Nursing in Canada
 

Hey all,

I am a nurse looking at a move to Vancouver and I just wondered how uk nurses have found nursing in Canada? I have sent off for my registration with CRNBC and have heard that I have to take an exam for my registration. How did everyone find the exam?

I am currently working as a nurse in Australia but I am finding it too far away from home, hence the move to Canada!

Thanks in advance :)

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Even from Canada you're going to find that daily commute back and forth to the UK quite wearing after a while.

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Meeting requirements can be a long drawn out process. Do you have clinical and theory hours on your transcripts in Paeds, Mental Health, obstetrics and Adult? If not do not be surprised if you are asked to attend some form of assessment which may result in further courses before being allowed to sit CRNE

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

I'll let others, who are better qualified than me, answer the nursing aspect.

I assume that you want to be closer to the UK in terms of time difference, flight times and flight costs? In that regard at least, Toronto would be a better choice than Vancouver.

Also, you'll need to consider vacation time. No sense being closer to the UK if you don't have enough time to actually travel there - unless you're happy to have people come visit you instead. I don't know what you get in Australia but you could be looking at 2 or 3 weeks vacation in Canada to start off with.

By the way, my wife and I originally moved to Toronto from the UK after she was recruited by Toronto General. During the 7 years that we lived there, she worked for a few different hospitals (she also picked up shifts from an agency) and she really liked nursing in Toronto. There are lots of hospitals downtown and elsewhere in the city.

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

I may be able to answer any questions you have, I'm a UK nurse living and working in vancouver BC. So feel free to ask any questions!!! :D

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Thanks everyone for the replies :) Toronto is definately closer to the uk but my
Fiancé has family near vancouver which is one of the reasons were looking at the west coast.
S_elliot-That's great that your a nurse in vancouver, how did u find the application process to crnbc? As someone has mentioned about holiday leave, how much leave per year do you get a as a nurse? I was used to 6 weeks in the uk, think we were spoilt! Ha ha do u find the nursing ok over there? Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance for your help

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Vancouver is only an 9 1/2 hour flight to the UK!!!
Nursing here is different but you soon get used to it. As for the CRNBC they are like any regulatory body-not exactly known for their speed!!!

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Before you get vacation you have to earn it, usually written in the collective agreement on the provincial nurses union website. For example if you look at the Nova Scotia Nurses Union (one of Nova Scotia's nurses union) there are copies of the collective agreement for Acute care, Long term care and Community. The agreement covers a lot including pay, vacation, ect

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Here you go, the BC one;

http://www.upnbc.org/flipbooks/PCA/index.html

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Thanks a lot for the info and link :) s_elliot, how did u find the sec assessment? I'm waiting for that at the moment. Is it a long time between that and getting registration? Cus I know I have to go to canada to do the sec, just don't want to be sat around waiting too long without a job after that!

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

I got the letter stating I had to do the SEC in June and got my date for September, there is a back log at the minute I think so your wait maybe longer. I got my SEC results about 6 weeks later. Then after you have your results you will probably have to complete extra courses, some are online some you have to be in canada to do. The SEC and extra courses are run by kwantlen university in Langley (about 1 hr for vancouver by public transport). Check out their website and search for "internationally educated nurses" the courses that are run here in canada are only run once per semester. I would recommend that you stay in any job you have now, it took me a year from getting the OK to sit the SEC to starting my job and that was by all accounts quit quick. I stayed in my job in England and just came out to do one extra course.

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Thanks again for your reply s_elliott. Wow-a year from SEC to starting a job! I thought sorting registration in Australia was hard but Canada seems crazy!! I find it crazy that you have to do the SEC and courses etc in Canada as well, it means a lot of going to and from Canada doesn't it (with cost of flights, accommodation etc.) Im guessing il have to go to canda three times (once to do SEC, once for any courses I have to do and then again to do CRNE exam), is that right?

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

I think a lot will depend on how many courses you have to do on how many trips you have to make unless you go for a student visa which then may involve medical with it being within healthcare

Re: NURSING IN CANADA
 

Yes you will need to come over to do the SEC, but some of the courses are online. You would just need to wait for the results of your SEC before you can make any plans. Have a look at Kwantlen Polytechnic university in Langley BC as they are the one who run the courses for CRNBC (put IEN in the search box). As for sitting your CRNE, well if you meet all of CRNBC's criteria, they will issue you with a one year temporary licence that will allow you to work and then you can apply to sit the exam when you are here. I sat (and passed) the CRNE in feb this year. They currently sit the exam 3 times a year in BC, however after the Oct/Nov exam this year it will be change to a NCLEX style exam. The NCLEX is a computer based predictive exam, I'm not sure if CRNBC have released details of how and where the exam will be sat.