Mental health nursing in Canada (BC)
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10


I am currently a mental health nurse in UK and have been in this job for 6 years with loads of experience. I am currently doing an online conversion programme so that i can get Canadian registration. I wanted to find out what does mental health nursing in Canada involve. Is it similar to the UK where you only specialize mainly on the mental health aspect or is it more general nursing. What are the chances of me getting a managment post in Canada as that is what i am currently doing here. How is the pay for nurses and are there any developmental incentives. What are the best areas to live and which ones should i avoid as i have a partner and a 2 year old son and another one on the way.


#2

Your 'online conversion' is not needed if you are set on heading for BC as they recognise and accept the UK RMN qualification, as do the provinces Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The rest will require some re-training.
This link 'The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC)' may help clarify further;
Information for foreign-trained registered nurses and psychiatric nurses
http://www.cicic.ca/en/professions.a...9.21&prof=3152

#3

Heres the link for British Columbia's equivalent of the NMC, for Registered Psychiatric Nurses.
http://www.crpnbc.ca/
and the link to request the registration forms.
http://www.crpnbc.ca/international_registration.html
http://www.crpnbc.ca/
and the link to request the registration forms.
http://www.crpnbc.ca/international_registration.html

#4

Should of put this all in one reply, apologies...
Salary details for BC can be found here (level One being UK band 5 equivalent). Experience is recognised
, well thats at least my experience!
http://www.bcnu.org/contracts_servic.../wage_grid.pdf
And here's a Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/
Though thats only really relevant if your converting your income back to UK Pounds, which you wouldn't be doing after you emigrate.
Salary details for BC can be found here (level One being UK band 5 equivalent). Experience is recognised

http://www.bcnu.org/contracts_servic.../wage_grid.pdf
And here's a Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/
Though thats only really relevant if your converting your income back to UK Pounds, which you wouldn't be doing after you emigrate.

#5
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 9


I am a RMN trained at New Buckinghamshire University (formerly Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College) and interested in working in BC as a Psych. nurse. I have just received my nurse registration application pack and wondering if having done 112.5 hrs surgical placement and 112.5 hrs learning disability placement in my first year (common foundation) would suffice for registration in BC. Can anyone advise please.


#6

I am a RMN trained at New Buckinghamshire University (formerly Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College) and interested in working in BC as a Psych. nurse. I have just received my nurse registration application pack and wondering if having done 112.5 hrs surgical placement and 112.5 hrs learning disability placement in my first year (common foundation) would suffice for registration in BC. Can anyone advise please.

Hi Victor2011,
My husband is in the process of registering with CRPNBC and after we returned the completed application pack, they asked for a copy of the syllabus as the transcripts were not clear enough for them to elicit the exact hours and content of the course (my husband was post-project 2000, i.e. 1st intake AFTER P2000 was cancelled). Anyway after they received the syllabus, they have stated that he is short medical/surgical hours and they have recommended that he do the Bridging Program with John Collins Consulting, which he’s in process of starting.
So basically, my husband suggests that you get access and/or a copy of the course syllabus just in case they ask for more information about the course; that way if you have this on hand you can expedite the application process should this be required.
Hope this makes sense and good luck.
BTW, my application couldn’t be processed because my university destroyed all my academic records (transcripts, etc) so if we are successful I will be looking for an alternative career ---




#7
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 9


Thank you for your advice and sorry that you have to look for alternative work due to lack of transcripts records. I have contacted the university and hoping to get the all process going and I have been told that the course syllabus I did actually meets BC criteria. The only worry now i venturing into the different culture of nursing but am positive that i will certainly cope.

#8
Forum Regular



Joined: Mar 2011
Location: North of the 49th parallel
Posts: 140












Thank you for your advice and sorry that you have to look for alternative work due to lack of transcripts records. I have contacted the university and hoping to get the all process going and I have been told that the course syllabus I did actually meets BC criteria. The only worry now i venturing into the different culture of nursing but am positive that i will certainly cope.
Just a note: some provinces in Canada have moved to a four-year nursing degree as the entry requirement, like in Ontario. If you are a diploma-based nurse then it may be tougher to transfer qualifications over.
I would also add that there are a lot of mental health based nursing positions in the community, although some of these tend to call for a masters degree in nursing / nurse practitioner.
I am a social worker working in mental health and must also add that there are limited services here (in Ontario anyways) for ppl with mental health issues, so there is definitely a need for professionals but there may not be the same institutional support as there is in the UK -- more community based here with a lot of de-institutionalization and ppl with mental illness on the streets, in shelters, etc.
Good luck!

#9
Forum Regular


Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 62


hi any material for CPRNBC psychiatric nursing registration exam or tutorial online I have to sit my exam in summer please give me some tips
I am a RMN trained at New Buckinghamshire University (formerly Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College) and interested in working in BC as a Psych. nurse. I have just received my nurse registration application pack and wondering if having done 112.5 hrs surgical placement and 112.5 hrs learning disability placement in my first year (common foundation) would suffice for registration in BC. Can anyone advise please.


#10

From the patient point of view here, I find the mental health system here (BC) to be lacking.

#11
Forum Regular



Joined: Mar 2011
Location: North of the 49th parallel
Posts: 140












Here, here. Couldn't agree with you more!

#12
Forum Regular


Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 62


any mental nurse here or RN what is the next step after getting the license?
I'm stuck cos all the employer ask for PR or work permit. and work permit can't get without a job offer. is a vicious circle please any advice will highly appreciated. Is so sad I worked so hard for this license and now I can't work.
To get the PR last years I can't wait so long......pls help me!
I'm stuck cos all the employer ask for PR or work permit. and work permit can't get without a job offer. is a vicious circle please any advice will highly appreciated. Is so sad I worked so hard for this license and now I can't work.
To get the PR last years I can't wait so long......pls help me!

#13

any mental nurse here or RN what is the next step after getting the license?
I'm stuck cos all the employer ask for PR or work permit. and work permit can't get without a job offer. is a vicious circle please any advice will highly appreciated. Is so sad I worked so hard for this license and now I can't work.
To get the PR last years I can't wait so long......pls help me!
I'm stuck cos all the employer ask for PR or work permit. and work permit can't get without a job offer. is a vicious circle please any advice will highly appreciated. Is so sad I worked so hard for this license and now I can't work.
To get the PR last years I can't wait so long......pls help me!
Good luck.

