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Thank you everyone for your replies. Does anyone know what kind of visa I would need? I thought I would get my VisaScreen started but am unsure what kind of visa. From looking at quick google search it looks like I would need an H1C to work as a nurse... Anyone know?

Thanks everyone for your replies. How do I get a social security number?

Thank you so much for your reply! That's disappointing for me but good to know. Do you know where I can find which states do not require a SSN to apply?

Hello! I am a Canadian nurse looking to work in California. I have heard that in order to work in California you need to apply for a license by endorsement, however as I am not licensed in the states yet, can I apply for licensure by exam? I have looked on the state board of nursing website and I have not seen anything to suggest that I should not apply by exam, but browsing thorough topics here I am getting confused. It has also been difficult as getting through to a real live person from the board of nursing has proven difficult. I also have a question about social security numbers, as the application requires one and says that it will absolutely not be processed without one. As Canadian I do not have an American social security number, and I was under the understand I cannot get one until I have a job. But need one in order to get a job. Quite the problem! Lastly, does anyone have suggestions for reputable travel nurse agencies, or any that they have had good experiences with? I have been in contact with one which seems to have received good reviews, but am unsure if I should be researching other companies more thoroughly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! Sarah

Oops! Just read that this should be posted in International Nursing. So sorry!

Hello! I am a Canadian nurse looking to work in California. I have heard that in order to work in California you need to apply for a license by endorsement, however as I am not licensed in the states yet, can I apply for licensure by exam? I have looked on the state board of nursing website and I have not seen anything to suggest that I should not apply by exam, but browsing thorough topics here I am getting confused. It has also been difficult as getting through to a real live person from the board of nursing has proven difficult. I also have a question about social security numbers, as the application requires one and says that it will absolutely not be processed without one. As Canadian I do not have an American social security number, and I was under the understand I cannot get one until I have a job. But need one in order to get a job. Quite the problem! Lastly, does anyone have suggestions for reputable travel nurse agencies, or any that they have had good experiences with? I have been in contact with one which seems to have received good reviews, but am unsure if I should be researching other companies more thoroughly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! Sarah

I'm in the same position as you! Unfortunately I have not found any reviews on travelnurse.ca and am also interested in your responses. Another company I have been looking at but have not yet applied for is Select Medical Connections. Other than those two I am having a hard time finding travel nursing in Canada!

Hi everyone! I am a brand new grad and just started my first nursing job. I've been reading everyone's threads and in general everyone seems to be feeling the same as me, super nervous and feeling not so great. Knowing I'm not alone in feeling this way helps a lot! I just wanted a bit of input. As I mentioned, I'm a new grad and have had two shifts in my first nursing job. I'm working in the same place I did my final clinical, where I was paired with two mentors. However, now that I've started as a grad I have NO orientation at all. Zero! I guess they figured it's because I was there as a student, however there are so many things that as a student I didn't do because I was still learning the basics. I am now feeling the pressure from transition of student to nurse and I feel so dumb! Little things that I know are really quite simple but I don't know how to do because I never have. (things like how and when to page the MDs, questions from patients families about procedures, etc) I'm so used to having someone there to mentor me that I am constantly second-guessing myself. My confidence is zero. Also, when I was a student I had the senior-most mentors so I had great experience dealing with the highest acuity patients, but now as a grad I'm expected to have lower acuity but more patients. It's really intimidating as I have not had the greatest practice prioritizing more patients. I ask lots of questions but I feel like they think I'm asking too many or asking silly questions. All in all I don't feel great, I look forward to working but also kind of dread going to work. Right now I just try to get through the shift with my assessments and vitals done, meds given safely and on time, so basically the very bare minimum. I don't want to give only the bare minimum nursing care, I want to be great! I KNOW it will get better with experience, that I need to ask questions, that I need to be confident and sure of myself, not let others get to me, etc. I'm already learning so much which really helps me feel better, but I just want to fast forward a year! I want to be confident and to be a good nurse who knows what she's doing but I feel the complete opposite of that right now! Thanks for reading!

Hello! I am a student nurse trying to decide where to do my final placement. I am very interesting in pediatrics and did my medicine rotation in peds, which I loved. I have also worked at a children's summer camp for many years, so feel fairly confident that I'd like to do my placement working with kids. However, I am interested in both emergency and a surgical unit. I'm wondering what would be my best option, I if plan to travel and work other places? Is pediatric emergency too specific (if where I'm going doesn't have a peds ER), or would it help to broaden my skills and therefore help if I were to work on the wards afterwards? I have heard pros and cons from both sides and feel I would enjoy both experiences. I am just looking for some experienced nurses input! Thanks so much!

