Tips for Internationally Educated Nurses

British nurse in nurses' station.
British nurse in nurses' station. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What you need to know about becoming a nurse in Ontario.

Ontario welcomes internationally educated nurses (IENs) who willingly want to relocate and even has a specific government program in place to enable them to practice and excel in the shortest time possible. However all nurses, regardless of background must successfully accomplish the same steps as Ontario nursing students, including:
*Getting licensed or registered by the College of Nurses of Ontario. This entails writing the national registered nurse examination as part of the registration program.

Learn more at Four Steps to Become a Registered Nurse.

Becoming a Registered Nurse

If you are interested in caring for people and are a high school graduate, you can eventually become a Registered Nurse (RN). There are some steps you need to take before you can turn your dream into a career, but they are straightforward and you’ll find there is plenty of support along the way. If you are interested in becoming a Nurse Practitioner, the steps follow below.

Step #1. You will need a post-secondary education.

Why? All provincial and territorial nurses’ associations have adopted the goal of having a baccalaureate requirement for entry into nursing. Evidence supports the fact that baccalaureate-prepared nurses are most able to provide safe, ethical, cost-effective and high-quality nursing care for Canadians.

The trend toward a university education for Registered Nurses (RNs) is here: with the exception of students in Quebec, students must choose to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing in order to prepare for an RN career.
 
Step #2. You need to apply to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) directly for an assessment.
All nursing graduates who plan to practice in Ontario must be registered with the CNO.
Once you are deemed eligible (after applying), you’ll take the registration exam. Why? This exam is designed to measure the competencies of nurses at the start of your practice.
In addition to the registration exam, you must successfully complete a separate jurisprudence exam by the College designed to evaluate your knowledge and understanding of the laws, regulations, and College by-laws, practice standards and guidelines that govern the nursing profession in Ontario. The RN Jurisprudence Exam is completed online.
Step #3. If you pass, you must meet four other requirements to be “registered” by a provincial or territorial nursing regulatory body in Canada.
After completing an eligible education program, showing the College evidence of recent safe nursing practice (usually completing the program) as well as successful completion of the national nursing registration examination; you must then show:
  • Evidence of fluency in written and spoken
    English or French.
  • Registration or eligibility for registration in the jurisdiction where a nursing program was completed.
  • Proof of Canadian Citizenship, Permanent Residency, or authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in the practice of nursing. *Good character and suitability to practice, as indicated by a Declaration of Registration Requirements and a Canadian Criminal Record Synopsis.
A valid certificate of registration from the College is required of all nurses who wish to practice nursing in Ontario and perform the procedures in theControlled Acts that are authorized to nursing.  The only member of the College is allowed to refer themselves as nurses in Ontario.


Step #4. Evolve your competencies.
Because nursing is a self-regulating profession, establishing and maintaining high standards of practice is critical — not only for the safety of patients but also the long-term advancement of the nursing profession. Researching and expanding nursing competencies through best practice development is another important contribution RNs can make after they begin to practice.

How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
In Ontario, Registered Nurses (RNs) with additional education and experience are in the Extended Class, also known as Nurse Practitioners (NPs). NPs have an expanded scope of practice including the ability to order and interpret diagnostic tests, communicate diagnoses, prescribe prescription drugs, and perform specific procedures.
NP is a protected title in Ontario (since August 2007). There are four NP specialty certificates within the Extended Class: NP-Primary Health Care, NP-Pediatric, NP-Adult, and NP-Anesthesia.
To become an NP in Ontario:
  • RNs must have obtained advanced education;
  • demonstrate evidence of safe practice; and
  • have passed an approved registration exam
    for the specialty certificate they want to pursue.

The CARE Program
Since 2001, a bridging program called CARE (Creating Access to Regulated Employment for Nurses), has assisted more than 1000 internationally educated nurses from over 140 countries to become registered nurses in Ontario. The program’s facets include supporting language requirements, an alumni networking group of CARE nurses, registered nursing exam preparation assistance, and observational job shadowing.
An evaluation of the initiative revealed that the CARE program doubled the success rate for internationally educated nurses writing the registration exam to 66 per cent from 33 per cent.
International RNs will need to obtain a visa to study or work in Canada. Contact a Canadian embassy or consulate regarding the criteria and procedures. To work in Canada, you may need an offer of employment.


Source: http://careersinnursing.ca/new-nursing-and-students/becoming-registered-nurse

Internationally Educated Nurses: Applying for Registration in Alberta

English: A view from the south of the Universi...
English: A view from the south of the University Hospital complex on the north campus of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


IMPORTANT: To work or accept employment in Alberta, Canada, Licensed Practical Nurses must have registration and a valid Practice Permit from the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA), as per the Health Professions Act (HPA) of Alberta.
Starting August 12, 2014, all internationally educated nurses (IENs) who wish to work as a Licensed Practical Nurse in Alberta must FIRST apply to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS).
Any applications that CLPNA receives from IENs on or after August 12, 2014 will be returned to applicants with instructions on how to apply through NNAS.

