Siouxie

There are quite a few threads from RMN's hoping to move to Canada... here's a few threads to be going on with

BC - most recent: Mental Health Nurse (RMN, BSc) working in British Columbia
Uk band 6 rmn looking for salary advice
Mental Health Nursing
Uk psychiatric nurse moving to canada
RMN qualification in Canada
UK nurse moving to Canada
UK RMN WOULD LIKE SOME ADVICE PLEASE
Mental Health Nursing in Canada - HELP !
Moving to Canada: Adult Nurse and Mentail Health Nurse

Kayceeken

Dear Chentell,

Thank you so much for this reassuring post. Is he also doing the clinical hours online and ow much does it cost.
again, thanks

7InBC

Not wholly accurate. there are at least three colleges that I can think of in BC that offer Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) programs (either diploma or bachelors), Stenberg, Douglas and Kwantlen all based in the Vancouver area, though Stenberg offers all theory online. Qualifications from BC allow you to take the registration exam in Alberta for sure, and I would imagine Manitoba and Saskatchewan also. The registration exam for RPNs is the RPNC (www . rpnc . ca), with bi-annual sittings, and those with experience of both that and the NCLEX state it is the easier of the two. Colleagues of mine who immigrated from the UK roughly ten years ago were UK qualified mental health nurses and wrote the RPNC as were not eligible to write the NCLEX, however, I would imagine you may be able to take extra courses if you wanted to be able to work in more fields than just mental health. That would certainly aid you in having more choice when it comes to job hunting but would entail more time, money and hoops to jump through.
RPNs can only really work in that psych related fields or Long Term Care though RNs are able to get jobs across all specialities and in my experience do not necessarily need to have extra speciality training to work in psych. RPNs and RNs make the same money, regardless of diploma or bachelors level training, which may make a difference when deciding which course to take, but is arguably irrelevant if transferring from the UK.
One point to note, Canadian employers often confuse RPNs (ie Registered Psychiatric Nurses) with Registered Practical Nurses, whose training is more like an LPN, whose scope of practice is different and who are paid significantly less.

Chantell8115

Hi Kayceeken
The theory modules are done online and it cost around 572 per module if I am not mistaken. He did 3 of them that covers Med-surg. After that he has to do skills then after that he will do clinical in the ward, the clinical placement cost around 1k.

Hope that helps.

afra1999

Hi everyone!
I really need some advice. I'm planning on moving to Canada-BC soon within the next year or two as my husband is a citizen there in Vancouver. I am one year qualified paediatrics nurse and I wish to transfer my licence and register to be a nurse. however, I have heard that paeds nurses get rejected a lot as our qualifications don't match to their general nursing.

questions:
1. should I bother going through the whole process of transferring my licence or move to Canada and re-start the degree in Canada? (which would be cheaper option)
2. if I do apply, can I move to Canada and continue the registration process?
3. Do I need a certain amount of money saved up to show that I am eligible to afford to be a nurse there or is living with your husband enough?

Caitlinbradshaw

Hey! I am in the same situation as you as a uk paediatric trained nurse looking to move to nova scotia as my partner also lives over there. I am currently in the process of waiting for my report from NNAS after spending a significant amount of time researching the different provinces and their requirements! I have applied to NS and NB as i have come across another person in our situation (paediatric trained) and she was given a comparable report! (IT GAVE ME HOPE!!!)
1)It is definitely a very long, slow, expensive process- however I personally think it would be a quicker and cheaper option to complete a NNAS application and try to transfer your registration across to Canada, unless however your partner can financially support you while you complete a 4 year degree to retrain in Canada! I have only been qualified 2 years and i couldnt think of anything worse than retraining for 4 years again!!!
2) I personally think it is easier to be in your home country while completing the NNAS application as it makes it much easier to compete all the required documents and chase them up also! Also, you would have to think about how you will get in to the country and what visa etc you are going to use while you stay in canada waiting for the application to complete- it can take years!
3) im not sure if its province dependant but i know if i want to apply tthrough express entry i have to have £7500 saved prior to my application.

I dont know if this is at all helpful and its all personal opinion but its information that should make your decisions easier!

