada. Good Luck and let us know how you make out.

You do have seven years to finish the program but I think most people do it in around four years from what I hear. Most of the students are also working to some degree. You do need to send them your high school transcript when applying for the program. I'm not sure what is required from high school, it would be best to phone Athabasca and talk with them as they can let you know for sure and they are very helpful. I did most of my elective before applying to the actual bridging program but I just did this while waiting for my transcript and Alberta LPN registration to go through. I finding the program to be really good. I just finished my second clinical and it was an excellent experience.

You do need to get the required hours before going into the bridging program but you can do all the electives first before starting the actual bridging program then once you have the hours apply for the bridging program and then transfer the elective into the bridging program. That will give you a good head start. Hope that helps.

Actually I took it in Nova Scotia back in 1990 and then did a refresher 5 years ago. You can transfer university credits into the program so hopefully you can apply some. Good Luck!

I whole program is 120 credits. I was awarded 30 credits for the LPN program so I have to do a total of 90 to complete the program.

You can look at the calender on line under the LPN to BN program. There are three clusters that contain the courses that you are required to take and you must complete the clusters in order. Then there are the electives, which you can take whenever. I did all my electives first but apparently this is not really recommended. You need to find your own invigilator, but Athabasca does give you some suggestions such as local colleges, career schools, teachers, libraries I don't think it would be to hard to find somebody. Have you decided to start the program?

Better check more into the LPN to BN program at Athabasca. I'm taking it now, I'm pretty sure it's going to take you more than 8-10 months. There are also 4 clinicals. Two are 1 month each, one is 10 days, and the final one is three months. Hope this helps.

Also, in Alberta if you take the bridging program you are not eligible to work as a third year student. We are eligible for the new grad program but intake is only once a year maybe twice a year (in BC intake is monthly).

Well I am taking the bridging program through Athabasca. In my opinion the goverment does not want LPNs to bridge to RNs because there is also a shortage of LPNs in Canada.

I'm wondering how much is the wage in the grad initiative programs. All I can find is "sector appropriate" does this mean that it is the pay at the first step on the pay scale or is it less. Also do you still get the weekend/ shift premiums? I'm in Edmonton, AB if that makes any difference. Thanks

I am taking the LPN to BN program through Athabasca. I do live in Alberta but I lot of the students that are taking it don't. You do need to be registered as a LPN in Alberta but this isn't really a problem as you can be registered in two provinces at once. You will need to come to Alberta 3 times for the practicums. Two are 1 month each and one is about 2 weeks. The last practicum which is three months can be done anywhere in Canada with a preceptor. I know some of the students in Alberta are offering others from out of province a place to stay while doing these practicums. Or they are rooming together, etc. Two of my Alberta placements are within 10 minutes of my house and the shorter one is about an hours drive away. So I'm pretty happy about that. Good luck!

You are asked to debate whether or not families are in the best position to determine their own health goals and to attain them through identifying and further developing their strengths as an egalitarian partner with a family nurse. Which side would you prefer to debate and what evidence would you use to support your position?

Hi, I'm looking for some help. I'm doing a powerpoint on careers in informatics nursing for school and need some (about 4-5) roles of the informatics nurse in Education/Research, Long Term Care, Ambulatory Care, and Home Care. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks, Tina

Hi there, I started back in Nov 2006 and have now completed 11 courses. So far I think it's a great program. Doing the program this way allows me to study on my own time around work and my family. What questions do you have?? I will try to answer them. :up::up:

I know this questions has already been asked but I'm hoping to get some more responses as I am also interested in the answer. Thanks:)

Hi, Yes, that is correct and I did mention this in post #9. There are 4 clinicals that are done in Alberta. I believe two of them are 1 month each, one is 11 days and the last one is about three months. Definitely this is a big consideration but there are lots of people taking this course from out of province and even out of country. I move from Nova Scotia last summer partly with thoughts of enrolling in this course because I have three young children it would have been really hard for me to leave for that amount of time to do the clinicals otherwise. There is tons of work out here for LPN's. Tina

Hi Abie, The course is based on three years but I believe you are allowed to be registered in six courses at a time. SO this would definitely speed things up. To get the 30 credits I have taken 10 courses, most of the courses are three credits. SOme that include clinicals are 4 credits or 6 credits. The last clinical that is three months is 9 credits. I found all the exams pretty goo except I found the last one quite hard but it was a 400 level course. But I don't find them bad at all. If you do fail the first exam you can do a re-write for I think $100. Then they take your best mark. I think it would be impossible to do in under 2 years. As you have to schedule in the clinicals plus yopu have to do the courses in somewhat of an order. There is a lot of support I find, I rarely contact my tutor as I find the courses quite easy to follow. But the university does supply you with a tutor for each course that you can phone twice a week at designated times and email as often as you wish for for help, etc. They also have a library (staffed) that will send you out any books, journals you need and all the postage is paid by the Univesity you just send them back when your done. I toke Eng255, Phil152, Psych289, Psych290 first. Then IDRL308(Occupational Health & Safety) & Math215 (Intro to statistics) next. Then Psych 356 & HLST320. Now I'm taking Phil335 & Psych 435. The big thing I found was just getting started. I wish I had just started when I first thought about it then I'd be a lot further along now. Once you get started you just keep rolling. If you're thinking about it you can can start with just one course and see how it goes. Have you looked at the University's site as it can answer many of the questions you probably still have. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions. Tina

Would be really interested in reading this article. Would it be possible to post it on this site or let me know how I could find it. I never heard this anywhere else. Doesn't Sask require a degree for new registrations now? Tina

Hi there, I've been doing the program through Athabasca for a year now and have completed 10 courses (30 credits). I'm really think it is a good program. Some courses are on-line, mostly the books and all course materials are sent to you. In the courses I have done the quizzes have been done on line and asssignmnents are either e-mailed or sent in my regular email. For the exams I go to the learning centre in Edmonton as I live in Edmonton but otherwise you can arrange to write the exam with an invigilator. Such as at a community college or I know my local library will invigilate exams. You do have to do 4 clinical practicums which must all be done (I believe) in Alberta. You also have to get registered as an LPN in Alberta once you apply to the BN program. You can start taking electives right away though and just apply them to the program once you change over to it. They credit you 30 credits for the LPN course and one-year experience. I'm not sure what else to tell you. It was definitely a challenge for me as I had never written a research paper, have no University experience and have been out of school for a long time. But having said that I have made out really good in all of my courses. I haven't had one problem with the University so far so I'm happy with the program. I find it really accessible. I have heard some places of employment will sponsor you through the program if you sign a retention paper ( I really don't know the details, though). If you have any other questions let me know I'm happy to answer them as I know I had so many questions before I started the program> Tina

I'm interested why you would suggest taking these pre-req courses through a local college. I'm taking some of them now and need to take more and never checked into this option. Any info would be appreciated. Tina

I am in the process of just starting this program now. I am going to be 39 this summer, but don't think it's to late. I'm presently doing four courses at Athabasca. You do eventually need to be registered in Alberta but can start taking courses and then transfer them in to the program when your ready. Tina