Applying to NNAS is for any internationally educated nurse (IEN) applicant who:

  • is a graduate of a nursing education program outside of Canada; and
  • is not currently registered to practice as a nurse anywhere within Canada as a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN).
If you do not meet the above criteria, see “If you are not eligible to apply through NNAS”
Already applied? Applicants who have already submitted their IEN Application for Registration and paid the required fee to CLPNA on or before August 11, 2014 will be assessed under our former process and will not be required to reapply through NNAS.

Did you read The LPN Profession in Alberta?

How to Apply

Effective August 12, 2014, all internationally educated nurses must follow these steps (in order):
  1. Apply to the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS)

    1. Set up an online account with National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) at www.nnas.ca.
    2. Complete the online application.
    3. Pay the required fee.
    4. Follow the instructions about which documents to submit for verification.
    5. Once your file is complete, NNAS will evaluate it and provide you with online access to an Advisory Report, which contains the results of the evaluation. NNAS will also send a copy of this report to the relevant regulatory body.
    6. You can now apply directly to the regulatory body of your choice and pay their application fee. You will be able to do this from your NNAS online account.
  2. Apply to the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA)

    1. After submitting your NNAS Advisory Report to CLPNA, CLPNA will ask you to complete an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) Application for Registration and pay the required fee.
    2. Once your file is complete, CLPNA will assess your file to determine whether you meet CLPNA’s:
      1. Registration Requirements for Internationally Educated Nurses (PDF)
      2. English Language Testing Standards
    3. CLPNA will notify you if you’ve been approved for registration and/or if further requirements need to be met.
Questions about the NNAS application process? Contact NNAS’s Customer Care Department at www.nnas.ca/help.
Questions about the CLPNA’s registration process? Contact CLPNA’s International Services Department at international@clpna.com or 780-484-8886.

If you are not eligible to apply through NNAS

Those not qualified to apply through NNAS have several options:
  • If you were previously registered/licensed as an Licensed Practical Nurse (or Registered Practical Nurse) in any jurisdiction/province in Canada, you may apply for registration using another route:
  • Individuals who do not meet NNAS or CLPNA’s registration requirements are advised to contact the schools below for the assessment of nursing credentials and/or clinical competence. Completion of a Practical Nurse program may be required.
Anyone who has not practiced as a nurse in the past ten (10) years is required to complete a full Practical Nurse program.
NorQuest CollegeOffice of Registrar
10232 106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1L6
Phone 780-644-6000Intake: Continuous
Website: Practical Nurse Refresher
Bow Valley CollegeProspective Student Centre
332-6 Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta T2G 4S6
recruiting@bowvalleycollege.caPhone: 403-410-1402Intake: January, April, August
Website: Practical Nurse Diploma for Internationally Educated Nurses

FOR THOSE EDUCATED IN A NON-NURSING PROFESSION

Individuals not previously educated in nursing (ie. paramedics, physicians, midwifes, etc), but interested in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in Alberta, should contact NorQuest College or Bow Valley College to determine if any transfer credit may apply.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR IENS

How to work as an international Trained Nurse in Ontario

Czech nursing students.
Czech nursing students. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In Ontario, nursing is one profession with two categories – Registered Nurses (RNs) and Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs). RNs and RPNs study from the same body of nursing knowledge. Programs for RN students are longer and more in depth, while RPN students study for a shorter time, resulting in a more focused body of knowledge.
If you are an internationally trained nurse and you want to practise in Ontario you must register with the College of Nurses of Ontario. To find out how to register, view the career map in the ‘Tools and Information’ section of this page.

Tools and Information

The Ontario Government has partnered with the College of Nurses of Ontario to create a Career Map for internationally trained nurses. The Career Map explains in detail every step of the registration process including the language requirements, labour market conditions, the credential assessment process and other important information.

Getting Help

DID YOU KNOW?

HealthForceOntario offers a number of services to health professionals, including a recruitment centre and jobs listing service.
Entry to practice requirements: You can find information on how you can practise as a regulated nurse in Ontario on HealthForceOntario.
Bridge training programs: If you are qualified in your profession but new to Ontario, you may benefit from a bridging program. Bridging programs help qualified immigrants move more quickly into their professions without duplicating what they have already learned.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) for Internationally Educated Nurses

York University
This program helps internationally educated nurses obtain the credentials needed to practice as a registered nurse in Ontario. The program offers participants academic training, skills upgrading, language training and clinical experience.
Program graduates receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and are qualified to write the Canadian Registered Nurses Exam.
Website: http://nurs.info.yorku.ca/bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-for-internationally-educated-nurses/
Contact: Heather Maunder
Telephone: 416-736-2100 ext. 30009
Email: ien@yorku.ca
Location: Toronto

Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses (BIEN)

Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology
This program helps internationally educated nurses meet the regulatory requirements to become registered nurses and registered practical nurses in the province of Ontario. The program provides participants with academic and occupation-specific language training, registration exam preparation support as well as supervised clinical placements and mentorship opportunities.

