Seeking Advice - CNA

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Hello all,

I would like to work as a nursing assistant / aide in Ontario, Canada. Could you please tell me if a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certified from USA is allowed to work in Ontario, Canada?

Please advice.

Thanks much already :)

I’m not responding to the posts on “minimum working age” – no offence to anyone. Thanks for responding. However I would like to stick to the my main topic and get meaningful advice / guidance from seniors here.

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Several thing came to mind after reading that.

A senior is some one over 65. Do you mean experienced, working nurses? Long term posters?

Threads go in all directions as do conversations.

Your comment displays a degree of immaturity, which is one of the reason Canada doesn't employ 16yo NAs.

Volunteer at your local hospital or LTC and see how the system works.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

No. A 6 week CNA course will not get you anywhere, especially compared to an 8 month PSW program. It will not be recognized in Canada and you cannot do any patient/client care work on a volunteer basis.You would still need to be at least 19 to be doing any patient care. You can volunteer at a hospital but you will not be going anywhere near the patients.

Why would you not address the comments regarding the legal working age? You made the statement that was incorrect.

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If your long term goal is to become a pediatrician and you want exposure to the healthcare field, you can volunteer at a children's rehab centre. Bloorview kid's rehab centre in Toronto accepts teen volunteers to help out with their aquatic, therapeutic, school and camp programs. Other Ontario childrens rehab centres may have similar volunteer opportunities.

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Oh ok. Thank you for your response NotReady4PrimeTime. So doing PSW looks like the only option around. And I can take that up only after 2 years or more. In the meanwhile I am wondering what to do. Should you have any advice on what I could do in the meanwhile, request you to please bounce it by. Thanks once again.

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No. A 6 week CNA course will not get you anywhere, especially compared to an 8 month PSW program. It will not be recognized in Canada and you cannot do any patient/client care work on a volunteer basis.You would still need to be at least 19 to be doing any patient care. You can volunteer at a hospital but you will not be going anywhere near the patients.

Why would you not address the comments regarding the legal working age? You made the statement that was incorrect.

Thanks for your response loriangel14. I understand what you mean about not being allowed anywhere near patients. Will have to think of different options then.

And about not addressing comments on legal working age, there are 2 reasons. Firstly, I have to let you know that I have written what I have experienced. Me and 2 of my friends weren't hired in MacDonalds last summer (2014) saying we were underage. COme back next year is what the hiring guy told us. Another friend who was 16 got through (and treated us with the money he earned :)). Secondly, and more importantly I have found that often threads go everywhere and people start discussing topics which actually have no value for the person seeking advice. What age I could start working etc etc is not what I am really concerned about. My main reason for starting this thread was to get guidance and advice on how to gather some work experience, as early as possible, that gives me a headway in my future career. And I have got a lot of it right here in this thread. That's the reason why. Trust this clarifies.

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If your long term goal is to become a pediatrician and you want exposure to the healthcare field, you can volunteer at a children's rehab centre. Bloorview kid's rehab centre in Toronto accepts teen volunteers to help out with their aquatic, therapeutic, school and camp programs. Other Ontario childrens rehab centres may have similar volunteer opportunities.

THANK YOU SO MUCH dishes. This is a very very valuable piece of advice. I will certainly try this though I live pretty far from Bloor. But then you also said I could try other children's rehabs too. I will do that. I am already volunteering at a children's care facility, but not medical or anything. I look after 20 children as they all flock to me though there are 4 other volunteers. That is what I love to do. To care for children. Thanks so much.

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Several thing came to mind after reading that. Mona: Pray, do share.

A senior is some one over 65. Do you mean experienced, working nurses? Long term posters? Mona: Folks who I referred to as seniors did seem to get it and responded with valuable advice and suggestions.

Threads go in all directions as do conversations. Mona: this is exactly what I wanted to avoid.

Your comment displays a degree of immaturity, which is one of the reason Canada doesn't employ 16yo NAs. Mona: Feeling is mutual.

Volunteer at your local hospital or LTC and see how the system works. Mona: I have and I will continue. But that doesn't give you an edge over other medicine applicants. You are not allowed to provide "care" as mentioned by some of the seniors here. I am looking for more substantial advice and suggestions here actually. Thanks though anyway.

:) Please find my answers inline :yes:

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THANK YOU SO MUCH dishes. This is a very very valuable piece of advice. I will certainly try this though I live pretty far from Bloor. But then you also said I could try other children's rehabs too. I will do that. I am already volunteering at a children's care facility, but not medical or anything. I look after 20 children as they all flock to me though there are 4 other volunteers. That is what I love to do. To care for children. Thanks so much.

If you are looking at other children's rehab centres, check that the centre does research in addition to clinical practice. If you volunteer at a hospital or rehab centre while you are a high school student and during the first years of university, you may be eligible to volunteer as a research assistant by the time your are in second or third year of your undergraduate degree. Experience as research assistant and a reference from a medical investigator can make you medical school application competitive.

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You can also consider volunteering with an organization that teaches children disability awareness such as Kids on the Block and/or with with an organization that teaches injury prevention to youth, there are several injury prevention programs through Parachutecanada.

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You can also consider volunteering with an organization that teaches children disability awareness such as Kids on the Block and/or with with an organization that teaches injury prevention to youth, there are several injury prevention programs through Parachutecanada.

Hello dishes. I am so fortunate that you read my post and responded. This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for when I came here. Please do keep posting as and when you might think of something that I can benefit from. Thank you so much for your selfless gesture. Folks like you are a source of inspiration for kids like me. Appreciate it greatly :)

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If you are interested in volunteering at a centre that is in close proximity to where you live, look on Ontario association of childrens rehabilitation services, there is list of children's centres by location.

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The university of waterloo has useful advice on how to add value to your application and increase your chances of being accepted into medical school, some of the list is as follows; volunteer work, research experience, health care systems knowledge including trends, extracurricular activities that show you are well rounded and CPR certification. If you do not already have CPR certification, you can take a two day course in CPR and first aid during winter break from high school.

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