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Not a question of encouraging this LPN route of migration, rather, providing information to the many IENS who are referred, in Alberta, by CARNA to pursue the LPN route after, and sometimes even before, taking the SEC. There needs to be more realistic information disseminated abroad regarding the various routes to nursing, the time lines and processes around substantial equivalent competency assessments and credentialing in Canada, as well as the prospects of success in assessments such as the SEC in Alberta. Perhaps even better triage by professional regulatory bodies at the paper assessment stage, utilizing the identified gaps in curriculum and practice in various countries to develop educational material. The research has been done, and assessing IENS to find out what we already know, (and taking more than a year to do so) is redundant. Maybe addressing the identified gaps prior to coming here should be looked at, and streaming the IEN to the correct designation of nursing initially, rather than by the process of elimination. There has been articulation of nursing curricula from various countries to the Canadian RN and LPN professional competencies, maybe more foreign curricula should be mapped to add to the database of information which would inform the assessment process,

This is for my own information as I have a deep interest in the progress of IENs coming to Canada. I am not planning to use this information for "personal gain". I have spoken with hundreds of IENs coming to Alberta to credential as LPNs - many having attempted the RN SEC process as well, over the past 10 years. I was employed at a college and I did assess international transcripts. I also developed a language and sociolinguistic enriched PN program in collaboration with the language faculty ,for IENS (2004 funded by the AB government). The program tuition was also funded by the AB government. I no longer work at this college. I have been on national task forces for CELBAN pilot development and most recently (completed Feb 2012) for CASN 's pan Canadian Bridge IEN program development guidelines. I have watched with great interest the developments related to IEN credentialing across Canada, and I believe that more needs to be done offshore to begin the transition while the IEN has family support, and possibly financial support from a job, rather than beginning the process here in Canada.( A process that has been estimated to take conservatively, 2 years or more).I want information from IENS as to what they think they would like to receive in the way of support before they come to Canada. I do consulting with CLPNA and they have received funding from AB government to develop website tools for IENS and also to develop an in house IEN assessment process (currently this paper and prior learning assessment is being done by Bow Valley and Norquest College ) in Alberta, for IENs wishing to credential as LPNs. I am encouraging them to consider offshore prep as well, specifically in the area of Canadian culture, navigating the assessment process, and the norms of Nursing in Canada, a self assessment against the LPN competencies, and socio-linguistic competencies. I would like to hear from the nurses themselves, even though I have heard from many in the past. I am thinking that increasing this offshore content through agencies such as the CIIP might be the way to begin.Having said all of this, I do think that IENS often do not know what they think they need to know, until after they have been though the process, so I am not sure that I would receive particularly valid insight, in this informal forum, but I thought that it would be another stream of input.

I think that RNs from the Philippines should apply to credential as LPNS first, as the 4 year degree from the Philippines is assessed by many qualification assessment agencies (IQAS in Alberta for example) as being roughly equivalent to 2.5-3 year nursing diploma in Canada. There may be a better chance of getting a job in Alberta, especially in the rural areas and northern communities such as Slave Lake or Fort McMurray. The similarity between the RN and LPN role is roughly a 70% overlap.Predictability of client outcome may determine which nurse ( RN or LPN), will care for which clients: a fresh pacemaker versus an established pacemaker, for example. Interestingly, approximately 40% of Canadian RNs have a basic preparation of a 2 or 3 year diploma, and are still practising as RNs.(the entry to practice now of course is a 4 year BSN).The LPN curriculum ( in Alberta and some other provinces) is an enriched version of the previous RN 2 year diploma, and it includes university level courses in English literature, Anatomy and Physiology, Health Education, Sociology and Psychology. Also included is an Adult Physical Assessment courses which was not included in the previous RN 2 year diploma. LPN is classified as a professional nurse in Alberta under the Health Professions Act.

What is the name of the agency of the consulting agency in Halifax, they seemed to have been a big help. Do you find that working as an LPN is similar to the associated degree nursing you did in the US? So glad that you love Canada, and especially Nova Scotia, as I was born there! Very friendly people!

