future_hero

Hi everyone, This is a question for nurses who are now practicing and have undergone the job hunting process. On May 21 of this year, I wrote the CPNRE. I honestly left the exam feeling uncertain of how well I did. Overall, it was a great experience to have gone through it. I can say I've done my absolute best and so regardless of the outcome, I am willing to live with the results and continue to move forward. My question to those who have experience with the job hunting process is, in your opinion, would it be a good idea to begin applying to vacant nursing positions? I have been struggling with the decision to be proactive with my job hunting venture because I feel it would be essential to know the results prior to. Almost all job postings state "must be registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario in good standing". As a result of seeing that requirement, I felt hesitant with being proactive in the job hunt which can potentially lead into an interview process and being offered something. Thought it would music to my ears, I would then go through the process of obtaining a temporary license. My concern is then finding out a few weeks later my results for the CPNRE don't turn out to be what I was looking for. As an alternative, I plan to volunteer at one or two health institutions as a way to "try working" in a potential work place of my interest. I always feel personal and professional development can always be something to improve and so I have been investing time into things like working on my resume, linkedIN profile in addition to getting regular exercise and just being holistically healthy. Visiting old friends is also something I plan to do too. I hear once the nursing journey begins, time can be very limited and scarce by then. I would greatly appreciate any counsel that may assist with my current circumstances. I can certainly use the wisdom of those who have already been there. Thank you in advance for your consideration to reply to this inquiry. I greatly appreciate the insight and support. Respectfully, Sean

Thank you so much for your sharing your insight Fiona. That does sounds like a solid approach. I definitely do have a few areas that will require a thorough review and some others that will just require a refresher. I had my mindset on studying everything front to back from day one - I don't think it's possible. But weakest to strongest does sound realistic! I plan on making a list of all the areas in that order and spread them out across 15 weeks. Thank you again for sharing. Every little bit helps!

Thank you so much for all the feedback!!! I'll be sure to utilize your suggestions when preparing for the big dance. I'm so excited to hear you're writing!! May confidence in everything you've learned be your best friend tomorrow. From what I've read, I have no doubt you'll do great!!! Thank you again for the heads up and best of luck to you and those in your group tomorrow!

Hello fellow nurses/nursing students: Hoping everyone is off to a good start this year. I wanted to ask you all for counsel on how to prepare for the RPN Exam (CPRNE). Currently, I am in my last semester of the RPN program in Ontario. Being in the home stretch, I will be responsible for practicing with a preceptor who works full-time which means being in clinical roughly 40hrs/wk. In addition, I will also be accountable with preparing for 4 comprehensive tests, encompassing everything I learned in nursing school and also the provincial exam. Despite having some depth of knowledge, skill and judgement on what I learned through out nursing school, I still feel there is a lot for me to review (everything beginning from my first semester). My challenge is trying to figure out how to create a study schedule that allows me to review everything I've learned in the program within 15 weeks outside of my full-time clinical placement for these tests and importantly, the provincial exam. The resources that were suggested by Faculty was the CPRNE Prep Guide and maybe one other NCLEX-PN Exam Review Textbook. I personally feel that this may not be enough - If it is, I would greatly appreciate your feedback on how to go about studying using these resources. Your ideas and thoughts on how to effectively cover all this content on such a limited amount of time would greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance. Nursing ROCKS!!! I look forward to being a member of this heroic profession soon! Sincerely, Future_hero

Hi there rpnjames! I too am looking for some exposure. Aside from what the placements offer. Can I ask for your feedback on volunteering/working in a hospital setting? Are housekeeping attendant positions easy to come by if they they know you are a nursing student? I plan on volunteering in the summer just so that I can be in the field even if its not nursing related. Working alongside them would be great!

For what college? If its GBC - There is a thread on here regarding what the Pre-admission test mainly covers. You might want to try searching George Brown College should you not get a response from others. Good luck to you!

Congrats and good luck!!!! RN program for January?

Hi There AngelicDarkeness, I am a nursing student entering the RPN program in January 2012. I am so excited to get started to pursue a career in nursing. Whether it be through the RPN or RN route, despite the vague differences in practice, I truly believe that the most important charactoristic and goal both level of nurses have in common is to achieve health for all in whichever setting they decide to practice. I know that I am just scratching the surface of this profession (literally just a baby) so unfortunatly I can not comment on anything specifically. I do hear alot that the RPN's are underappreciated and they do frequently get scrutinized. Yet I hear they do practice to full scope which is quite similar to the scope of RN's. I really hope that RN's and RPN's learn to appreciate one another and advocate for one another. That way, the nursing workforce can be a powerhouse and conquer greater challenges. It would be the perfect time considering the current economy and the current condition of our health-care system. I would be very interested in reading the link if you happen to find it. Thank you, future_hero.

