Work as LPN with U.S. ADN degree

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · May 30, 2010

How do you know you'd like poutine? :jester: You need to make sure that you only order it in Quebec, because what they call poutine in the rest of the country is just GROSS!

Can't blame you for finding it very confusing learning what is required here. I've spent SO much time reading those websites and interpreting the lingo... It's brutal.

I would say that there are far more Canadian nurses in the US than there are American nurses in Canada. Only about 10% of first-time writers of the CRNE who were NOT educated in Canada each year are from the US, compared with nearly 50% in 2009 who were from the Philippines.

It's refreshing to see posts from someone who has chosen Canada because they REALLY want to live in Canada and not as some stepping stone or consolation prize. :wlcmhnds: I hope we don't let you down.

Fiona59 · May 30, 2010

We probably could arrange the Mountie but he won't be in serge and stetson...

saltcity · May 31, 2010

I am surprised to see the posts from folks who look at moving to Canada as a "consolation prize" or "stepping stone." I have seen a few of them in the forums here. For me, it's an end in itself.

My wife and I have talked about moving there for 12 years.

We have actively been working on it for the last 3. (Just a side note, my first attempt at immigration was trying to join the Forces in 1992 out of high school in Kingston, they said "sorry kid, citizens only!"-I thought it would be the fast track since I knew the US army took non citizens)

I have little kids and while I like the states, things are going south in a lot of ways as far as I'm concerned. I won't use this forum as a platform for my complaints. I'm so past that. People can disagree with me, I'm not interested in the arguments. Too much has happened in the last ten years.

I just look forward to getting us there next month. (passing the CRNE) Getting a job. Making a life.

I will work on getting my hands on the Quebec poutine! My understanding there are tons of frenchies right in Ottawa and of course only a bridge away. Though I noticed (and Ottawans are very evasive about this) there don't seem to be many bridges along the river except for downtown. What's with that?

Thanks for the warm welcomes!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · May 31, 2010

You're right that there are lots of Francophones in Ottawa. It's the capital city of Canada; since Quebec is the largest province by landmass and one of the most populous there are a lot of politicians from there in Ottawa. Parlez-vous le Toad Code? (loosely translated = Do you speak French?) When we lived there I wasn't able to find work because of my lack of fluent French; I wasn't a nurse in those days, just a 19 year old away from home for the first time.

Gatineau-Hull-Aylmer is right across the river - there are five bridges across. Island Park Dr bridge isn't downtown, it's more in the west end near where we lived when we first moved there. It's not too far from the Ottawa Heart Institute. I'd recommend finding a popular brasserie in Hull for your poutine. Ask around and someone will know where to get the good stuff. There's so much to see and do in Ottawa. Make sure to go to the War Museum and Byward Market.

Three more sleeps till the CRNE... thinking only good thoughts for a successful outcome.

itsmejuli · May 31, 2010

I just look forward to getting us there next month. (passing the CRNE) Getting a job. Making a life.

Good luck to you! I hope your dreams come true in Canada :)

I'm looking forward to the day I can return home to Alberta. I'm stuck here in FL completing school and waiting on the day the housing market recovers.

The first thing I do when I step off the plane in Calgary is grab a coffee at Tim Hortons.

gypsynurse · Oct 3, 2010

the process for licensure as an lpn when you're from outside the country is not much different from registering as an rn. and it's a misconception that second-year students are employed as lpns. to be that, they have to be licensed, don't they? they are employed as nursing assistants though. they have a special classification such as employed nursing student (manitoba), undergraduate nursing employee (alberta) and similar titles. one cohort of iens from the philippines was given the opportunity to work as lpns in alberta when it was discovered after the government had spent a lot of money importing them that their education there did not meet registration requirements in alberta, but that was two years ago and it was a single, small group.

just to clear up a few things..... from the original post, and your correction....

as a nurse here in canada, trying to do a similar thing as this poster...i am also familiar with this. but a good friend of mine, an associates degree rn in the u.s. has been told by the college "she will be considered , licenced and work as an rpn here in ontario" (same as lpn here) , until she has completed her edu for bscn. and..... we do not have "nursing assistants" here any longer anyway. and ........

her point was......... " i just graduated with a 2 year rn degree in ny and i am currently in the process of having my program evaluated in manitoba and new brunswick (both provinces still allow 2 year diploma nurses to take crne)." so she has graduated with the same as my friend. ... not a "second year student" ... ~ just say'in ~ :nurse:

gypsynurse · Oct 3, 2010

Good luck to you! I hope your dreams come true in Canada :)
I'm looking forward to the day I can return home to Alberta. I'm stuck here in FL completing school and waiting on the day the housing market recovers.
The first thing I do when I step off the plane in Calgary is grab a coffee at Tim Hortons.

hahahahhaha, I will bring one down to you next time we return (twice yearly) to where I worked in nursing for many yrs... and have family ! LOL...