To move to Canada or stay in US?

[rnrn10]

I know it's fairly early to think about this but I like to get opinions and do a little research :) I'm graduating next Dec (2010) if everything goes well and I thought "Hey, maybe I should move to Canada instead of staying in the US"

Any thoughts on this? Would you Canadians recommend moving there or is nursing better over here in the states? I think it would be nice to get out of the states for a while and experience something different.

How is new grad pay compared to the US? Are working conditions better? Worse?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Cost of living is what you want it to be plus each province pays differently so a lot will depend on which province you want to work in. Also a lot is going to depend on what you are graduating in. Most provinces require BSN

[Fiona59]

Also, bear in mind, Canada really doesn't offer the new grad mentorships that the US has. Our new grads are hired onto their units and given a basic orientation and are expected to be working independently within a month. Only ICU, NICU, ER offer extended orientations and many require the applicant to have some floor nursing experience first.

You also need to be aware that the vast majority of Cdn nurses are unionized. A concept that many American nurses seem to find difficult.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Another factor that may weigh on your decision is how you feel about socialized health care. Canada's single-payer system is very different from what you're learning there. Most of our social issues are different too.

You might be well served by doing some research on the different provinces, what they have to offer, what their economies are based on and what their climates are like. Canada.com is a general news website that will allow you to read the news of the day in many of Canada's major cities, and that will help you decide too.