Yup = ) that is the HP & Technology Campus (right on Morningside & Ellesmere) Did you get your fee statement yet by any chance?

your welcome and good luck!

So I guess you are at the HP & Technology Campus right? The glad the campus is small. No pressure in getting to our classes lol.

Truthfully that is such a shallow thing for a college or university to do - To reject a qualified applicant simply because they are Out of province. I don't think any college/university would want to have the image of being shallow. Just so you know my friend came from Vancouver and studied at the University of Toronto and came out with a Bachelors degree in Nursing. That pretty much tells you that what you heard are rumors or some form of misinterpretation. I am pretty certain that all nursing programs are grades only. All 3 that I have applied to were grades only programs. If you want to double check you can simply call the college/university and simply ask the question. "Is the nursing program offered at ABC college a grades only program?" (Which means they only look at grades) About the equal consideration date, you are correct. The equal consideration date goes for all programs. However you must pay attention to the fact that all nursing programs are oversubscribed. Here is the advice from Seneca College regarding over subscribed programs: For programs shown in this publication as “Oversubscribed Programs”, apply before February 1, 2011.(THERE IS A REASON AS TO WHY THEY SAY THIS!) Nursing is on that publication. and here is why...... So even though the equal consideration is indeed Feb 1 2011, believe me that Admission offices are already opening envelopes looking at qualified applicants who applied in October-November and providing them with offers. Don't be the one that waits until last minute and be submitting your application on January 31 as I am confident that these admission offices have sent out what they call "Early Offers". Once again, here is an experience i went through. I submitted my entire package the same time as secondary school applicants to the colleges and universities I applied to. The admissions officer had advised me "that EARLY OFFERS have been sent out" In my head was "wait a minute... isn't there a equal consideration date of Feb 1 ?!?!?!. That is very much true, however some students forget to read the fine print which says that For programs shown in this publication as “Oversubscribed Programs”, apply before February 1, 2011. (in other words, we are giving out early offers...but they would never say this to you or put it on the record) Logically it makes total sense for these admission offices to provide early offers to qualified applicants especially when a program like nursing is overflowing with applications. As the deadline approaches, their line of work becomes more hectic and they will need to have sufficient time of looking at all the other thousands too. So why wait and when they can offer these qualified applicants now and reduce the stress of choosing some else later. I call this pool of applicants the " early bird offer for those who qualify and submitted their application early lol. Please do take into serious consideration what it is that I am advising you. The sooner the better and once you get that offer, all you have to do next is lay back and sit pretty until the fall lol. Hope this helps. If you do get an early offer, I also recommend that you start working on the the electives during the summer before. First year I hear "separates the men from the boys" so to speak. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing. I just find it odd that if you pass the CPRNE exam, you still have to take additional education to practice at a certain province.

Loriangel14 and Fiona59 bring upon very good points. Another question you want to consider is what type of quality education you are looking for? I think it is important to think about going with a program that can best prepare you for the the profession. Also from what I hear, the demand for LPN's to practice at full scope is expected and take on the some RN responsibilities; so you would want to ensure that you have the competencies to comfortably practice at that level. @FIONA59 "The exam is written to the lowest level of eduction in the country." so does that mean each country has different difficulty levels for CPNE exams? I thought it would be regulated by the CNA or something?!?

Hi there Paraston, This is a great forum for advice and insight on anything related to nursing or pursuing the profession. I have TWO pieces of advice: FIRST is to APPLY EARLY. I can not stress that enough and the reason being is because it makes a major difference in your application. It is important to apply early (even NOW if they are accepting applications) despite the fact that you are upgrading is because the demand to get into nursing in any college in Ontario is EXTREMELY competitive. Of course your marks are everything to decide whether you get in or not. I strongly believe that you being out of province is a myth. It would be biased if a college or university rejected you simply because you are out of province. Majority of all 4 year nursing programs are classified as "Grades only programs" which means they only look at your grades period. My SECOND piece of advice is try to get those courses done ASAP and advise the schools you applied to in advance that you are currently in the process of completing the courses. That's why it is important for you to APPLY EARLY. I applied as early as January of 2011 (which is the normal time that high-school students in Ontario apply through their Guidance office). I applied with an 86% average to GBC, Centennial and Ryerson. I was wait-listed for all three campuses and unfortunately I did not get accepted to any of them for Fall 2011. The level of competition gets tougher every year as you are going against applicants who did not get in last year, International Students who have degrees, high-school students, as well as mature students doing upgrading too. So I urge you to have the slight advantage by simply applying early as you want to be in the pool of applicants who get offered early acceptance. So I STRONGLY recommend this to you to have the slight advantage: FIRST: APPLY AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SECOND: GET THE UPGRADED COURSES DONE ASAP with that 89% Fact: For every accepted applicant into a nursing program in Ontario, 2-3 QUALIFIED applicants are turned down. (Reference from the College of Nurses of Ontario) Last years cutoff was somewhere in the Mid to high 80's where I applied which is well above the required averages to be considered. And every year it gets higher and higher. I wish you luck in pursuit of an education in nursing. future_hero

Hi there, I accepted my offer of admission to Centennial College - January 2012 - RPN program. My average going in was an 86%. I myself don't know what the cut off is. Regardless of what the cut off average is, always aim for higher. Can I ask what colleges you applied to? Good luck to everyone as well!!!!!!

