Facts to Know Before Studying Nursing Courses in Canada

The thought of pursuing a nursing course in Canada can be alluring. Fancy scrubs and technologically advanced hospitals is how most of us envision the future of studying a nursing course in Canada. However, there’s much more to it. To help you make the right choice, here we have some facts you must know before studying a nursing course in Canada.

1.     Plethora of specializations

In the ever-evolving field of nursing, you can find a huge variety of specializations. Different nursing disciplines cater to different patient care needs, which makes the culture of ‘specialized education’ more likeable. Name a specialization and you get suitable nursing courses in Canada to enhance your skills in that niche. In a way, this is looked upon as an opportunity for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) to learn new techniques and explore responsibilities that are now a part of nursing.

Some common specializations that are highly preferred by nursing students in Canada are as follows:

1.      Cardiovascular Nursing

2.      Community Health Nursing

3.      Critical Care Nursing

4.      Critical Care Pediatric Nursing

5.      Emergency Nursing

6.      Enterostomal Therapy Nursing

7.      Gastroenterology Nursing

8.      Gerontological Nursing

9.      Hospice Palliative Care Nursing

10.  Medical-Surgical Nursing

11.  Nephrology Nursing

12.  Neuroscience Nursing

13.  Occupational Health Nursing

14.  Oncology Nursing

15.  Orthopaedic Nursing

16.  Peri Anesthesia Nursing

17.  Perinatal Nursing

18.  Perioperative Nursing

19.  Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

20.  Rehabilitation Nursing

To upskill themselves from all aspects, most of the students choose postgraduate certificate programs over master programs. One important reason for making this choice is that certificate programs are of a relatively shorter duration and yet cover most of the modules included in a masters program.

Masters in nursing can be tough when in a foreign land. Students have to juggle with part time work, which is key to survival. At the same time, completing their clinical hours is also important and that leads to unwanted pressure. Hence, when thinking of studying a nursing specialization in Canada, think of postgraduate certificate programs. They are affordable, time saving and bring along the benefit of studying nursing disciplines of your choice.

2.     Canada needs more nursing leaders

Gone are those days when the profession of nursing was restricted to patient care. In countries like Canada, nursing is an ever-evolving profession that identifies the importance of highly specialized team members. Considering the same, there is a huge demand of nursing leaders in Canada. The changing trends of patient care in the country are relying heavily on nursing leaders who can head departments with varying requirements.  

To explore the correlation between leadership and nursing, you can study nursing programs inToronto and build on your leadership skills with reference to nursing.

While deciding to study nursing programs in Toronto, consider studying Nursing Leadership & Management because one of its module helps you prepare for the NCLEX-RN examination, which gets you closer to being a part of the Canadian healthcare system.

Studying nursing courses in Canada makes you realize that nurses are doing much more than just basic duties. From being caregivers to patient educators, nurses truly earn the title of being a leader.

3.      Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in Canada

Originating from nobility, the profession of nursing is now one of the most valued professions in Canada. According to a survey reported by Global News, “more than nine in ten Canadians admire nurses because of the factor of dealing in trust.” The fact that nurses are regarded as honest, transparent and ethical strengthens the idea of pursuing nursing courses in Canada. Undoubtedly, it takes a strong will to be a nursing student and enter a profession that continues to advocate. Nurses advocate for their patients, workplaces, communities, and themselves. Without nurses, some patients would not be able to advocate for themselves. It is through advocacy that nurses continue to gain the trust and respect of their patients and families.

4.     Alarming shortage of nurses

As warned by Canadian Nurses Association, Canada needs more than 60,000 nurses by 2022.  One strategy for overcoming shortage of nurses is to increase Canada’s nursing population through immigration. The country is relying on Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs), to fill the gap, which means now is the right time to study nursing courses in Canada.

