Hi,

So we're in the process of applying to NNAS for my fiance and we've managed to get first set of documentation from her university to send off. Employers are also on our 'to do' list.

We've been looking at HealthMatchBC and the equivalent one for Alberta, but can't make head nor tails of the equivalent job she can apply for as there seems to be many sub-sets of jobs to choose from.

At the moment she works in a local GP surgery where she sees patients, takes bloods, does smears, does imunizations, ear syringing and general health checks including diabetes and asthma. She has been in this job for the last 10 years. She also worked in A&E for 11years back in Lithuania.

Is there an equivalent in Canada or can you suggest any of the categories we should be looking at ?

Hope this makes sense.

Frasser & Lina

I worked as a Practice Nurse in the UK, and now I work in BC as an RN. I have been here for almost 6 years and i know the process of applying and becoming registered has changed and become more difficult.
Nurses do not work in GP practices here, so there is no identical job. I work as a Public Health Nurse, this requires the RN to have a degree here in Victoria. I immunize, work with schools and do post partum visits. I also work for a sexual health clinic that is a non profit organization. I have Certified Practice with the CRNBC which enables me to do paps (smears), prescribe contraception, test and treat STIs.
It is different from my role in the UK, but I enjoy my positions.

have to agree with previous post, I too worked as a practice nurse in the UK but haven't seen anything like this here in NS. I know my husband's gp has a nurse but she is only part time if that and just helps collecting information together for the various paperwork he is asked to complete.

I am nursing in LTC and do find it very different that the UK but do enjoy what I do and also enjoy the pay which for me is better than I would be getting in the UK

Hi,
Here in Ontario there are nurses that work in GP practices..they run clinics do checks dressings etc..I would keep looking under "RN in family practice"

As far as I know there is not anything special or different from RNs working in hospital setting. I was asked to do the job, but it just wasn't for me, but there was no mention (at the time ,almost 2 years ago) of needing any special certificate or registration.

Thanks for the quick response and information.

Did you have to pass any additional tests etc to work in Canada or did you just go with existing qualifications ?

charlottyb you mention you had to have a degree to work in Victoria - was that in addition to UK nursing qualification ?

Silverdragon102 what province do you work. Lina has done care home stuff before and maybe that's another route for us to look. How did you manage to find the LTC work ?

snowhugs there is no RN in family practice roles when we're looking for nurses jobs on healthmatchbc, just a whole list of 48 'specialities' - would you suggest we just choose all, or do you think we can look for something more specific ?

Thanks,

Frasser & Lina

I live in Nova Scotia, each province is different but most seem to require some form of assessment with many having to do further courses. LTC isn't too bad, pay reasonable and the company I work for has many homes and my shift pattern is work 5 weeks and 6th week is off due to the amount of hours I work, I do have to use 4 hours vac time but it is nice to get the week off.

Most provinces require BSN but will assess especially if qualified a long time. I was assessed at diploma but had not issues finding work

I trained a while ago, when we did RGN training and it was hospital based, mine was at the RUH in Bath. When I moved here to Victoria the CRNBC accepted me as an RN, I just had to write my CRNE exam. You don't have to have a degree to register and work as an RN in BC. There are plenty of jobs to apply for that don't require it.
I realized I wanted a position in Public Health Nursing, and I needed that BSN. So I did it here, online through UVIC, whilst I worked full-time in my sexual health clinic job. It took me 3 years. It enabled me to apply for my current Public Health role with Island Health, which is the local health authority.

Hello,
I was just reading through the posts and noticed you are nursing in NS...I am getting all sorted for our big move to Halifax...I did apply just before the recent changes however it is still a very very long process...but hey ho... from your experience can you tell me what is the actual different on the job market between LPN and RN...I could obtain a LPN registration straight away...I just got the letter through the post recently, but I am working within cancer settings here in UK and I am want to do the same in Canada, as far as I am aware for that I will need a full RN status rather than LPN...hence I still have a lot to do...but is it really the case? do you happen to know?
Thank you
Kasia

I am new to the forum...I was trying to reply to your post...I am not quite sure if it worked anyhow, if you could scroll down to my post I will much appreciate technology and me...well not a good match...today

You would still need to sit the Canadian LPN exam which is held 3 times a year here in Canada. Job market isn't great at the moment where I live but in Halifax might be a bit better however you would be better once you have your LPN is getting casual as most jobs which are advertised tend to go internal first and then by seniority working way up to full time. Haven't seen many cancer setting jobs advertised but you could look up palliative care but again I haven't seen jobs advertised much and the ones I have seen have been RN

Hi thank you for reply...yes I still need to sit the exam but I can work with temporary licence until then...so I was informed...i just decided to go ahead with assessment for an RN registration...i am booked for 5 days session in May and I am under no illusion that the outcome will be to do some form of bridging course...fingers crossed I will only need the online based modules...so probably i am looking at another 8-9 months before I can even sit an exam but I do hope it's for the best on a different note do you like your life in canada? How does one go shopping without full price for a product being displayed...does it just become a second nature to add the tax?

I find the college very quick to answer questions and I had to do a few modules which took 4 months each with a test in the middle and at the end of each module. Not sure if these guys still do it but I found them great and very helpful RNPDC - Registered Nurses Professional Development Centre

Shopping I guess I have just got used to it. In NS it is 15% and because I use debit mostly I don't think about it. On days when I have gone grocery shopping and they are having a tax free day I end up saving approx $15-20 dollars.

I love it here, live far away from Halifax but still close enough to visit, which is probably a handful of times a year. Live closer to NB and find lots of really nice places to visit and watch the wildlife or take in local communities