Wow! This is getting exciting. It seems as though once you get into the field, the doors of opportunity in various settings begin to multiply like tree roots!. So much to choose from so i guess being an RPN doesnt just stop in one avenue but can take many other turns as well. This is looking good thank you!!!!!

Thank you for your detailed reply Fiona. I have a few questions to ask you about your response as i am new to some of the wording that you have used in your reply and am looking to get clarity on the following: May i ask what province you work in? What/who is it that you are referring to as the scrub? What/who is it that you are referring to as the circulator? are the above roles nursing positions? Do you require a 4-year RN degree in order to study for the OR certificate? Do i require a certificate to study in the ER, ICU settings? About the involvement with Unions and Colleges, i thank you for that very important piece of information. This will definitely assist with my decision making as to where i want to be more heavily involved. I live in Ontario and from what i hear RPN's are under appreciated but yet again its all hear-say. Your haven't started your education yet, so it is easy to imagine an area where you think your interest will lie. Trust me it will change with your education. I thought I'd work in Geriatrics. LTC isn't for me. Too many family dynamics and the nurse is never given the support from management they need. I work with elders on a daily basis but I'm not in LTC, wouldn't go back if my life depended upon it. Most of my class wanted post partum. Very few jobs there in reality (the staff there usually has a very low turnover), I think 2 out of 50 have ever had work there. I would have to agree about the lack of support. I have seen some RN's in LTC settings and they always appear to be overworked. I am guessing that has a lot to do with the provincial funding??? Corrections hire LPNs. Management is more accessible in LTC for LPNs, if you want that kind of job. Public Health's school immunization here is heavily LPN. >>>>>What/who is it that you refer to as corrections? Thank you very much for your in depth insight. This info I am certain would not be in any theory text book and thank you in advance for answering all my newbie questions. Future_hero

Thank you CDNGRL79. With regards to the below statement, For OR you usually need the OR certificate, but you can usually do that part-time while you work in another area of nursing. Just to confirm, for the OR certificate and other certificates, isn't the minimum requirement a 4 year degree in nursing? please advise. And thank you for your kind wishes!

These are questions about Practical Nursing in Canada: FIRST: I was just curious to know how far up the corporate ladder Licensed Practical Nurses/Registered Practical Nurses can go in their career. Is bedside care the last stop in a LPN's/RPN's career path? Please advise. My goal is to become nurse. I want to become an RN simply because i hear that they have much more opportunity in various areas of nursing and greater opportunity for advancement. I am the type of individual that gets bored easily once a certain line of work is championed and so my concern is reaching a dead end very early in my career. SECOND: Would any nurses (RN's or RPN's/LPN's) know the government funding situation for LPN's/ RPN's in Canada? I hear rumors that RN's will slowly be phased out of various hospital settings, as the RPN's/LPN's will he inheriting their roles and responsibilities (which than contradicts the above statement of greater advancement and opportunity for Registered Nurses. Does that mean that RPN's will incur a pay increase as their scope of practice expands? Does that mean RN's will be left to do administrative/managerial work? I guess it would help to let you know that i am greatly interested in becoming a nurse that invests heavily on bedside care however, not just in one area of bedside care. I want to experience bedside care in various areas of practice, from the elderly to the very young; and also i want experience practicing bedside care in the OR, ER, ICU. Basically bedside care in all areas of nursing. Later in my career, i see myself teaching. I hope this helps with your reply. I really don't know what Route i should take, RN or the RPN. Looking forward to your Feedback! Thank you, Sincerely, future_hero

Hey Fiona59, Thank you for your feed back It is always good to get the insight from someone that's made it! Can I ask what area of nursing you practice in? I know that i can not say the famous words "i know exactly how you feel" about the asschewing - i have yet to go through the schooling/training, let alone comprehend your experience dealing with difficult families. Know that you've got a fan here that appreciates what you do and i am pretty sure you ended up where you are today because you are one of the very few who can handle the line of work you do. - They say many are called but few are chosen. If anything, you can always switch to teaching the rookies right? As you mentioned there is also a shortage of instructors. We need you there too. Perhaps this can be a career option for you? About the electives, are you suggesting to take them even if i do not get an offer for Fall 2011? Is it the Chang School that offers these electives? Please advise. I believe i read one of your posts stating to get electives out of the way. Great strategy! Thank you again!!!!

