Hi,

I am currently a Ward Sister working full time on an Elective Cardiology Ward. I have been qualified for three years and enjoy nursing immensely. I am currently in the process of applying for jobs in Canada (specifically Vancouver and Frasier Valley) and am a little unsure what to expect

I believe that I am not entitled to any paid holiday in my first year. Is this correct? If not, how many days paid holiday am I entitled to? If it is correct am I allowed to take any unpaid leave? What is the situation with working bank holidays? If I work these, can I take them back as time owed? I have also been talking to a nurse who works in the OR. She thinks that wards work 12 hour shifts, 4 days on, 5 days off, is this right? To be honest, I'm not too bothered about the shift patterns, I just want an idea of what to expect. (What can I say, I'm a planner!!!)

Finally, I am interviewing for some nursing vacancies in the middle of August and was wanting an idea of what the most recent Government initiatives are in relation to public health and the health service. For example in the UK I am very involved essence of care and clinical benchmarking. I was just hoping that I could have a read up before my interview, and hopefully drop something impressive into some of my answers!I'm sure I'll think of 100 more questions, but for now that's it. Any help or advice is much appreciated. Thanks

Heather

I can answer your questions about holidays. The legal minimum in BC is 2 weeks (10 days) unless you can negotiate more (rarely more than 3 weeks for new workers) in your contract. Generally you have to work your first year before you can take them although I think they show up as accumulated hours with each pay slip. I and my partner both took unpaid leave at our jobs. It depends on each each workplace/job contract. You get paid time and a half for working statutory holidays. I also believe if you work a five day week and work Saturday (at time and a half) and then come in on Sunday you get double time.

Hi, I have just started work ( May 2006) on Vancouver Island. I am currently back in the u.k finalising my house sale , and wil return to VI in 10 days.
I negotiated with my manager to have two days paid leave ( which I had accumulated) and 8 days unpaid. I think the "rule" to have no paid leave in the first year is ridiculous, even two weeks is not enough. Hardly an inducement to work in Canada
. I think if you show you are serious about staying and willing to work hard individual managers will be flexible. Mine was.
David

David,

Thanks for that. It's just so I have an idea of what to expect. I was just a bit concerned that I'd have no time to spend with my family and friends when they came across to visit. It's just a bit of a shock when I'm currently on 29 days paid leave! I'm more than willing to negotiate and I'm a hard worker and very flexible on what shifts I can work, so I wont panic just yet! Thanks for your time.

Heather

A great majority nursing positions in Canada will be unionised so there is no room for negotiating leave entitlements.

You might have more success negotiating if being hired by a private clinic.

I work as an OT for a Community Care Access Centre in Ontario and it employs mostly nurses as Case Managers. Nursing is unionised so holiday entitlements tend to be a bit higher than the private sector. I'm currently on 20 days leave per annum, I think the nurses get the same or higher. Try looking at advertised positions to get an idea of the standard or check your professional organisation or union website. I accumulate leave as I work, so will have a full year of entitlement by October, but I am allowed to take time off up to my current accumulation.

Health services and initiatives are provincewide, so it's best to research within the BC box - sorry, can't help you there, but there are many on this site in BC!

Do you have to pass an exam to practice in Canada?

I am an ICU nurse in Toronto. I was a sister in the UK but am now just a "normal" RN. Nursing over here is in the dark ages, initiatives come from the provincial government and most nurses aren't aware of anything (unless they are having to cover it for a course!).

Shifts vary - at our hospital there are 2 patterns:
12 hours (paid for 11.25) - work 2 days 2 nights 5 off - you have to do 20 shifts in a 6-week period so there are make up shifts on some schedules (every 3rd schedule I have 3 so end up using some stat holidays as you don't feel as if there is any time off).
2 weeks days 2 weeks nights - you get every other weekend off as the pattern is on mon + tues, off weds + thurs, work fri sat sun, off mon+ tues, work weds + thurs. Personally I found this very tiring with the long commute, but some of my colleagues living downtown prefer this pattern.
Some areas do the 8-hour shifts but it is not the norm.