Siouxie

Hello and welcome to BE

Your husband can sponsor you to become a Permanent Resident - this is the easiest route for you. (once you are a PR, the fees to study would be lower, if you need to upgrade your qualifications) As a Citizen, he can sponsor you if he is living overseas with you (if he was a permanent resident only, he would have to be in Canada to do so). You can read more about it in our wiki - the first link is the basics, we have more information should you decide to apply. https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spous...sorship-Canada / https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Spous...lication_Forms

As to the nursing situation -
It's best to get the full details of what you will need to do, from the official website: https://www.bccnm.ca/RN/applications...ionstages.aspx - you may need to undertake some additional courses if your qualifications don't match what is required. It's a long process.

There are a few threads on nursing here that you might find of use:
UK children’s intensive care nurse, can I work in Canada?
UK nurse moving to Canada
Child nurse moving to Canada
Trying to register as a UK Nurse in BC through NNAS during COVID-19

Siouxie

If you are married (or are living together 'as if married' for a period exceeding 12 consecutive months), your partner/spouse could sponsor you for Permanent Residence - no need to apply through express entry that way (and no minimum funds required). If you were required to upgrade your qualifications, as a Permanent Resident the fees would be lower.

Kayceeken

Update on my application.

Applied 03/09/2021
NNAS received all my documents on 22/10/2021

I received my NNAS report today and was deemed Comparable.

I'll now apply to BCCNM, FYI I'm applying to register as a psychiatric nurse.

Does Comparable report smells good omen?

mdonald1987

That’s brilliant news, Kayceeken!

From my reading, comparable is good in the sense that they won’t be asking you to re-do your entire degree but you will still be required to complete the NCAS CBA and SLA. Then it’s a case of waiting for the results from that to see what gaps, if any, they’ve identified. Given the fact that Psychiatric Nurses are viewed as their own distinct branch of nurses, you won’t be expected to have the knowledge of paeds/adult/midwifery training that the other nurses will. Although, it does appear that Psychiatric Nurses do have more physical health training than UK-trained nurses. Just take it a step at a time and deal with what is in-front of you. When I think about the process as a whole, I get really overwhelmed!

Kayceeken

OKay. Fingers crossed as I've read some general trained UK nurses got comparable results and were allowed to sit the NCLEX exams without doing any bridging programs. Hopefully is same for me.

How about your application?

Kayceeken

Hi, so BCCNM came back to me with two options to progress my application.

Option 1 is the NCAS assessment
Option 2

1. Complete the following courses to be eligible for Provisional Registration, write the national Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Exam (RPNCE), and register with BCCNM:

1.  
   1. Clinical Nursing Skills; and
   2. Common Physiological Conditions in Mental Health; and

1.  
   1. Consolidated Clinical OR Provisional Registration with limit/conditions

** If Provisional Registration is chosen over a consolidated clinical, we can discuss further the limit/conditions placed on your registration. Provisional Registration generally is only granted if the applicant has a firm offer of employment. Additionally, we would require a supervisor/employer reference that speaks specifically to your current nursing practice.


Have anyone taken the second Option or knows how I can complete the identified courses and if these can be done online.


Kindest regards

Chantell8115

Hi Kayceeken

So my husband went through Alberta he was also given Option 1 like u, and option 2 courses and clinical but they gave him the information on where to do the course. please check this out if any help, you can also contact John who provides the courses he was also a British RMN and he is very good. https://www.jcollinsconsulting.com/index.php that the information, hope it helps.

all the best!!

mdonald1987

Very exciting but so many questions!

Do you know what the consolidated clinical practice will involve? And what will those limitations be? Can you do the consolidated clinical whilst working under those limitations?

I’ve just done a little Google search and found that both courses are offered online by Douglas College.

https://www.douglascollege.ca/progra...ourses/pnrs552

https://www.douglascollege.ca/progra...ourses/pnrs115

Of course, check with the BCCNM first that they don’t have a list of preferred colleges, and that the above courses do meet their requirements.

Good luck with it all and keep us all posted 😊

mdonald1987

Sorry, only just seen this.

We still haven’t made an application. Things just keep getting in the way. We will, one day. And hearing your journey helps us to stay motivated to do it, so thank you.