In Alberta and most other provinces, RN registration in the country of origin is required to be assessed for credentialing as a Registered Nurse in Canada. Currently in Alberta an IEN who has completed a BSN in the Philippines but has not written board exams, can enroll in a post secondary program to credential as an LPN, as s/he will write the CPNRE and gain the LPN designation if successful. Generally the 4 year BSN from the Philippines is considered roughly equivalent to a 2 year nursing diploma, as the first 2 years of university in the Philippines are assessed as the last 2 years of high school in Canada ( IQAS) This may change in the future if / when the CLPNA in Alberta takes over the assessment of IENS for entrance to a challenge, SEC process or credentialing program. In completing assessment of transcripts and other documents, post secondary institution is interested in the educational credential ( BSN) in assessing for possible credit and challenge opportunity. It is best for immigration purposes for you to get the board exams and the RN designation, as it will permit you to apply to the RN association for assessment. Without the RN registration you are not eligible to be assessed by the RN professional regulatory body.In summary, there is a difference in how a post secondary university or college will assess your educational transcripts (based on credit weight, mark, content, number of years since graduation etc) as opposed to a professional regulatory body which will assess number of theory and practice hours in various realms such as medicine, surgery, pediatrics, maternity mental health nursing.

The academic version is required by post secondary institutions, so take that version.

It is hard to say - I think that if you have a job to come to it is better. Either way you will have to credential as a LPN in Alberta, by taking the PN Refresher program( challenge process , courses and practicum). As the program can take up to a year( depending on how well you do in the challenge exams, and how much advance credit you get in the initial transcript assessment), you will probably want to work as a health care aide while you are doing it. The cost of living in Alberta is high compared to the Philippines.

The fee structure changed in July 2011 at NorQuest. Now 2400 approx for non residents. Perhaps you should contact CIIP office in Philippines and become a client. They offer a lot of advice and assistance. Als look at lng term nursing homes such as Christensen development, or Excel and see if they will sponsor you to comeover as a health care aide until (under the foreign worker program). Then you will wowrk as a health care aide, begin the challenge program by distance coming in to write the exams by appointment ( there are 3 exams covering multipe courses) and then competing any full courses by distnace. The last course in the program is a 7 week preceptored practicum. The you write the national exam. You will still be a foreign workerthough, So you may want to come in to Canada as a landed immigrant on your own. the email for CIIP is www.newcomerssuccess.ca Right now jobs as LPNs ( RPNS in Ontario) are scarce, although if you go to a more rural location in Alberta then you may have more luck. Same with most provinces, they are looking for LPNs in the rurual arreas. Look on the Alberta Health Services site, CLPNA site under employment and google nursing homes in Alberta, and look at their HR tabs. Do you have famiy or friends here in Alberta? It is important to have support when you come as it is hard moving to a new country on your own. Also, there may be jobs in the arctic, under the government of the NWT or Iqauluit on the eastern artci side of the country. I worked up north first in a medical outpost in the high arcic in Resolute Bay and then Grise Fiord.Actually met my husband up there. Then I worked as a nursing educator in Yellowknife for 5 years, before moving to Edmonton. Actually I really enjoyed the nursing experience in the high Arctic. Whe did you graduate from nursing? Which university? Hav you been working as a nurse? These are impportant questions that will determine hoe mush course credit you get, and how many courses you will be permitted to challenge, igf you do apply to NorQuest college in Edmonton.

The app fee only covers the assessment of you original nursing transcripts, which must be sent directly from you college to the office of the registrar at NorQuest College. Therer is a separate fee for he challenge exams - if you are a landed immigrant or rresident roughly $1000 If you are on a study visa or a working visa, then all fees are international rate which is 2.4 times the basic rate. so approximately $2400 for the LPNC1000 which are the challenge exams. You must be in Canada to register in the LPNC1000 exams. You must also have the appropriate immigration documents to come to Canada - so this should be your first priority, getting immigraion clearance. You can apply and have your language test and transcrtipts sent over for assessment, but you have to be in Canada to write the tests for the challenge.

http://celban.info/default.aspx The CELBAN offers clinical scenarios to which you repond. You may read a case scenario and tghen b e asked questions about it. You must remember things like the name, the gender, the disease, vital signs and other assesment details, to explain what you heard or read in the case scenario. It tests language but also memory! The cleint was an aboriginal women aged 58. She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2009 and takes pills to help control her diabetes. She weighs 80 kg and her BP was 180/98. She said that she does not feel weel and is sometimes dizzy. She appeared flusged and a little agitated. etc etc. You should practice your client introduction, gaining trust, therapeutic communication, assessmet skills while interviewing or talking wih your client. You arE not being assessed for your nursing skills, rather your ability to read /hear information as it relates to the client and your language skills and attention to detail. This is what students have told me about the CELBAN.