Practical Nursing Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses

Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology
This program offers courses in occupation-specific language, workplace culture and communication, technical skills, clinical practice in simulation labs, Canadian work experience opportunities, employment preparation workshops and exam preparation.
Centennial College also offers pre-program courses for internationally educated nurses waiting for their Letter of Direction from the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The pre-program prepares internationally educated nurses for success in Centennial College’s main bridge training diploma program.

Building Internationally Educated Nurses’ Intercultural Competence through Technologically Enhanced Learning

York University
This program is designed to increase internationally educated nurses’ intercultural awareness using technology enhanced learning. This program is a component of York University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Internationally Educated Nurses program, and is available to participants of the program.
Website: www.intercc.info/
Contact: Dr. Patricia Bradley
Telephone: 416-736 2100 ext 33182
Email: bradleyp@yorku.ca
Location: Toronto

CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses

CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
This program provides exam preparation, nursing-specific language training, counselling, financial advice, workshops, job shadowing, networking opportunities and job shadowing through health agencies in Ontario. CARE now has locations in Toronto, Brampton, Hamilton, Kingston and London.
Contact: Susan VanDeVelde-Coke, Executive Director
Website: www.care4nurses.org
Email: zramji@care4nurses.org
Telephone: 416-226-2800 ext 226
Location: Toronto, Hamilton, Peel, London, Windsor

Academic Pathway for Nurses Graduate Certificate

George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology
This program helps internationally educated nurses prepare for registration and employment by providing academic coursework, clinical placements, training workshops as well as mentoring and job search support opportunities. On-line courses will be developed and delivered in order to increase the flexibility of the program for participants. Completing the program leads to a nursing graduate certificate.

Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) & English as a Second Language (ESL) Nursing Project

Hamilton Health Sciences
This program is for internationally trained registered nurses and registered practical nurses working at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre. The program provides services to address training and employment needs from recruitment and orientation to full clinical integration. The program also includes clinical assessment, clinical skills development, problem-solving, communication skills training, team relationships, professionalism and managing conflict in a hospital setting.
Website: www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/body.cfm?id=2257
Contact: Daniela Dijmarescu, Project Manager
Telephone: 905-521-2100 ext. 77512
Email: dijmares@hhsc.ca
Location: Hamilton

IEN Bridging Program

Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology
This program helps internationally educated nurses meet the requirements necessary to qualify for the registration examination and to practice in Ontario either as registered practical nurses (RPNs) or registered nurses (RNs). The program includes enhanced occupational-specific language training, in-class academic or simulated laboratory training, clinical placements, cultural competency, workplace preparation and registration exam support.
Website: www2.algonquincollege.com/healthandcommunity/
Contact: Michelle Morley, Coordinator
Email: morleym@algonquincollege.com
Telephone: 613-727-4723 ext. 5339
Location: Ottawa

Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses

Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology
Mohawk College's Bridging for Internationally Educated Nurses program now provides distance education and online learning opportunities to internationally educated nurses in the Niagara, Kitchener-Waterloo, Halton, and Peel Regions.
This program helps internationally educated nurses prepare for licensure. The program offers prior learning assessment, academic and occupation-specific language training, and work experience opportunities. Upon completion of the program, graduates also receive an Ontario College Certificate from Mohawk College.
Contact: Nancy Brown-Fellows, Program Manager
Telephone: 905-540-4247 ext. 26737
Website: www.mohawkcollege.ca/continuing-education/bridging-international-nurses-certificate.html
Email: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/continuing-education/contact-us/contact-nancy-brown-fellows.html
Location: Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo, Niagara region

"Test for Success": Multifaceted Program to Promote Internationally Educated Nurse Success on the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE)

York University
The "Test for Success" curriculum has been embedded in York University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Internationally Educated Nurses program. A website has been created for participants to learn effective test-taking strategies and take practice tests in preparation for the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination. This component is available only to participants of the BScN for Internationally Educated Nurses program.
Website: http://nurs.info.yorku.ca/
Contact: Dr. Patricia Bradley
Telephone: 416-736-2100 ext. 33182
Email: bradleyp@yorku.ca
Location: Toronto

Regulatory Body

College of Nurses of Ontario
101 Davenport Road
Toronto, ON M5R 3P1
Telephone: 416-928-0900
Toll Free 1-800-387-5526
Fax: 416-928-6507
Email: cno@cnomail.org
Website: www.cno.org


To learn about occupations in Canada, visit 
Job Bank.Learning More

This site will help you identify the name of your occupation in Canada. It will also give you important information about your profession in many regions of Canada, including job duties, skill requirements and wage rates.


