Important Exams for Internationally Educated Nurses in Canada

Becoming a nurse can transform you in so many ways. The experience also varies from country to country. Considering the impact of the profession in Canada, one must know that nurses are one of the most trusted professionals in the country.

When the idea of continuing nursing education in Canada comes up, we all look for best nursing programs in Canada. However, the definition of ‘best’ can vary for all of us, depending upon our future goals. For most of us, being a part of the Canadian healthcare workforce is the end goal and that requires sufficient amount of skills, knowledge and experience. Before working, it is advisable to enroll in 2-year nursing programs in Canada or study two nursing programs in Canada. Doing so can help you to be a part of the competent healthcare workforce.

Well, if your definition for best nursing programs in Canada includes an interest to study specific nursing disciplines, then specialized nursing programs offered by INSCOL can be the right fit for you. Our programs are tailor-made to facilitate established pathways for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) in Canada.

Who is considered an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) in Canada?

A nursing graduate or a nursing professional who has obtained an accredited nursing degree from anywhere apart from Canada is known as an Internationally Educated Nurse in the country.

Say, if your home country is India and you have successfully completed your nursing diploma/degree from there but want to continue your nursing education in Canada, you’ll be referred to as an IEN in Canada.

Before applying for any study program, one must also note that the eligibility criteria for IENs might vary in every province of the country. The requirements for nursing programs in Ontario can be somewhat different from that in other provinces of the country.

Best Nursing Programs in Canada for IENs

As an international student, you must look for programs aligning well with your academic history and future goals. Canada needs nurses with an advanced qualification in different nursing disciplines. Nurses with an exposure to disciplines like mental health and gerontology are highly preferred in the country.

Before studying nursing in Canada, you must carefully research about the program options available. Studying 2-year nursing programs or completing two nursing programs in Canada can strengthen your profile for the registration process in the province. To simplify your choices, INSCOL has an exclusive range of specialized nursing programs, tailor-made to boost career choices for IENs. With our programs, you also get an exposure to real time scenarios, inducing hands on practice in diverse healthcare settings.

Specializations like palliative care, community mental health and nursing leadership & management include modules catering to cultural diversity, issues in mental health nursing and leadership studies. Adding to the pool of advantages is the RN/RPN exam preparation module that is a part of the nursing leadership and management program.

So nurses, before making a move, give a strong consideration to what you’re going to study and how is it going to create an impact for you in the long run.

Four Important Exams to Know About

The process for nursing registration is similar in every province of Canada but it is possible that every nursing body will assess you differently. In Ontario, you must clear certain examinations determining your competency to work as a nurse. Mentioned here are the details about four important exams, all Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) should know about.

1. CPNRE

The Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) is a competency-based examination for students who have successfully completed accredited practical nursing programs. In order to work as a Registered Practical Nurse in Ontario, you must clear this exam.

Evolving from paper-and-pencil to computer based testing, CPNRE is now a technology driven examination conducted by Pearson Vue. There are 165-170 multiple-choice questions to be answered in the duration of four hours. To clear this examination, one must have a proper knowledge about practical nursing principles and their application in any given situation.

2. NCLEX-RN

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a mandatory exam required by association of nursing to assess a candidate’s eligibility for practicing entry-level nursing. In order to work as a Registered Nurse in Ontario, you must clear this exam. Before planning where you want to take the NCLEX, submit your application to a province or territory. This exam is only open for the students who hold an accredited nursing degree.

The sole purpose of this examination is to determine if you can begin practicing entry-level nursing or not. Questions for NCLEX will test your critical thinking skills to make judgements as a nurse. For details about preparing for and clearing the examination, you can also refer to an elaborated piece mentioning all you need to know about NCLEX.

3. OSCE

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) aims to assess your performance based upon your clinical competence. Falling under the category of Internationally Educated Nurses Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP), OSCE has been in practice since 2013.

The exam takes place in a setting similar to real-life clinical situations in order to provide a clear picture of an applicant’s nursing competencies than a strictly paper-based assessment.

You are eligible to take OSCE if you have successfully completed a nursing program designed to prepare you for becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in Ontario. Once your nursing education and experience if any, is assessed by the College of Nurses of Ontario, you must take this examination.

4. Jurisprudence Examination

It is an examination focused at testing your understanding about laws, regulations and practice standards governing the profession of nursing in Ontario. The jurisprudence exam is an open-book online exam you can write at any time during your application. You can take the exam as many times as you need. When applying to become RN or RPN, the jurisprudence examination remains the same. The only situation where you will have to take this exam again will be if you wrote it more than 5 years ago.

Questions for this examination are in the context of nursing rules, professional responsibility and everything ethical that you must be aware about before working as a nurse. For a closer look, it is advisable to check a few sample questions before writing the exam.

Source: CNO

Why study & work in Ontario?

When it comes to exploring new countries apart from your home country, Canada is a wise choice for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs). A large number of international nursing students are studying in Ontario. Many reasons make Ontario a favorable choice for you but the factor of being immigrant friendly is the strongest of all. Located in central Canada, Ontario has trusted colleges and universities offering reliable 2-year nursing programs for international students.

The fact that the province needs more number of RNs and RPNS in the nursing workforce assures there’s plenty of room for young nursing graduates.

Once you hop onto the journey of studying and working in Ontario, be prepared to undergo a transformation personally and professionally. Being surrounded by multicultural people can be an enrichening experience in various manners. From learning new patient care techniques to shaping new cultural perspectives, Ontario can be life changing for you.

