US nurses moving/moved to Canada

Jay-Jay, RN · Jan 31, 2006

Please, please ladies, MIND THE TOS! I am seeing rudeness here bordering on personal attacks, and am going to edit a post to keep this from going any further!

Please let's discuss the TOPIC, and leave personal comments out of it!

nurse_ange1 · Jan 31, 2006

Some members of the group feel disinfranchised by the health care in this country which varies from province to province--- one could even say from city to city or hospital to hospital as as all provinces are lead by different political parties which have different agenda's it isn't any wonder that healthcare varies from one region to another. I think that those of us in Canada can attest that things could be better, staffing ratios are herrendous, and there is a lack of respect and trust for the very hard, back breaking work we do. But I ask you, how in gods creation did a topic about coming to Canada from the US become a political referendum about who has better health care? The topic is about coming to canada from the US. I imagine that individual posts were based on their LIVED EXPERIENCE with the whole headache involved. As nurses I believe we are all familiar with lived experiences.... one persons experience with some illness can be drastically different than someone else. The same goes for dealing with the experience of coming to canada to work as a nurse.

In case anyone hasn't figured it out... I was the person's post who was edited, and I recieved the duely earned warning. I went a bit over board with the critique and critism and failed to keep in mind politeness and constructiveness instead. I also forgot to take a deep breath before pressing send that final time. So, if there was anyone else I accidently offended then you have my appologies.

I also want to reiterate that I fully appreciate nurse's work; I'm fully aware of how hard it is and how little rewarding it can be at times. It doesn't matter to me if a person I'm working with has 1, 2 or 4 years of education. All I care about is that we can all take care of the patients together and that we can respond to emergencies as they arise. Good an bad nurses are found with all sorts of alphabet soup after there name... one only hopes that they work with more good one's than bad one's. Enough said....

The provincial nursing organizations and the college of nurses is the best source for information regarding working in canada as a nurse. Us, we just have our own lived experiences of the ordeal. Some good, some bad.

:nurse:

markjrn · Feb 1, 2006

You know Fiona, I suggest you READ the post before flying off the handle and responding so ignorantly. I believe you were refering to my post above. Where in it did I say that I speak FOR THE REST OF CANADA? I'm not even speaking for the whole of Ontario. I was just explaining the conditions in my REGION. And for your information the RN's and RPN's here work alongside each other in peace and harmony too. I'm not a political person and I shouldn't have to be.

I don't know what your issue is Fiona with Ontario, but this is a nursing forum not an "I'll put in my cheap shots on politics" forum. This is no place for that. I'm merely explaining the some of the "stressors" that are going on here in Ontario and judging by your response Fiona, you don't understand it. I wasn't talking about Ontario vs THE REST OF CANADA. Ontario vs. THE WEST. or whatever... you didn't read my post correctly.

Wow, that's harsh.

nurse_clown · Feb 1, 2006

Wow, that's harsh.

there's nothing harsh about that. fiona and i worked that out. so comments about this aren't necessary. but thanx for your input regardless....

markjrn · Feb 1, 2006

there's nothing harsh about that. fiona and i worked that out. so comments about this aren't necessary. but thanx for your input regardless....

Well, I guess I've been dismissed and my opinion holds no worth. Oh well.

BTW, Fiona, you have my support. :)

nurse_clown · Feb 1, 2006

Well, I guess I've been dismissed and my opinion holds no worth. Oh well.
BTW, Fiona, you have my support. :)

:rolleyes: like i said in my last post. fiona and i worked it out. she has my support also.

Gennaver, MSN · Feb 8, 2006

Hi Everyone,
I'm a US citizen who did all of my schooling in Ontario, I graduated with a BScN in nursing (i.e.degree) and I took the CRNE (i.e. rn exam here) and then had to apply for a work permit ONCE I had a job offer. Luckily for me I lived in a border city so I could do everything in person vs. snailmail.... Below is some factual information that I hope helps.
1) There is no longer RN associate degrees available in Canada in any province... as of Jan 2005 anyone wanting to be an RN has to have a bachelors in nurses...In canada, the liscesning is done by a National organization. There are some associate programs that have just finished, and they will be allowed to write, but there is no more intake into these programs. However, if you have many years of experience you MAY be able to write the exam, you would have to talk to the CNO (College of Nurses of Ontario). RPN (simular to LPN) is a 2 year associates degree, and medication administration is now part of the course. However, you will find that more and more hospitals prefer to have BScN nurses and have no need for LPNS/RPNs except in areas such as phych and Long term. CNA's are not equivilent to PSW's... PSW go to school for one year to be able to assist thenurse in personal care... there is no vitals or medication involved. If you have a certificate for CNA, you will find it isn't equivilent to any type of worker here. Sorry.
2) You have to have permission to write the exam if you are not a Permanent/Citizen or not on a student visa. Once you write the exam (3 months for everyone for results) you can then search for jobs... once you have a job offer you can then and only then apply for a work visa under NAFTA to move to Canada to work. There is yearly immigration garbage you have to do. Then once you have the job offer, & the workpermit you can then apply for you LIcsence. There is a temporary one for 6 months if all of your ducks aren't in order and/or your results aren't back, and then you get a permanent liscense which EXPIRES when your work visa expires. As it expires you can reapply as you get more work visas
3) Once you have all of these things, if you want of fully immigrate to canada, then you apply for permanant status ($1500 and 3-6 months).
...Best of luck

Thank you for this,

It looks to me now that I had better be prepared for it to take another year upon completion of my RN program before I can work in Canada. So, since I will have that extra year I think I will try to work on classes towards the post master's certificate in FNP, (hoping to complete that in Canada in a very part time pace while working as an RN). My fingers are so crossed in this.

Gen