Source: http://www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/working/OI_HOW_WORK_NURSE.html

Coming to Canada as a Nurse – The Process

English: Two nurses with baby in nursery at To...
English: Two nurses with baby in nursery at Toronto East General and Orthopaedic Hospital, Toronto, ON (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In our last edition, CIC News explained how Canada has opened its doors to welcome internationally educated nurses. This article will focus on the different ways a nurse can come to Canada to work and live. As the demand for nurses continues to grow, nurses are presented with the opportunity to seek either permanent or temporary residency in Canada.
A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse seeking permanent residency in Canada is invited to discover the benefits of the Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) immigration program. Nurses with international credentials may also seek temporary residency in Canada if they obtain a valid job offer and subsequent work permit. Once working in Canada on a temporary basis, permanent residency options may later present themselves through alternate immigration programs.
Permanent Residency: The Quebec Option:
The Province of Quebec has implemented an immigration policy that reflects its high demand for nurses. With high salaries, available jobs and a rapidly expanding healthcare system, Quebec seeks to bring the best international nursing professionals to its cities and towns. The QSW program, the province’s most popular program for permanent residency, has been set up in a way that benefits qualified nurses.
The QSW program offers internationally educated nurses an opportunity to seek permanent residency in Canada without the need to secure a job offer. The QSW program is a points-based selection system and points are awarded for various factors which include age, education, area of training, work experience, language ability etc. If an applicant scores enough points to reach the pass-mark, he or she will generally qualify for a Quebec Selection Certificate, which ultimately leads to a Canadian permanent resident visa, in the absence of health and/or security issues.
The QSW selection criteria awards a significant number of points for French language ability. However, under this program many nurses are able to score enough points to reach the pass mark without obtaining any points for French language ability. This is because nurses are able to earn very high points for the “area of training” selection factor as well as high points for their education.
To find out more about the QSW program and its selection factors, please click here.
Temporary Residency: The Work Permit Option:
As the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is predicting a continued shortage of nurses in the future, nursing jobs in the country are more plentiful than ever. Internationally educated nurses may apply to work temporarily in Canada. Temporary residency for foreign trained nurses may be achieved if the applicant secures a valid job offer and subsequently, a work permit.
To begin this process, an applicant with a nursing degree from outside Canada must have their educational credentials assessed. Since educational credentials can be assessed from both inside and outside Canada, applicants are given the option to remain in their country of residence during the assessment process.
After educational credentials have been assessed, applicants must register as a nurse in Canada. When this has been completed, an applicant may initiate the process of obtaining a job offer and work permit in Canada. To facilitate the process of finding a job offer, some individual provinces have implemented services helping connect internationally educated nurses to employment opportunities in healthcare communities.
Once working in Canada on temporary basis, an applicant looking for permanent residency may then explore their immigration options through programs such as the Canadian Experience Class or Provincial Nominee programs.
How to register as a nurse in Canada:
Any nurse planning to work in Canada must be deemed as qualified to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed/Registered Practical Nurse (LPN/RPN). To qualify, an applicant must register with either the Canadian Nurses Association (CAN) or the Canadian Council for Practical Nurse Regulators (CCPNR).
In Canada registration requirements are established by individual provinces and territories. To register with the CNA or CCPNR, nurses must first apply to the nursing regulatory body of the province or territory where they wish to work:
British Columbia
Ontario
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Alberta
Yukon
Northwest Territories & Nunavut
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland & Labrador
New Brunswick
Quebec
 To find nursing jobs throughout Canada, interested individuals can begin by browsing the Canadavisa Job Search Tool.
In general, in order to be eligible to register as an RN or LPN, an applicant will need to demonstrate competency to practice. To demonstrate this, an applicant will need to have their education credentials assessed. Once education credentials are deemed equivalent to nursing education programs in Canada, the nursing regulatory body will then address whether other application requirements are met. Additional application requirements generally include criteria such as work experience, good character, language proficiency, screening for criminal history and registration in the jurisdiction where the applicant currently practices.
Once a positive assessment of the application requirements has been met, Canadian provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec, require that nurses write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) or Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE) as part of the registration or licensure process (the province of Quebec maintains its own registration examination). At present, these exams can only be written in Canada. Once an applicant has successfully completed the required examination, the applicant may be eligible to work as a nurse in Canada.
Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/08/coming-canada-nurse-process-082835.html

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