DBain

Anyone out there hold a casual position in Ontario? I have been offered one and am trying to find out if there is anything in particular I should be wary of or ask of the manager or HR before accepting the offer? Were there any surprises you found once you started working that I should be prepared for? I am a US trained nurse (and midwife) and so new to the collective agreements in Ontario ... which don't seem to say much at all about casual hires.

I have just passed the CRNE and am waiting for my registration to come through. I am in Ontario. I did this because I am unsure if I want to work here/now as a midwife and want to have options. Ontario has it's own program for foreign trained midwives which I am considering. My educational qualifications will be evaluated and then I'll be "invited" to have exams for the program. It sounds rough (I already trained in the UK and the US!) but not that bad considering neither the UK or the US even have a conversion program. They just flat out make you retrain in many cases. Canada is actively trying to grow its midwives. I have talked to the program director for the BC program and could put you in touch with her. The BC program sounds a little less hard on one's life in that you can do it from your home community for much of the time. I'd love to discuss your midwifery work and Phd etc, but perhaps we should do this through a personal message. Which I don't know how to do on this forum!

Hi Lyla I am a UK/US trained nurse-midwife and recently emigrated to Canada. You know midwifery is separate from nursing in Canada, right? You might consider emigrating as a midwife -- there is a bridging project for foreign-trained midwives that you can start from your home country as it is done electronically. http://www.midwifery.ubc.ca/midwifery/multijuristdicbridging/BridgeOverview.htm

Passed in Ottawa. FYI I am also US trained, and a women's health NP in the States. Have to say, that exam was tricky (11 years out of school) and I think it is unacceptable that it's paper based with such a slow response time. Will be writing a letter to the CNA/O for what it's worth. Good luck to all .....

Ottawa anyone?

It took me almost 9 months to get from submitting to the College of Nursing of Ontario to sitting the CRNE ... so get the process started.

Thanks for the link. The CNO told me they would evaluate the education of a US FNP program (I did not ask about ANP because as posted elsewhere I think there is a greater need for FNP in Ontario where there is a shortage of family practice docs) just as they do a US RN program and decide on eligibility. My US BSN was sufficient for that level, and I am preparing to take the CRNE. I would prefer to do the post-master's certificate in the US (I already am a CNM) because, from what I gather, the US organizations require a US accredited program to be eligible for the exam. Therefore there is more flexibility Canada/US if you train in the US. This is clearly for those who have status in both countries and can practice in either location. Not sure if Ontario (or other province) has recruitment methods for foreign trained nurses as the US seems to have.

AANC and AANP both tell me no -- there is no mechanism to sit the FNP exam with a foreign master's. Has anyone out there tried, or heard something different? Thank you.