Nursing in Canada
 

Hi Folks, firstly thank you for allowing me to join this forum ;)

I am hoping to relocate to Toronto in summer 2018 and am trying my best to organise all I can!
I am a registered staff nurse, currently working in Addictions, with 2 children and 2 dogs who will join me (an older son also, he works in Italy).
I will be taking my IELTS test in November - so getting there slowly.

My question is this - I have a diploma in Nursing and I have read that I will need to take 2 Nursing Exams in order to work, now although I have been a nurse for over 20 years, the thought of another 2 exams terrifies me, especially since I have not worked in a general nursing setting for 10 years, since I worked in a prison and for the past 7 years within community Addictions. Is there anyone who can give me advice on the best way to prepare for these?
Thank you in advance :thumbsup:

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Hello and welcome to BE.
You should start your journey by having a good read of the Wiki section. It's the fourth tab from the left on the blue bar above. It contains a wealth of information about all aspects of emigrating to Canada. Also do a search of the forum for nursing related topics. There are lots of leads there. When you have done this come back with some specific questions and doubtless someone will be able to assist you. Good luck.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Thanks Simon - will do ;)

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Hi, and welcome to BE.

How old is your older son? Make sure you apply before he turns 19, as he won't be able to go on your application after that date.

Fab. What are you scoring on the CRS, will you need a job offer to get a visa, or do you score enough to get Permanent Residency without going over on a Temp Work Permit first?

I didn't think Ontario accepted diploma trained nurses at all, but that info could well be out of date - worth a search of the forum to double check though.

There are loads of threads about nursing in Canada and how to get licensed to do so (not even sure 'licensed' is the right term, but there are plenty of lovely nurses on the forum that will soon put me straight if not!). So have a search and a read, and hopefully some of our resident nurses will be along to help shortly.

Best of luck with it.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Thanks Christmasoompa - going through a few threads now, my son is too old now to join on my application, he is 24 and thankfully independent! Bit concerned about the Diploma part - didn't think this would be a problem, but if I have to up the points to degree then so be it!
Take care

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

I may well be wrong, but hopefully a nurse or two will help you out. I know there are some provinces that don't accept diploma trained nurses, and I thought Ontario was among them, but as above, that could well be out of date info.

Your son could come over on a 2 year IEC visa, I'm sure you've already looked in to his visa options, but that's the quickest and easiest way over for most people his age. And don't forget you'll need permission from the father remove your other children from UK jurisdiction - hopefully it'll be nice and easy for you, but it can take a while so you might want to get that started sooner rather than later. Add it to the 'to do' list! :lol:

Good luck, hope it all goes smoothly for you and you can get your application in asap.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Thanks for your help Christmasoompa, Head fit to bursting at the minute!

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Starting point would be checking out the provincial college of RN and see their requirements for International Trained Nurse, you may see this used instead IEN. You also need to make sure your transcripts show both clinical and theory hours in Paeds, Mental Health, Obstetrics and Adult. Canadian nurses are general trained. Getting into nursing is hard from both meeting provincial requirements as well as findi a job. Nursing is very much Union supported and jobs usually start off as casual, getting foot through the door, to full time and depending where you want to live will be the deciding factor on finding a job

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Thanks Silverdragon,
Going through a few info sites, NNAS etc - finding the diploma and so on.........
Hopefully be able to discuss with Ontario uni on Monday,
take care

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Oh and once you meet college of RN requirements you will have to sit and pass NCLEX as that is now the country's national exam that all RNs have to pass enabling them to get a license and work as RNs

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

Are you coming with anyone else? The relevance of their job is important I feel.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

There are different requirements for Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse and Nurse Practitioner. An RN applicant normally needs a nursing degree to be registered by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).

Nursing Education

However, a degree is not strictly mandatory for an RN:

"If you have not completed an approved nursing program, then the College will assess your nursing education to determine whether it’s equivalent to that of an approved program.

'Equivalent' means you received an education that provided you with the nursing knowledge, skill and judgment at least equivalent to that of a current graduate from an approved nursing program."


Most international applicants undergo additional assessments to have their nursing education and experience assessed by the CNO and may also be approved without a degree:

"Nursing education and standards of nursing competence differ from one country to the next. Even if your nursing program was recognized as one that allowed you to practise as an RN in your home country, there is no guarantee that it will meet the College’s nursing education requirement. Because of this, most RN applicants who completed a nursing program in another country must undergo additional assessment before they can write the registration exam.

This assessment takes into account their initial nursing program, additional nursing education they may have completed, and any nursing practice experience they may have. Applicants who can provide evidence of nursing practice are also assessed [by] an independent body that reports its findings back to the College.

Applicants who continue to show competency gaps after further assessment may be asked to complete additional education and/or training to meet the education requirement. Re-applying as a Registered Practical Nurse is another option for some RN applicants in this situation, especially those whose competencies are more in line with those required of an Ontario RPN."

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

I forgot to mention above that my wife is just now starting to research this same issue. She is a diploma-trained nurse from the UK (hers was a 3 year course based at Manchester Royal Infirmary). She was previously registered in Ontario (1989 to 1996) but let her registration lapse after we left for the UK and finally the US where we are now (she has continued working as a RN in the UK and US). We're hoping that she'll be able to become re-registered in Ontario without any hassle. Our plan is to move back there in summer 2019.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

wow thanks for all your information MarylandNed - seriously helpful. I am due to attend a seminar in Birmingham at the end of October, so hopefully if I take my diploma etc there someone can give me a better idea too. I am more than happy to do more modules for cap points in the UK if necessary but have been nursing for over 20 years, with ongoing training associated with the roles, so hopefully this won't be required. Thanks for your response, it has given me a lot more hope, take care. Also, if I find out anything useful for your wife I will let you know.

Re: Nursing in Canada
 

I don't think it is a case of having experience in the modules "if necessary" but that you are required to have experience in all the modules that Canadian nurses have done.

I well remember a friend having been recruited here as Head Nurse on a new adult Psych ward, 15 years of experience in the UK ............ the BC nurses insisted he had to upgrade and pass the Canadian exams in Gyne, Obstetrics and Paed.