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Thanks for your reply. From researching their website a bit more, it seems that the Canadian military will send me off to an accredited university/college to pursue a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing. But one thing thats kind of stifling that they require 2 years of return service work for every year they sponsor you during your degree/education.. So If i spend 3 years in uni, it'll be like 6 years return service contract.. But since I already have my LPN, maybe I can seek advanced placement and hopefully do less time for my LPN to BSN.

Is there any place in the Canadian Forces for an LPN?? On the website it seems they only want RN's with a baccalaureate degree. Nevertheless, will they hire/recruit me as an LPN and then pay for tuition expenses for me to do a bridging program to RN BScN?? I am aware of 3 years of return service work. But my final question is this.. If I receive my RN training while employed in the Military, will my RN license only be good within the Canadian Forces, and won't be valid outside in civilian jobs, if I decide to leave later.

Also, one thing i haven't found an answer to yet is.. Can I pay for all these 8 nursing theory examinations on a seperate basis as I can afford it?? Or does Excelsior require I pay the whole tuition upfront in one huge phenomenal payment?

Just curious if any fellow Canadians have attempted an AS/AAS Degree in Nursing through Excelsior College, and have gained licensure in Canada? I'm an LPN with 2 years med/surg/emerg experience, and am wishing to upgrade to RN faster than those 3-4 year BS programs in Canada(sadly there is no more diploma program). Can you even write the CRNE with an Excelsior degree in any of the provinces?? Or will they deny registration cause its an AS/AAS Degree in favor of a Bachelor's? - Chris

Are LPN's part of AUPE?? I'm on the website and cannot find any salary range information. Or are they in a different union altogether? What do Alberta LPN's top out at after how many years of nursing?

And what are the pay scale rates for LPN's in Alberta?? Last I heard or looked up Alberta, I read that they start out at 17$/hr. So they wouldn't be over 20$/hr yet? Or did they negotiate a new contract?

Since no one is replying to my topic yet, I take it that nobody really knows.. So I did a little more searching on google.. and found this link: http://www.saskatoonhealthcareers.ca/documents/SEIUpaybands.pdf On there as of 2007 per SAHO, it states that Operating Room Technician/LPN makes their salary per 3 steps. Step 1: 30.36 / Step 2: 31.42 / Step 3: 32.52 (as of 2007) Now I'm not too sure if that really interprets to hourly wage, but I'm pretty sure it does. Correct me if I am wrong. So in order to become an Operating Room Tech/LPN, do I just need the Perioperative Nursing LPN program which is being offered at SIAST? (that is what my co-workers and other OR nurses have been implying to me) This program to be more specific: http://www.siast.sk.ca/programs_courses_descriptions/PNL.shtml

I've been reading here and there that LPN's working in the O.R. (Saskatoon, Regina. SK) (with the perioperative nursing course from SIAST) are making $30/hr ?? Is that true?? Or is that the max pay scale after xx number of years?? As far as I know.. LPN's are still stuck in the CUPE union in SK, and max out at 25$/hr?? Would be nice to hear a response from an LPN working in the O.R. to confirm. I personally reside in Dauphin, MB right now, working at full-scope(all RN duties are literally the same as LPN in my hospital). I hang blood, do IV insertion/therapy, narcs, central line/PICC management, charge duties, Doctors' rounds. Only the wage is quite sad at $24.52/hr for my 2nd year of nursing. And with the Manitoba Nurses' Union, we LPN's only max out at 29.05/hr after 6 flippin years' of work... >_