Does anyone else have an issues with meds not getting taken on time? I feel that I am doing a lot to ensure they get taken on time, but it is still an issue with campers not coming. It is not happening with a few campers, it is happening with many campers and many staff forgetting. Med times are at the hasher bell (which is fifteen minutes before the meal and when one person goes to set the table for their cabin) and between 9 and 945 at night. Here is what I'm doing now: - On the first day, counsellors get a slip of paper listing which of their kids have daily meds and when they are - If campers forget, I go to the meal and remind both them and their counsellor, and ask them to come directly after the meal (the campers actually coming right after the meal happens 50% of the time) - If they still forget, I need to go to their program areas to bring them back to the med centre. This isn't usually an issue if it's one camper, but it's frequently four or more. I am the only medical staff and this usually results in meds being very late, as I can only go get one camper at a time. Sometimes I can get another staff member to track down the kids, but not always. - If one counsellor is consistenly having campers who miss med times, I take them aside separately and discuss the issue with them - I brought up the problem during the all staff meeting before the start of the session (we have two week sessions) What more can I do? What do other camps do? I feel I have made the point very clear that meds need to be on time, that it is endangering campers when their meds don't get taken on time, that really you are not doing your job if your kids aren't receiving their daily meds. I am unclear what else I can be doing, but something is clearly not working. I sometimes feel like giving up and accepting that half or a majority of the daily meds are going to be late! (which I am not okay with) Thanks!

At our camp, med times are before each meal. In the morning they may come between wake-up and the start of breakfast, and the other meals they maky come fifteen minutes before the meal when the hasher bell rings (one camper goes to set the table for their cabin). At nighttime, I tell counsellors to send them between nine and nine forty-five, and that the med centre is closed at ten. Of course, this never happens, and I really only say its closed at ten so that I have time to go get campers that forgot. This is often an issue as our camp does not have an intercom system and counsellors dont carry walkie-talkies; I often send another staff member if they are available to the cabin to get the campers. I DO NOT let them keep their meds - not safe! Also, I do not ever bring their meds to the cabin if they forgot. I feel that if I do this, they will think it's okay if they forget because I'll just bring their meds to them. No, even if it means they have to get out of bed, it helps emphasis my point that they cannot forget their meds and if they do, they need to take responsibilty and come get them. Sick call I don't do before breakfast; everything feels worst in the morning and I find campers often feel better after their daily jump in the lake and food in their bellies. Plus, there is no time before breakfast what with all the morning meds. They may come after meals during rest time, and of course anytime if they are truly feeling ill.

I have also found this to be a problem. I had a camper last year who had to do 2am checks, which the parent did not mention during our discussions before camp. It took its toll on myself and her counsellor, as I am the only medical staff and she is the only counsellor. Personally, I am considering telling her we are not set up to do nightly checks. She may do them herself if parent and doctor are okay, and of course come to the Wellness Centre if there is an issue, but it's too much to request staff to wake/stay up in a camp that is primarily for healthy kids.

My rules in our health centre are similiar to yours: - Please leave your shoes at the door (a doormat inside the door serves as a reminder if they forgot to take them off outside) - Knock first before entering - They need to come with either a staff member or a buddy - campers never go anywhere alone as someone mentioned above, the buddy system helps to reduce the amount of missing campers - Counsellors should be the first line basic first aiders for stomach aches, small scrapes, etc. and then coming to the wellness centre if the problem persists or its a large scrape, potential sprain or fracture, etc. - I don't have an office, the treatment room is one big room and sick rooms are down a hallway. Campers need to wait outside in a line at the bottom of the porch stairs - One camper at a time (staff may enter whenever as they have less time, and I tell them if they need to wait outside when it's too busy) For footwear: it needs to be worn all the time, everywhere, except inside buildings. Closed toed shoes need to be worn for the climbing tower, high ropes course, and on the flat (a metal court nicknamed the 'cheesegrater' as the scrapes you receive from falling on it look similar to what you would receive from a cheesegrater) Hydration: water stations are set up at the wellness centre, dining hall, and throughout camp. Staff know that most headaches and tummy aches are cured with water and are very good at keeping kids hydrated. Handwashing: how-to posters are set up int he bathrooms and encouraged before and after meals, after petting the animals, and after going to the bathoroom. Hand sanitizer is at the door of the dining hall and is supposed to be used before entering.

Yes, plenty of high carb meals with little protein. However, we also have a snack an hour or so before bed, around 830-930 pm. The kitchen also has water and snacks available during the day (fruit, pretzels, cheese and crackers, etc.) for those that are hungry between meals. Counsellors have access to the dining hall and can bring their campers there if need be. Can you speak to the director and/or head cook to see if food can be left out for campers? I do not think this is unreasonable at all, especially since your camp does not offer a bedtime snack. It is also a good way to get those fruits and veggies into the diet!

My camp also has kids stopping by the health centre before meals for their meds (some after meals if the meds depressed their appetite). I completely agree that dispensing meds in the dining hall is a huge violation of privacy; I do not think kids will get made fun of based on WHAT meds they are taking, rather they would get mocked/singled out/etc for taking medications at all. As for organizing them, what worked best for me placing each camper's medications in a plastic bag and then further organized into cabin groups. Camper's may enter the health centre one at a time to take their meds (there is a large window I stay in front of so as to always be visible and not "alone" with a single camper). this way confidentiality was maintained and meds were easily accessible. I was able efficiently record that the meds were taken while they were being taken.