soundbites21

Suzanne is right - if you have the funds, then go for it. If you are sure that you are coming to BC this may then better go for it now rather than later. However, CRNBC needs a mailing address, and as you're not here yet you wouldn't have one (well, if you have a house already then ignore this). Also, based from my own experience my school and the prc were very fast in processing my papers (hint: I paid more than they asked me for -and then some.. hehe). My papers, both from school and from prc, arrived here in canada in less than 2 weeks - with the help of my uncle who took care of it because I was here in vancouver already. So it ultimately comes to your choice - decide which is more comfortable for you. And to wenursetheworld - I'm a permanent resident here in BC. Suzanne said it best - being on a tourist visa just won't cut it. You just don't have the time to process all that. So I guess, the first step in becoming a nurse in BC is to be a permanent resident fist. Hope this helps.

Yes I did volunteer - My resume is littered with volunteer work in hospice care, community centres, assisted living and extended care facilities. I've volunteered in the downtown eastside. The whole nine yards. I did this while I was reviewing for the exam, in hopes that I can get a job under the interim permit..to no avail. You may ask, why not in hospitals? Well, Mt. Saint joseph's along kingsway here in BC doesn't really accept volunteers in acute care. They only accept volunteers for geriatric care - which is the same thing that I did all the while awaiting to take the exam. Royal Columbian in New westminster accepts volunteers, but they want 6 months to 1 year commitment. 6 months to 1 year! If you break the commitment you get a bad rep. And it doesn't guarantee you a job with them. Ditto for VGH and BGH... You go with the "interview" angle. Well, that's ironic for me. The major employers (Vch,phc,fsh) don't want to grant an interview in the first place, because they assume you don't have enough to hack it. It's funny, because I applied in almost all extended care facilities here in vancouver, and at every end of the interview I always ask them for feedback. So far, I haven't had any negative ones, as I get accepted everytime. Just this morning I got a call from the nurse recruiter from fraser health.. well, she basically told me to go to school again, before I get a job. A "nurse refresher" program, which is 1 year long and costs 20k. Are you kidding me? Why did CRNBC license me if i'm not qualified? Costs of daily living aren't cheap, and housing prices keeps on going up. Am I that so dumb that me passing the CRNE was a fluke? Or so incompetent that I can't do what a staff nurse in surgery or medicine does as well? I guess that's all part of immigrating. I've come to terms that hey, having 2 full time jobs in extended care facilities isn't too bad you know? The pay is the same, food is free and it's not so stressfull. I get to keep my health to an optimum level and there's no drama in the workplace.The only knock is that I don't get to expand my education, and I'm missing out in a lot of opportunities to "branch out". But hey, s--- happens and you can't get everything you want. If acute care doesn't want me in the first place, then I guess I won't force myself unto them.

I understand where you're coming from. However - isn't it there a shortage of nurses though? Doesn't the public deserve more staff to care for them? Isn't almost half the population of canada immigrants? You cannot hide the fact that Canada, is really mean. "Plain old being mean" in your own words. Look around. I didn't say just drop all requirements - I said after passing all the requirements, they still won't accept you. If you think the system works, if you honestly think all the barriers that are put up are effective, then we must come to a disagreement. And who talked about immigration and " Fresh starts in a new land don't happen over night"? I am ranting about employers not accepting you despite overcoming all the hurdles put up by crnbc. I am ranting about paying my dues, and employers not recognizing them.

/rant Both of them are slow. Sometimes, I don't really understand it. Here we are, qualified nurses from other countries who just passed all the barriers they put up, but apparently they still don't want us. Heck, it's so sad, it seems funny at times. They keep grieving in the media about it, yet when you apply on their hospitals, they keep blowing you off. They keep on harping about canadian experience.. well, of course we don't have canadian experience. We are new immigrants, for crying out loud. How can we have this golden, treasured, unforgettable canadian experience if they don't give us a chance? Even if you get canadian experience, they scoff at it. My best friend said it best - to them, it's never gonna be enough. I just need to get this thing off my chest. I really think politics, and not the shortage, plays a big part in hiring nurses in both vch and fraser health. /rant off

Based from my own experience, yeah, you can apply for registration even if you don't have hospital experience from the ph. I was a total noob when I started..I just followed the instructions of CRNBC with regards with my application, and it all went well. CRNBC didn't ask for any proof of hospital experience from me. Hmm.. come to think of it, alot of people are asking if they need hospital experience before applying for registration. I've asked around my colleagues, and they all said this is not the case. CRNBC doesn't really need the hospital experience-I think they disregard it anyway if you have it (because the standards in the ph or any other country is not up to par with Canada), they only care about your transcript. But then again, I might be wrong. I've never asked CRNBC about it, and the mods here may know more than me.

Well.. check out this thread - https://allnurses.com/forums/f108/filipino-migrate-canada-what-do-become-rn-220413-4.html .... and turn to page 4. You might find the answer there... Good luck!