I've been reading in alot of topics here about experiences from other LPN's working in hospital settings in different provinces of Canada and the States.. And it seems the majority is pretty crippled in what they are allowed to do for skills and procedures, and the role of the LPN is not fully exploited. Nevermind that LPN's DO go through a rigorous 2 year training program that is compressed into a 15 months program with NO breaks. Thats how it was for me at Assiniboine Community College, Brandon MB Canada. My instructors kept touting all the way through that we were technically taking the RN diploma program(maybe minus a course or 3..) only not officially, which was a very bad tease.. =/ Anyhow, I reside in Dauphin, MB and work at the hospital here.. And guess what?? All LPN's here are basically on their own on the ward, we don't have a supervising RN(plus the charge nurse isn't always an RN.. LPN's actually take Charge on medical/surgial wards on a regular basis....) We are ultimately responsible for our patients and our license is on the line. We do all the same tasks as an RN here... We take charge, go on Dr.'s rounds, I can start/hang Blood, I can start TPN and manage it per protocol, I can D/C PICC lines, I can give IV medication push, start IV's and manage central lines....... and the list keeps going.. But what really nerves me here is the low pay... I find I should be doing far less work for my money... tho I am practicing within my scope(full scope actually). Its saddening to see me having to teach and orientate new grad-nurse RN's from different countries that are making like 10$ more an hour... So in short, I find we are really undercompensated for the amount of responsibility we take on, and for the fact that we are on equel footing with RN's here in Dauphin except for wage. :zzzzz All LPN's should band together nation-wide and go on strike for low wages, demanding higher wage that is at least within close proximity of an RN.. 7 to 9$ difference is a big gap.. if it were 2-3 dollar differences, then it wouldn't be that bad.. So what is everyone elses' experience here in Canada?

Take a look at this then http://www.nursesunion.mb.ca/what-we-do/manitoba-wage-scales.html A Nurse II is a RN, Nurse III typically has a description of being a Clinical Resource Nurse. Nurse I is basically an LPN.

I know this may be a stupid question, but what is the difference between Nurse II (R.N.) and a Nurse III?? Other than differing wage scales according to the MNU (I live in Manitoba, Canada). Is a Nurse II just a regular diploma RN with no degree, and the Nurse III is a R.N. BScN ?? Or MSN even?

You took your LPN in Alberta, EdmontonAB?? Or where did you take it? I compared the course outlines/credits from my LPN program in the Assiniboine Community College (Brandon, MB) to most of the colleges in Alberta, and from what I can tell... The Alberta LPN programs are moderately watered down or fall short of several courses in contrast to my training at Assiniboine Community College. Hence, some sites(including Red River College, MB) tout the ACC LPN Program as "Enhanced", and instructors labeled our program as the RN diploma program that existed before the Bachelor's Nursing came into play. So, I am somewhat hopeful that I will be awarded somewhat more than just 30 credits for transfer into the BN program at Athabasca, in their credit transfer description they have a * beside the "30" with an explanation that more may apply with a PLAR assessment of more university level courses. Ack, I hope I'll have my 1700 working hours down soon so I can send in my transcripts for evaluation... This is just killing me... >_

How many credits were you awarded from your LPN credits towards the BN Program?? If you don't mind my asking..

And when you mention Alberta, than I assume you refer solely to Athabasca's LPN to BScN bridge program by distance ? Its really too bad I cannot send my transcripts from Assiniboine Community College for my LPN credits to Athabasca right now since they require me to have worked a full 1700 hours first... Which i unfortunately do not have yet... But apparently, depending on how much credits will transfer, and if I finish Microbiology beforehand, I might only spend about 8 to 10 months doing the distance program.. and then go to Alberta for 3 months worth of clinical I guess.. So Athabasca it is... i guess.. unless I try a distance program in the states that allows international students, granted I gain licensure in the states without a social security number by writing the nclex-pn in Minnesota.

Hello all, My name is Chris and I'm a recent LPN graduate of the Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Manitoba Canada. I have been researching ways to get my RN, for the most part.. it seems that its quicker to get your RN in the states than in Canada(tho there is the hassle of having to write the LPN exam again..).. Unless someone can prove me wrong. I don't really care for wanting to get a Bachelor's in Science of Nursing(not right way that is... its a 4 year program), but just want my diploma as an RN, in the states I guess you would call that an ADN or ASN? As far as I know, in Canada they are wanting to abolish the Diploma RN nursing program and want to strictly make it so that you can only acquire your RN through a bachelor's degree. But is there some accredited school elsewhere in Canada that offers an 8 to 10 months upgrade program from LPN to RN?? And please don't mention Athabasca university...(honestly, are they the only ones that offer an lpn to RN?? my goodness). Its really kind of ironic how the government touts the shortage of nurses across the provinces, when the courses are made very inaccessible to the general public. I took my LPN as it was only 15 months in length but very intense with no breaks or holidays in-between(instructors at ACC touted their LPN course to be the old RN program, only unofficially). But who can really afford to take a full 4 years off from their life and debts/bills to go to school?? - Chris