Psych Nursing in Canada

[BGr4ves87]

Hello all,

A quick question concerning psychiatric nursing in Canada. I'm a new grad with 10 months under my belt, all of which I've spent on an acute inpatient psychiatric unit in NB, Canada after graduating with my BN in 2016. While I've found the work to be exciting and rewarding, I'm interested in broadening my horizons by considering employment in other Canadian provinces. With that being said, are there provinces where I will need further education to be hired in the psychiatric specialty or does this education sometimes happen after being hired as a general Registered Nurse? For example, I've noticed that British Columbia have Registered Psychiatric Nurses.

Thanks

[AB_manda]

Hi! I am a registered psychiatric nurse in Alberta, I have my Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing and work on an acute child and adolescent inpatient unit. We have Mostly psych nurses (most of them are diploma psych nurses, only 2 of us have the bachelors degree) on staff but do have a few RNs and LPNs, RNS here can work on any of the psych units without any extra education, experience definitely helps. I find it's really nice to have all the skills of each group as we do lots of injections, iv care/therapy, wound dressings, med therapy, individual, family and group therapy. I took my training in MB and am originally from SK and those provinces also have RNs working in psych!

[Cdnbscn]

I work in Ontario on a mental Health inpatient unit. I was hired without additional credentials but with the expectation that I obtain a certificate in psychiatric nursing during my employment. Experience speaks more than credentials in my neck of the woods.

[NarcanJan]

I'm an RPN in BC with my BSPN. Lots of jobs for new grads starting out here in the lower mainland. Maybe 60-70% of nurses working on acute psych units here are RPN designation (registered psychiatric nurse) with maybe 30% being RNs who prefer working in psychiatry. BC has tougher laws under the MHA (mental health act) which includes administering psychotropic medications to a "certified" patient even if the patient refuses. Nurses coming from Alberta often struggled with this.