Worth it to go to Canada in order to graduate 4 months faster?

[sixthwannabe]

I hold both American and Canadian citizenships. I got accepted to transfer into a top Canadian nursing BSN 2 year program and an American BSN 2 year program. However, the Canadian program graduates 4 months faster than the American program.

Ideally, I would like to graduate ASAP because I want to be streamlined into a master's program, but that's more or less an unimportant sidenote.

However, it is really that beneficial to graduate faster? If I graduate nursing school in Canada, I will work in the US. However, if I go to school in Canada, then it will be that much more difficult to get into an American ICU position right out of nursing school?

Wouldn't the four months I save by going to an Canadian school be offset/negated by my having to spend time obtaining an American RN license anyways? I know how difficult it is to get into an ICU , let alone get into an ICU from a Canadian program!!

With the American school, there's a much better chance of getting into an ICU directly out of nursing school as they do externships with critical care units.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

At the risk of sounding harsh, if you have no intention of ever working as a nurse in Canada, please do not occupy one of our limited and extremely-heavily-taxpayer-subsidized nursing school seats just for the sake of finishing sooner. That seat could be better utilized by a local student who will stick around and, in a sense, repay the taxpayers for their financial help by providing care to them. If it weren't for government subsidies, tuition for nursing schools would be roughly triple what it is here, and out of reach of the average person.

[Fiona59]

Like Jan says, if you have NO intention of ever working here why use our education system.

You're so pro-American you would save yourself and the Canadians you'd meet and care for on your clinical time a lot of grief.

Do you even understand how the Canadian healthcare system works? How it doesn't matter how much insurance you have, all patients get treated the same?

From your posts asking the same question in different formats, I just get the feeling you'd do much better south of the 49th.

[Sparkie010]

Honestly i'd be scared if you got your licence. If i head ANYONE talk like that i'd refuse care from them also shorter DOESN'T mean easier my mom did both. She said canadian schools are short, but miles harder its more excelerated cause americans tend to be a bit lazy.

[Blakpepa]

I agree...if you dont plan on working in Canada then go to school in the US. Dont forget, when you graduate yiu have to write the canadian exams, PLUS have your credentials reviewed AND sit the US exam. To me, all those hoops and money would make me just spend the extra 4 mths. I dont see the point in the rush, its only 4 mths.

[ruralgirl08]

Hi, if you plan to work in the States, and attend a Masters program in the States, I think you should just do the US accelerated BSN. Four months goes by so fast, it wouldn't be worth all the red tape. Plus, from what I have read here on "all nurses" US hospitals tend to offer internship training programs, something you don't see very often here in Canada.

Most nurses here have to do continuing education part-time on our own time/money and hope & pray to get into a desired specialty eventually. Our new grad programs used to offer some opportunities, but a lot of them have dried up with the economy and hiring freezes. I have been working over 2yrs as a floor nurse, and I am sure it will take me a couple more before I actually get my big break into my desired specialty. I would say, stay state side if you want ICU.