Hmm.. well, for my part they didn't ask me about any bridging program. I guess if you've already finished college, they don't care anymore about your grade school and high school.... Case in point - Back home, my sister just graduated 4th year HS in the ph... and when we immigrated here, she wasn't allowed to go straight to college. The school board required her to go back to grade 10...At first, this looks like unfair - but it turned out to be a fantastic advice. The level of education in canada is just too far ahead compared to our country. As for me, when I got assessed they didn't care anymore about my HS, all they cared about is my transcript - which they found to be equivalent to their own curriculum. :cheers: As for the weather, I think BC has the best weather in the whole of canada. Sure, it might be spotty and the rain is unpredictable, but at least we don't have alot of snow in the winter. It's not that cold as well, compared to the other provinces. And you should be here in the summer too!

Well.. i live here in vancouver (just migrated from the Philippines february last year, just passed the CRNE october last year and just got my license a week ago)so i know very well (based from my own experience) the process of being a nurse in BC. Here are the requirements for new immigrants to become a nurse... 1. You need to pass the IELTS exam - a score of 6 for reading, writing, listening and a score of 7 on speaking. 2. Your official transcript from the school you graduated - the school must send it to crnbc itself, hand-submitted will be rejected right away. 3. Your official proof that you passed the board exams from your home country - The board of nursing from your home country (for us filipino, the PRC) must send it to crnbc. same as above, hand-submitted will be rejected right away. 4. Fill out the official paperwork - these can be found at crnbc.com under international applicants. 5. Money for the fees - no money, no processing and assessment... If you dont have #1, then you can't move to #2.. and so on.. If you reach #5, then good for you! After a month or so, you will receive a letter from crnbc that you are eligible to take the crne. yay! 6. Money again - this one is for the CRNE fee (485), and if you wanna apply for the interim permit (you need an employer for this, and the fee is 35/mo) 7. You take the exam.. 8. You passed the exam - one last obstacle is you still need to get 250 hours under the interim permit. go apply.. and work for 250 hours. If you failed the exam... then you have to retake it again. You don't have to start at #1 all over again, you just need to pay the fees.The wait period for the next exam, i believe, is 6 months though.. so better pass it in your first take. 9. after 250 hours, you give the canadian employer reference form to your employer. employer must fill this out, and employer himself must send it to crnbc. 10. CRNBC mails you the form for the license, you pay (367/yr)... and after 10 days (or more) you get your actual license. Congratulations, you're finally a registered nurse. As far as i know, this is the fastest way to be a nurse in bc (well if i'm wrong... feel free to correct me hehe). It's a long and very tiring journey, there are no shortcuts, the process can't be as fast as you want (due to the volume of applicants) and you need alot of patience. But it's very much worth it and to get that license is very fulfilling. Hope this info helps.

well.. you can actually pay everything now, and schedule the exam date you want for next year ( or for any date that you want, for that matter). the college only wants your (satisfactory) credentials and payment, it's up to you whether you want to process it as fast as a rabbit or as slow as a turtle... i can say this because on the test application form itself, there is a question that asks when do you want to take the CRNE (feb,june,oct) and what year... on that note.. why do you want to delay the process though?take the exam as soon as you can...for a couple of reasons. first, the short answer questions are not implemented right now(for the whole 2008, as far as i know) and 2nd... well better than sooner rather than later, right? one other thing, i'm an IEN as well (well... you already know me lol) - so i can say we are not that different....and in my opinion.. the boards from the ph is harder compared to the crne... well, you can ask other IEN's if you want. good luck!

Hi.. I'm a nurse from BC, and i just want to ask if anyone knows anything about the IEN program of VCH? I just want to know how did you get accepted and what kind of program was it... Is it really 4 months long?so is it good?any feedback would be appreciated.. thanks so much!

whoa... i can totally relate/understand what you're going through right now, as i (almost) underwent the exact same thing.. Well, based from my own experience, i guess the first thing you have to do is buy the current prep guide by the CNA. It helped me alot, as it lays the basic foundation of the type of questions of the crne. If you have the money, buy the mosby reviewer as well..well if you don't have the money, try borrowing. just get it, you need as much help as you can get. for me, money right now is the least of your problems.. as you are very near the finish line already. it also helps if you have a support system. in my case, i called up a few contacts of my mom, and luckily i found an ER nurse who volunteers to teach filipino immigrants taking the CRNE like me. it's nice to know you're not the only one out there feeling anxious and crazy...and also it's really nice to hear feedback, and the support they gave me is priceless. if you can afford to, quit your job (if you have one). the added stress of having a job while studying wont help at all. for these coming months, just focus on the crne alone. also, study in the library. disregard this one if you have a quiet study place at home... i didnt have one, and in hindsight, studying in a library (away from computers and landlines,etc..) helped alot as well. Make a day off every week for yourself. Study when you aren't doing anything. buy one of those RNotes (the ticklers with alot of nursing stuff in them) so you can read normal values while riding buses and trains. Well, i dont think you need to go to a prep class.. because for one thing, the prices are ridiculous (i think the lowest here in bc is 80 per hour).and i didnt take the online readiness test as well... but if you dont want to take any chances, then go ahead and do it. Im just saying that i didnt took them.. and i passed. And i wasn't a straight A student when i was in college.. lol, more like straight C's .. but i still made it. So from what i understand in your message (you already took the NCLEX), I think you're brainier than me... hehe And of course, the most important thing, is pray. Pray alot. I cannot emphasize this enough.. do your part, and if it is your time to pass, you will pass. if not, then we can only do so much...Keep in mind that everything happens for a reason. Do not lose focus now that you're nearly there. Good luck!

thanks guys... and as homer keeps saying - "woo hoo!!"