Currently if you are an international student, on a study visa, or a work permit, the challenge exam fee is 1620 Can. You must orderr original transcripts of marks as well as course outlines from your univerisity to be sent directly to the office of the registrar at NorQuest College.When your documents are assessed you will be sent a program planner indicating the courses for which you will receive advance credit and those you will be permitted to challenge. You must complete skills courses at NorQuest and a 7 week practicum in Alberta. You should go online to www.norquest.ca to find out more information or to apply to the Practical Nurse Refresher Program for IENs. You must also provide a language test: IELTS all scores 6.5 or a CELBAN or CLB.

Depends on the credentail RN or LPN. However generally the academic is the better test to take when you are applying to credential to a profession, becuase you will likely be going to a post secondary institution to have the SEC or competecny assessment and they reauire the academic language assessment test. In Alberta LPN designation CLPNA will accept CLB or IELTS, both academic. CARNA or RN designation will accept CELBAN or IELTS. As CELBAN is the national language benchmark assessment for nurses this is the preferred nursing language assessment tool. Nurses may find this assessment a little easier as the scenrios are nursing related and a little more familiar, rather than the generic scenarios one would get in a test such as CLB or IELTS. Good Luck!

I would like to hear from IENs who have taken the SEC. Specifically, how did you prepare, how did you find the short and long answers, the triple jumps and OSCES? Do you think this is a good way to assess competencies of IENS How woud you improve the process?

~Apologies in advance for the long post but would like to help and there is a lot of info~ Here is some info from Alberta related to credentialing as a LPN Licensed Practical Nurse (2 year nursing diploma in Canada). According to IQAS - International Qualification Assessment Services, the 4 year BSN in the Philippines is generally assessed as similar to 2 or 3 years of post secondary with a nursing focus. IQAS does not look at specific nursing courses though. The professional regulatory body in Alberta CLPNA, has the transcript assessment done at NorQuest College in Edmonton or Bow Valley College in Calgary. I can speak about NorQuest College in Edmonton - your assessor will look at: recency of the degree, the accreditation status of the university or college from which you graduated, your board exam results, how long and where you have worked since graduation. If you graduated within the last 5 years with boards, you will receive some nursing course credits, and most of the general studies course credits. (English, Soc, Health Education, Psych, Anatomy & Physiology). You will still have to complete some challenge exams as well as some full courses, possibly in the skills areas. You must also complete a 7 week practicum and the write the CPNRE - the national exam. You must apply to either college for the Practical Nurse Refresher program, you can do this online. Then request a transcript of your marks with course outlines or descriptions to be mailed or scanned directly from your university to the office of the registrar at either of those colleges.(They will not accept your own copies) You must also provide a language test: IELTS with an overall bandscore of 6 and no score less than 6 for NorQuest College or Bow Valley College. They also accept CLBA or CELBAN and for these tests all band scores should be 8.Your transcripts will be assessed within about 2 months after they are received at the department of nursing - the time depends on the volume of applications, Make sure you check with immigration and sort out those details prior to applying for any courses or programs in Alberta or Canada. You can receive advice at the CIIP office in Manila. Here are some Canadian Immigration links, starting with the CIIP office location in Manila: http://www.newcomersuccess.ca/index.php/en/locations/regional-offices CIIP http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/E37025.pdf http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/philippines/visas/pre_departure-pre_depart.aspx?lang=eng For non nurses, Once you have applied to the Practical Nurse Refresher Program at NorQuest College, and submitted all of the required documents, the transcripts will be assessed and there will be an interview by phone or in person.They will discuss your educational and professional background, courses and continuing ed you may have taken and your work experience. A program planner which lists the courses for which you receive advance credit, a challenge option or full course option, will be emailed to you. You may then register in the first of the courses which is usually the challenge exams:(LPNC1000).There are no classes for the LPNC1000, you can purchase a study guide which lists the course learner outcomes for each course. The challenge exams are considered a diagnostic rather than a course, and are a method of assessing your theoretical knowledge. You can review your own textbooks or contact the the program team leader for more information on study tips and a book list if you want to purchase books.You really should be in Alberta when you write these challenge exams. You should also come to the skills labs to review and practice skills to familiarize yourself with the methods and equipment used in Canada I would recommend that you organize the immigration process first, then near the time when you will be immigrating, apply to a college, then order your transcripts and submit your language test. Begin studying and reviewing even before you register in the LPNC1000. At NorQuest College, http://www.norquestcollege.ca if your assessment indicates that you are to complete challenge exams you have 4 months to study for and complete these exams. You must attain a mark of 60% in each course exam to receive an advance credit. Any course challenge exam in which you recieve less than 60% you must register in that course and complete it in full. Finally there is a 7 week preceptor led practicum. You will then receive a temporary license until you sucessfully complete the CPNRE ( the national exam)