That is awesome Coastal1!!!! A dynamic duo in the making! :)

if there was a like button for this statement i would have selected it! there's nothing like wanting something so bad and knowing that it's where you should be instead of being where you are. - ladyj83

Hi Ladyj83, Thank you for your prompt response and i wish you the best of luck at Georgian College. From what i hear the program has a great reputation. I can honestly say my heart stopped for a quick second when i saw the wait list offer thinking that it was an actual offer x 3. Hopefully i get a call from any one of them in the near future. Indeed i may be looking to re-applying next year, but then another issue would be raised and that would be what will i be doing in the mean time?

i wanted post this thread expressing my current situation with everyone in hopes to get some advice or guidance from anyone who may have experienced being in a similar situation or who are currently in one that is like mine. also i extend the welcoming of any advice to those who are now nurses and already out in the field. first and foremost, to all of you practicing this wonderful profession, you all are heroes in health care and someday, i hope become one in the field too! for the longest time now, i have always envisioned myself being a nurse. it was something that i have always wanted to do but never had the time to pursue. i had my daughter early in life and so, i had to pursue her as my main priority to this day. so fresh out of high-school, i was blessed with a job at a major bank. i managed to move my way up the ladder and obtain prestige positions, but was never satisfied. i didn't care about the benefit packages, the free lunches, or the stock options. although i was well established, i still didn't find my career fulfilling. i have always seen nurses as heroic figures - the next best thing to superman. especially when my father suffered from a stroke 3 years ago, i was astonished as to the level of compassion and care nurses provided to ensure my father was okay. i admire them for what they do and what they had taught me simply by just observing. i had decided to purse nursing as a second career simply because i was inspired by what they do. i know many others are inspired as well and i'm sure what i know about nursing is nothing compared to the knowledge of someone who is already in the profession. all i can say is just the idea of making someones life a little easier in such a way that improves their well being is what makes my life worth living (i know that is such a hallmark thing to say...but its true). although i am not a nursing student yet, i managed to take great enjoyment in learning about what the psw's rpn's and rn's do at my dad's nursing home - i can't thank them enough - sometimes i wish i can put on a scrub and do what ever it is they do. they do let me give my father a bath, change him and put him to bed when i am there. :) anything i can do to help. my goal is to become a registered nurse and perhaps take on a leadership role one day . i believe in working up the ladder and so it does not matter where i start. starting from the bottom is not new for me and i see it as a great strategy to build a solid foundation. in january, i applied to ryerson university, george brown college, and centennial college as a mature student for the collaborative nursing degree program offered in fall 2011. i went to ryerson and followed all the instructions the academic and recruitment office had told me to do and made sure that i had submitted all documentation and successfully completed all prerequisites before specified dead-lines. to apply alone was a great achievement within itself and may i say i took great pride and was excited in submitting that final package. i applied as a mature student with an overall average of 86% in all subject prerequisites (completed this year). in addition, i had provided them with a supplementary form consisting of my resume, an essay explaining my goals and ambitions in the program, volunteer experience, as well as letter of recommendations from where i was employed (i know this probably does not help with nursing), a referral from one my teachers from the toronto district school board and lastly a letter of recommendation from a organization i worked with to help children learn the game of soccer. all in all, i felt that i would be a strong candidate for the program - but really they will be the judge of that. i check daily online to see if i was given any offers and unfortunately on my end, i have only managed to be offered wait-lists to all 3 sites. i would be lying if i didn't admit that this took a real hit on my confidence. i still check every few days if any offers come up but from what i was told at this stage, the only way i will be offered something is if a seat opens up and the offer would be by phone from an admissions officer. just to ensure the programs i applied for are well-aware of my great interest, i managed to contact the head of admissions for each college to advise them of my interest in the program despite me being on the wait-list. i also asked if there is anything else that i can do to improve my current position (perhaps an interview?) - truthfully the main message i got back from them was that i would have wait and keep my fingers crossed. i really don't know what else i can do at this stage. truthfully, i feel a tad bit discouraged on my end. the start of a new academic year is just a few weeks away and currently, a door of academic opportunity has yet to open. i now realize that i should have applied to other programs such as york u, uoit, and humber. i really don't know what my train of thought should be at this point. i feel like i have reached a dead end and now am looking for some sense of direction. i just wanted to leave this with all you and ask for your feedback as to what you believe would be the next steps i should take from here. any suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated. thank you all for your help and support! sincerely, future_hero