Hey guys.. i'm here in vancouver, and i just got result today.. i passed hehe

i took the exam as well, and tomorrow (wed,nov. 7) will be exactly 4 weeks after the test..haven't gotten anything yet though.you get mail whether you fail or pass right? i've got a really important question to ask.. when you pass, does crnbc list you in your database as registered, then mail you the results? or they send the mail first, then you go to crnbc and then they register you?does anyone know? thanks

ahhhhhh ok... thanks so much! and here i thought i can get an endorsement through california.. lol. on a side note, good luck to us who tested last oct. 10.. hope we all pass

Hi.. is there a five part examination in canada? Because I took it last oct. 10 and there are only 2 parts.. is there a 5 part canadian RN exam? This is because I am planning to take the nclex in california.. and in the introduction there is a sentence that states "If you are licensed in Canada you must take the NCLEX-RN unless you have passed an acceptable five-part Canadian examination." I've tried looking at the forums but I can't see anything..so anyone know what it is? thanks in advance.

what i did was i sent the forms to my uncle in the ph through fedex(or lbc if you want)..then he took care of both my prc and my transcript. it is so much more convenient and quicker, i advise you to do the same thing. when both my school and the PRC signed the appropriate forms(they gave my uncle closed envelopes with their seal), my uncle then mailed it express (again fedex or lbc) directly to crnbc(it may look like a person sent it, but once crnbc saw the sealed envelopes they accepted it right away).. and voila, after 2 weeks crnbc got it.

CRNBC processed it less than 2 months, because i at that time i didnt have my ielts result yet. when it came out, i got the forms for the CRNE in less than 2 weeks. I took the CRNE last oct. 10, 2007; in my opinion it was very hard.oh well..if you have any more questions about stuff, just pm me. good luck!

that is so NOT true. they will not release the validation until the PRC id comes out?!? they are lying. I migrated here in vancouver last feb (i am a december 2006 board passer in the ph), and my uncle processed both my transcript and prc validation. CRNBC got it by early april. I think you should go to the prc and pester them for it. you know how the govt works..they will do anything just to delay your papers.

CRNBC doesn't need the id card itself from the PRC. What they need is your verification sent by the PRC itself from the philippines.. i dunno what it looks like, as they dont accept hand submitted applications. I know for sure that it must come from the PRC itself, and you don't need to show them the id. when CRNBC receives ur validation from the PRC, then they will assess your papers...i'm 100% sure because that's how I did it

hello and welcome to the forums! it all depends on your school's curriculum. like the poster above me said, you need to contact (or visit the website - in my case, CRNBC.ca) them with regards to your subjects. in my case, they checked my transcript and verified my curriculum (they want to know if the subjects in your school are more or less on the same standard). I graduated from the philippines as well, and they didnt require me to get a refresher course. if they think your school doesnt meet their standards in gerontology, then they might require you to take a course focusing on it. like i said, you have to contact the college you want to register first. on a side note.. i'm taking the CRNE this coming oct. 10... wish me luck!! lol

You need to give the original form to your future employer. There will be an enclosed box within the form that the employer would have to fill out. Upon finishing this, submit the form to the CRNBC. and voila! upon verification the CRNBC will give you a piece of paper proving that you are now a Temporary RN. one more thing before i forget, you need to pay a fee for your interim permit. I think it is 35 per month, i'm not sure (i didnt pursue my interim license, opted to review full time). anyway, once you get your forms, everything you need to know is in there. Good luck!

Congratulations!! Once you received your official results from IELTS, then you can go straight to CRNBC to get your forms. Your forms will include the pink forms (form 17 i think) that will serve as your interim nurse registration form. Congratulations again, and good luck! =)

Weee! this is encouraging, knowing i'm not alone.. lol I'm taking my exam this oct. 10 as well. I just received my confirmation letter yesterday (i'm taking the exam at the univ. of British Columbia).man, i am a nervous wreck right now, studying for the last 6wks. Hope we all pass!!!!

if you are in the Philippines right now, i strongly suggest you take the IELTS there. why? #1 - it less expensive (rather than taking it here in canada); #2 - alot more books and reviewers are available there. And #3 - the CRNBC requires you first to pass the IELTS exam in order to file for the CRNE. They will mail back your forms if a copy of your result is not included in it..