mikaela

hi to all, the latest post on this thread was dated july 2001, so i thought it would be great to revive it by sharing with you all the latest about nursing in canada -- in case you haven't read this: progress report - october 2004 study's newest research report focuses on movement of nurses to and from canada also in this issue final research report will conclude phase i of study in december 2004 what's next immigration and emigration trends: a canadian perspective is the latest research report from building the future: an integrated strategy for nursing human resources in canada and examines the movement of nurses to and from canada. the full text is available at: www.buildingthefuture.ca/e building the future will conclude its research phase in december 2004 with a major report that integrates this and all other research it has conducted since the study began in 2002. here are some key findings of immigration and emigration trends: a canadian perspective: migration patterns include regional markets with flows to richer countries, and the global market, with flows from less developed to more developed areas such as western europe and north america. nevertheless, even wealthy countries lose many professionals through emigration. of the 230,957 registered nurses (rns) employed in canada in 2002, 15,847 (6.9%) were internationally educated. nurse immigration increased 1999-2002. the 1,528 rns and nurse supervisors admitted to canada as permanent residents in 2001 represented 21.8% of immigrants listed under health occupations. in 2001 and 2002, the main sources of rns migrating to canada were the united kingdom and the philippines. although canadian nurses migrate to many countries, most rns go to the u.s. most registered psychiatric nurses (rpns) go to australia, new zealand, the uk, or bermuda. to ensure better management of international migration, the report recommends initiatives such as: development of appropriate databases, establishment of an international body to manage and monitor migration, creation of a forum for workplace monitoring, and a common protocol to deal with recruitment practices. the report also notes that canada needs to improve nursing workforce planning nationally and to collaborate more extensively with other governments and international organizations to manage and facilitate the worldwide movement of rns, rpns, and licensed/registered practical nurses. final research report will conclude phase i of study in december 2004 :)

That's so uplifting. I hope to see more encouraging stories about RPNs. To RPNs out there with good news to share, pls. do so. Thanks. Loriangel, good luck to you!

Warm hello to all nurses in the Phils & Filipino nurses around the globe! I am not a nurse yet but will become one by 2007 -- by God's grace. I came to Canada last year as immigrant. Nursing will be my 2nd degree and I am hoping to like & love it. I finished BA Journalism back home and I've been doing admin job (until now). So I thought jumping to the nurses' ship will be a good move. It's totally a different field for me. Anyway, hope to chat with any of you soon. I'll be starting my studies this January and for sure I'll be needing tips from you guys. To those of you who are strongly considering to leave the country for better opportunities -- not just for you but also for your families -- Good Luck! I came to Canada to escape the worsening peace & order situation in our country. My husband & I gave up our very good jobs and comforts for better future for our family. I understand how other people feel about immigrants taking away available jobs, but this is how things presently work. In a borderless world, we just have to prove who we are. It's no longer the color of skin that matters, it is how we impress people who are willing to pay for our services. Okay then, hope to see any one of you soon.

Thanks for the info... really appreciate it. I am just hoping that the market for practical nurses will be ok here in Canada -- after all, Canada is such a wonderful country :) . It's my plan too to apply for the bridging program to RN (which is currently under review) in the future.

Thanks you fergus & fiona for your replies. I'll be starting my 2-yr program soon and quite excited about what this "change" will create in me. I have no problem working in LTC. I also read from other posts that many Canadian educated/trained nurses are leaving for the US. US is also my option, however, if I find my comforts here, I prefer to stay. My next question is: do you know what level (equivalent) of nursing do registered practical nurses from Canada have in the US? Are they treated as LPNs, ADNs, or RNs? Just in case things won't work out for me here in Canada... :) Thanks!

Hi, All: I've been browsing interesting topics posted in the forum months before I finally decided to sign up for the RPN program. Luckily, I was admitted and will be starting my 1st semester in January, 2005. I've read a lot of posts discussing about the worthiness of the nursing profession and the other side as well. Like many of you here, nursing will be my 2nd program of study. I've been wanting to become one, years ago, but was not very willing to give up my previous career -- although I was no longer happy with it. It's good that I finally made up my mind to start all over again and try a totally different field. Since I received my letter of admission, I've been researching about the profession and the job market here in Canada just to convince myself that I arrived at informed decision. Until I came across this thread. The same question I ask myself and people I know. I'm relatively new here in Canada and do not know anybody who is RN or RPN. So I thought, joining the discussion would connect me to seasoned, neophytes, and even student nurses, who are willing to share their thoughts about the profession. As to the prospect of getting a job after graduation, the posts are quite scary. It's not only through this discussion, did I learn about nurses having difficulty landing in a full time job in Ontario, but other sources too. A front page story in a news magazine also proved this point. What confuses me is, why do schools (of course for profit purposes) and the media SEEM TO CAPITALIZE on the so-called nursing shortage. If the real situation says otherwise, I feel only pity for people getting in to the program, including myself ,and later learn that there's no job for them. Going through the nursing program is costly -- not just in terms of money, but also time and effort. So, could anybody tell me what's the real situation 3-5 years from now? I know that the market for RNs differs from RPNs. But, generally, what is the real score? Is there somebody here affiliated with any nurses' association? What is the job forecast? How SINCERE is the government with its efforts to strenghten the healthcare system? The aging population is a fact, but the need for more nurses -- is it a MYTH or a FACT ? Will appreciate your inputs. Thanks, :)