5.     “Think out of the hospital”

Not all nurses work in hospitals. Young nursing graduates nowadays are experimenting with their work place. With the popularity of specialty-based nursing courses in Canada, career opportunities have seen an upward shift. Those studying nursing programs in Toronto stand a high chance of finding exciting opportunities, as the city has a dynamic environment keeping some space for experimentation. In Canada, imagining a nursing career for yourself includes much more than PA announcements and fluorescent hospital lighting. A few non-traditional roles include working as a legal nurse consultant, mental health nurse, nurse educator, public health nurse, home health nurse, school nurse and research nurse.

Working in a variety of different environments helps to develop your skills and when in Canada, you must break the stereotypes. Getting out of your comfort zone and looking into non-traditional alternatives can provide better chances of using your education to build an interesting career for yourself while serving others.

6.     Canada is a pool of multi-cultural students

A majority of international students studying nursing courses in Canada hail from countries like China, India, Poland, Philippines, UK and USA.

Being the first nation to declare multiculturalism as a policy, Canada provides a harmonious environment, assuring all citizens are aware of their rights and responsibilities. The country accommodates over two hundred nationalities with more than 20% of Canadians born in other countries. Hence, the dominance of international students in the field of nursing too.

A majority of international students pursue nursing programs in Toronto since the city is home to 100 distinct ethnic groups. Being the largest city of Canada, Toronto accommodates a population of nearly 6 million people, which makes it one of the highly preferred location for visitors and immigrants.

7.     Salary & benefits

After completing your nursing education, there are certain things you must know about working as a Registered Nurse in Canada. These things include varying pay scales, professional benefits and the level of job security you can expect in Canada.

-          Average Salary

Many factors contribute towards deciding the basic salary of a nurse, depending upon the area of specialization and the working hours being put in. In most of the cases, the average salary of RN in Canada is more than CAD 60,000. The high paying scales for RNs make their job equally respectable as that of a doctor or any other high rank healthcare professional.

-          Flexible work schedules

Working as an international nurse can also offer sufficient day offs which are compensated against the each extra hour that you work. 

-          Health insurance is covered

Being a healthcare provider yourself, you get an access to comprehensive health insurance plans, which cover you and your family members.

-          Assistance in Child Care

To ensure full attention to the kids of nurses working at odd hours, many hospitals and institutions provide the facility of childcare where the kids are taken well care of, as and when required.

Getting a thorough knowledge of facts listed above should help you make the most of your study experience in Canada. Along with the advancement of your nursing education, studying a nursing course in Canada will also make you culturally aware as you interact with other people in their own native settings. So, get your facts checked, pick the right program and set on your journey to become a Global Nurse.

Life of Nurses in Canada & Middle East: A Comparative View

You don’t choose nursing, but nursing chooses you. Yes, it’s important to identify the calling towards values of optimal health and once you relate to them, know that you’re prepared to be a nurse. Working as a nurse can be demanding and exhausting but quite fulfilling if you’re sure about it. Initially, you might feel a strong need to be immune to certain changes coming your way, but the more you dive deep into nursing, the better you realize it all comes with experience. However, just like every career path has multiple growth prospects to it, nursing too has varying chances of growth depending upon different demographic settings. When we talk about different demographic settings, we cannot just limit it to the diversification in terms of ‘rural and ‘urban’ area nurses because in reality, there’s much more to it. Career options for nurses vary from region to region, city to city, and in fact, from country to country. Say, if you’re working in the Middle East region for now, you can any day find better opportunities in countries like Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Following the ever increasing trends of relocating to developed nations, a lot of middle-east nurses are immigrating to Canada. If you too are thinking on the same lines, then mentioned below are a few factors which might influence your decision to move to Canada as a nurse:

Competitive payroll & allowances

Nursing is a booming career option in the field of healthcare nowadays but just like any other field of expertise, it is dominated by end number of factors which influence the varying range of payrolls. The salary grid varies according to the hospital you’re working with, the area of expertise you choose and in which province, city and country you’re located. In Canada, a registered nurse receives minimum hourly wages of about CAD 22 and this can also reach its upper limit of CAD 40 depending upon the position and role being taken care of. This sums up to be a minimum annual salary of CAD 60,000 (approx.). Middle Eastern nurses on the other hand, receive an annual salary of CAD 48,000 (approx.), marking a downward shift on the graph of payrolls.