In Ontario you get 15 days vacation for the first 3 years and then it starts to increase (these are 7.5 hours so it all has to be calculated to make up the 11.25 hours you get on a 12-hour shift). We also get 12 stat days. You get paid every 2 weeks and the vacation accumulates during each pay period - it states on my wage slip how much vacation entitlement I have and how much I have taken. So as soon as you start working you will start to accumulate vacation time. Your stats are usually set - if you work certain ones you are entitled to other ones off, though this isn't always enforced on our unit, I have worked most of them this year (not by choice). Over the christmas holidays you work christmas eve/christmas day/boxing day (yes, all of them!) or you work new years eve and new years day. Unsocial hours pay is very low (though I think it has also changed in the UK) - I get something like a dollar extra an hour on nights and weekends. If you work overtime it can be take as time off at time and a half, but is not generally encouraged - one of my colleagues from London does this so she can go home more often but they are now putting a time limit so that it can't accumulate too much. Stat days and overtime are paid at time and a half.

Most hospitals are unionised so there are strict rules. My problem is that they don't have to tell you until 31st May whether you have had your summer holiday approved - so it is impossible to book anything until then. The rest of the year you won't know until the schedule comes out (covering a 6-week period) whether any vacation has been approved. Most of the staff on my unit haven't been granted their vacation this year due to staffing levels (including me - haven't been granted any stats either even though we are supposed to take them within 30 days of the date). Apparently being short -staffed is a good enough reason for the union not to support a grievance.

Don't forget the wonderful existence of "seniority". Basically you will be at the bottom of the pile for holidays etc. If you get time off and someone more senior doesn't get their request they can take it off you on the grounds of seniority - many nurses stay at the same hospital because of this as losing your seniority is a really big deal.

Your UK qualifications (apart from a degree) won't be recognised, so if you have done management and teaching courses and a specialised cardiology course they won't know what it is.

I work with a lot of UK nurses. We are promised lots of things when we start but once you are working you are just another number. The management structure is different, anyone can be a charge nurse on a particular shift, it is not like being a sister. If you are in charge you get less than $2 an hour extra, this is only paid for the shifts that you are in charge. You are not involved in recruitment/performance reviews/management issues that you would be used to in the UK. Managers are more remote from their areas at our hospital, very different from what you would be used to.

It is a massive change, but at the end of the day I am paid more for having a lot less hassle. I go to work, do the job and come home and forget about it. There are opportunities if you are ambitious but they are often given on "seniority" and not necessarily to the best qualified - if your face fits you will be ok (that's not being bitter as if I could be bothered I could move forward but I don't find the motivation here). I started working in ICU in 1989 and we were much more dynamic then than it is now in Canada.

Also forget about autonomy - it doesn't exist unless you are a Nurse Practitioner (and then it is very limited). You need a doctors order for everything - some of our doctors are very junior and it is quite frightening at times - you have to learn to be very persuasive!!

I hope this doesn't sound too negative. Nursing over here is very different. I don't regret moving as the benefits in lifestyle compensate. Get the opinions of other nurses, it may be different in Vancouver.

HI I AM ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF EMMIGRATING TO ONTARIO,A PLACE CALLED WARREN BETWEEN NORTHBAY AND SUDBURY.I ASLO WORK IN ITU IN THE UK AND HAVE SET MY NURSING EXAM 2 YEARS AGO.STILL AWAITING VISAS.HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR VISAS?.I DO NOT HAVE A DEGREE AND AM NOW BEING INFORMED BY CNO THAT I MAY HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE IN ORDER TO WORK AS THEIR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS CHANGED IN 05.THIS IS EXTREMLY FRUSTRATING FOR ME AS I HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED A HOBBY FARM 2 YEARS AGO AND DESPERATELY WANTING TO MOVE OVER WITH MY FAMILY.I AM VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR ABOUT NURSING IN CANADA AND THE HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS,ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE ME ANY ADVICE REGARDING NURSING OR LIFE IN CANADA.

THANKS ELEANOR

Thanks to Sc Welsh for what is one of the most honest, accurate and comprehensive overviews of nursing in Canada at the moment . i work on Vancouver Island as a psychiatric nurse and eveything scwelsh said rings true. I have also gone to Canada for non professional reasons having had a managemnt career in U.k, and have quickly realised I will never change things on my own, and will work with others to improve things, but not make it a priority. Enjoying all the Canada has to offer is definately more important!