Choose the Way Forward

Nurses, to have a secure future one must work in the present. The decision to move out of your home country can be overwhelming if you let it be. Once you’re sure about the driving forces behind it, you are set to be unstoppable!

Is Masters in Nursing the right choice after Bachelor of Nursing?

Nursing is a healthcare branch dedicated towards bettering the lives of people with diverse history of illnesses. Lately, the observations state that the field of nursing is opening gateways to global opportunities, for nursing students who have completed the basic level of their education.

Students who have completed bachelor of nursing from an internationally recognized college/university have a wide range of options for further studies. Many of you must be thinking to pursue masters in nursing, with a hope to take your career on the next level.

However, there are few things, which you must consider before going ahead with the master plan. To begin with, it is important to recognize the reasons why you want to pursue an education program after completing a degree in nursing.

Once you have identified the purpose, the next step will be to assess the value addition a future study program promises to bring along. So, once the two basic criteria have been identified and answered to, you must consider multiple other factors as listed below.

Relook at the finances involved

The saying “education is priceless” has depreciated because nowadays, education definitely does not come without a hefty fee. However, there are postgraduate nursing specialization programs, which can be a better alternate to studying masters in nursing.

With reference to the funds and tuition fee involved, you can any day consider studying 2-year nursing programsin Canada, which give an equal amount of exposure to the discipline of your choice. These programs also come with a potential to payback for themselves in a few years.

Masters in nursing can be a tough ride

The competency skills required to pursue masters in nursing can be challenging. In reality, it does not come across to be a feasible option especially when you are taking up a masters program abroad.

In a foreign land, you also have to juggle with part time work, which is key to survival, and at the same time, ensure that your clinical hours are complete. So, if you are under the impression that studying masters in nursing is going to be a cakewalk, then it’s time to see the bigger picture.

Explore more opportunities for international education

Canada, which is one of the highly preferred settlement destinations for nurses, has opened a gateway of opportunities for internationally educated nurses. The country is expanding its healthcare operations to meet the demands of the growing population of old people.

On these lines, famous colleges and universities in the Canadian province of Ontario are now accepting applications from international students who want to study nursing programs in Canada. The idea of pursuing a post-graduation program in a distant country can put multiple thoughts in your head. However, when it is Canada, it’s good to put to rest your apprehensions, as the country is famous for embracing immigrants who choose to pursue international education programs. Canada has been repeatedly recognized as the most immigrant friendly country and this is what makes it a highly preferred destination for international students. Not to forget, the nation supports a multi-cultural environment that improves the exposure quotient and scope of personal development in leaps.

Well, if you envision a positive shift in your nursing career, on a global front, then it’s time to know more about these 2-year nursing programs. These programs not only give you the freedom to pursue a specialization of your interest but also come with lesser financial burden.

It is when you enter the professional field in full capacity; you realize that there is a high population of nurses who studied postgraduate nursing specialization programs instead of pursuing a masters program. There can be plenty of reasons suggesting, why you should also do the same.

Postgraduate Certificate Program – why  a suitable option

If you have studied bachelor of nursing program and want to study in depth about a particular discipline of nursing, then a postgraduate certificate program will be a wise choice. Observing the trends of the nursing industry, you may realize that the more specializations you excel in, the higher are your chances of finding a job role with clarity.

Often there is a myth that postgraduate certificate programs do not help you in discovering the practical side of nursing. However, if you study a postgraduate certificate program in a particular specialization, you get an enriching experience in the form of simulation-based learning. There are dedicated clinical hours and practical assignments too, which help you to know the field of nursing inside out. 

Studying such programs is also beneficial with respect to the time involved. A postgraduate certificate program completes within a period of 8-12 months, which means in two years, you can easily specialize in two different disciplines. If you make a firm decision about accelerating your career, then with these 2-year nursing programs in Canada, you can nourish your nursing skills and gain exposure about specializations of your choice.   

Purpose of studying postgraduate certificate programs

Most of the times students hold back the idea of pursuing postgraduate certificate programs because there is a lack of clarity about how it will benefit them to advance their professional journey. Well, if you too are one of those students, searching for relevant study opportunities after Bachelor of Nursing, then here is something you must know about pursuing postgraduate certificate programs in Canada.

1.       These programs provide you with an educational route to gain exposure about a specific discipline

2.       Such certificate programs broaden the scope of understanding clinical operations in depth

3.       By specializing in a specific discipline of nursing, there comes a recognition of capabilities. This recognition increases the chances of role expansion and role change for a secure and highly rewarding future.

Nursing students who envision themselves choosing global pathways usually have a higher tendency of pursuing these certificate programs. It is when you need to complete a post-graduation program for securing a better job role but don’t have the time and funds to invest in a masters program, these programs come to your rescue. 

Many trusted colleges and universities offer certificate programs focusing on a particular area of specialization. The study material used to educate the international students is inspired from various nursing scholars around the globe, which can help you in shaping your ideologies as a nurse.

Reasons of studying postgraduate certificate programs

·         To develop practical skills in a certain discipline

·         To meet the criteria of attaining a licensure of practice

·         To stay updated and aware about the evolving field practices

·         You can broaden your career prospects on a global front by switching to a new specialization altogether

·         After the successful completion of two postgraduate certificate programs in Canada, you can apply for the nursing licensure examination

·         Clearing this examination further makes you eligible to work in full capacity as a nurse.

Source: Learn.org

Nurses, in conclusion, it all comes down to making a difference with every additional degree and study program you earn. Studying new programs can not only enlighten you but also increase your marketability for future job prospects. So, make a wise choice, consider the multi-folds of parameters stated above and choose the best suitable option.