Thinking about becoming a nurse in Canada

loriangel14, RN · May 19, 2010

The RPN course takes 2 years to complete in Ontario. I am an RPN and when I was in school I did a clinical placement at Homewood Health Centre, which is a mental health facility in Guelph. While I don't think I would ever want to work in mental health, I was very impressed with the facility and it was a great learning experience. While the RPN curriculum does not delve very deeply into mental health there certainly was plenty of opportunity for RPNs at this particular facility. I really cannot comment on any other mental health settings but I would imagine that there would be jobs in this type of nursing around.Your degree in counselling would be a great benefit I am sure.

There are several RPN programs offered in Ontario.If you decide where you would like to go, contact the college and they will tell you how to proceed.

neonatal_nurse · May 19, 2010

I think going to school for at least 2 years is worth it. It would help you greatly in your career. Good luck and go for it! :)

Fiona59 · May 19, 2010

You also need to find out if your degree is recognized in Canada. Since you are living here and hold landed status (I'm assuming this) is it an on-line degree?

I've met psych aide without any previous experience other than their course work at College.

britcanuck · May 20, 2010

Thanks everyone for getting back to me.

I'm a permanent resident of Canada and my degree which I started before coming to Canada is delivered through distance learning with me having to fly back to England every year to sit an intensive. It's from an accredited 'real' University in England as opposed to a a virtual one.

So, I'm hoping that Canada should accept it. I know that when I have rang up local Universities here they don't do this kind of degree and are telling me that the nearest they have to it would be a social workers degree.

In my 3rd and 4th year I am required to do a student placement in an addiction setting so I will be getting some kind of practical experience as well as just theory.

I contacted our local college who are doing the RPN programme and it is starting in January and I have a few questions for you!

1) Do you have to write academic essays? or reflective journal/personal learning essays? or both?

2) What is the workload like? How much study do you think I will have to do outside of college?

3) In England you can sometimes get a student loan to help pay for your fees etc, is this possible in Canada and if so where would I apply or find information about it?

Thanks so much to everyone that has got back to me and I hope you don't think I'm asking too many dumb questions!!

loriangel14, RN · May 20, 2010

1) Plenty of both.

2) It's hard to say exactly.I would say a fair bit of studying and a LOT of reading. I found the work load manageable as long as I didn't let things pile up. there were a lot of presentations If you are inexperienced at getting up to speak in front of groups you will not be when you are done the program.

3) You may be able to get some assistance through Ontario Student Assistance program. The website is osap.gov.on.ca

Let us know how you get on.

britcanuck · May 20, 2010

Hi Loriangel,

Thanks for your reply and I'm extremely grateful for all the info/advice from you and other people. I noticed earlier you had said about you did a placement at Homewood. I applied there for a job a while back but didn't hear anything. I'm down in the Kitchener/Waterloo area.

I wonder if you could let me know a little about how your time-table was when you were at college? I asked my local college yesterday if they could give me a rough idea about the time-table but said they would know more in July although some days would start at 8 and finish at 4. It is full-time for 2 years. I'm just a little worried about fitting it in around my family.

Also, could you recommend any good books about becoming an RPN?

loriangel14, RN · May 20, 2010

I can't really help with the timetable because the program I went to was a part time evening program. It ran 6-10 2 evenings a week. I know the full time program in Barrie was usually 8-4 most days though.

I haven't seen any books about becoming an RPN. I have previouslt lent some of my textbooks to a friend that wascontemplating the program so she could see what the work was like.

Fiona59 · May 20, 2010

Well if you are asking if you can keep working on your UK degree and do a fulltime PN course, I'd say only if you are Superman.

I did the full time, four semester course back to back over 13 months. You don't have a lot of free time. Once you start unit work, you have homework consisiting of care plans and researching diseases and drugs. Then you have to be on the unit, usually around 06:30 and stay until 1400 or 1430. Rinse and repeat. (I remember one care plan that took six hours)

You also need to have childcare arrangements and backup arrangements.

My college told us upfront, childcare was not an acceptable excuse for not being on time or getting the work in.

It also depends if you get any credit for existing course work how long some days will be.

The schools never like to tell you how long a day will be, I really think it's a control issue....

britcanuck · May 21, 2010

Thanks Fiona,

You're right, I'm not superwoman! and I am thinking realistically about how I would fit it all in.

It does concern me too with the kids because lets face it there are always going to be days when the kids get ill and Mom has to stay at home to look after them!

I have some credits already but am thinking that maybe the 'social and mental health studies' and 'cognitive behavioural therapy' - may be of some worth to the PN course? Both of these would be worth 20 credits each (British system) but I don't know how much this would be in Canadian credits and also if it would be acceptable or relative to the nursing course?

I suppose a more realistic approach would be to try and study it part-time but my local college is only offering it full-time.