Work life balance

One thing which can always get to you as a nurse is the frequent need to maintain a healthy space between your work and personal life. You can get so occupied with the patient healthcare that there might be no time left to take care of yourself. Out of the many strong factors which contribute towards establishing this balance, the most important one is the impact your work place is causing upon you. Also, the changing landscape and the expectations of your employers can sometimes get in your way. Being a nurse in Canada has its own reasons for leading the league. Be it any region, the basics will always remain the same. Nurses will have to take care of sick people, they will have to work in shifts and the periodic stress of ensuring tasks on time will always prevail. However, with regards to responsibility, respect and autonomy, Canada is the most in demand hub for nurses as striking a balance there is relatively easy. Nurses in Canada are given an authoritative job where they can make decisions about treating their patient right. The professional environment for nurses here is relatively different as they can freely make the best calls for the improvement of their patients which further brings job satisfaction and also induces a decision making power. It is very important to feel positive and at par with your co-workers at your work place plays because it plays an essential role in establishing a healthy life balance.

Gender Equality

Very few countries maintain a gender ratio in the field of nursing as maximum areas have only female nurses. Well, considering Canada here, you’ll be surprised to see that men are equally efficient in nursing. The gender gap exists because of general stereotyping associated with the profession of nursing being female-dominated but in reality this is a mental block which is slowly fading away in developed nations. According to Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), the digits for male nurses in nursing schools and hospitals have increased manifold over a decade.  The same revolution however has not yet been seen in the Middle Eastern region as male nurses in this region have for long been viewed as any less masculine than their counterparts. When practicing nursing in Middle Eastern countries, it is highly important to know that your patients can demand to be treated by someone of the same sex and religion. So, being a female if you’re treating a male patient and he demands a change of staff, you must prepare yourself to not be offended by the same.

Stable Economy

Choice of settling in a specific country is dominated by the prevailing economic conditions in that place and presently Canada has the 11th largest economy in the world. This makes it the most preferred country for nurses. The citizens are also safeguarded from the social safety point of view and the economic institutions of the country are relatively stronger than the Middle East region and other regions.

On a comparative note, the sources state that Middle East by far has an unstable economy in the world. This instability further results in multiple conflicts, tensions, inter-state and inter country disputes which make the region a doubtful place to be chosen for a safe and secure career. Poor governance, corruption and demographic pressures too can be a big hindrance in the path of seeking stability.

Not long ago, Filipino President, Rodrigo Duterte appealed all the countrymen working in Kuwait to “return back home”. His speech was carried out in the name of patriotism but it still cited an example of demographic pressure coming in way for the immigrants. Issues like this one can occur frequently in the Middle East region, thereby reducing the chances of having a long lasting and secure career span.

Nurses, making up your mind can be hard as you’re surrounded with an explosion of options but always pay an extra inch of attention to the work environment and the quality of life which you’ve imagined for yourself. An appropriate study of the qualitative and quantitative aspects of both the options in consideration can help you in making a decision. Prioritize first and then choose from the best available options of settling abroad as a nurse. Professional commitments will always vary in different countries but it is very important to maintain harmony with the changes coming your way and how you want to deal with them. However, there always a few unchanging basics which every new nurse must know as they are always intact. Keep learning, keep growing and don’t forget to choose from the best international nursing programs which can benefit you in the long run.

Ever thought of becoming a Global Nurse? Here’s what all you need to know

Nursing is recognized as one of the most highly respected profession now. It has changed quite a lot over the course of time. To help individuals, families, and communities attain optimal health and maintain a quality of life, nursing plays a vital role in the healthcare sector.

With the passage of time, there are numerous growth opportunities in the nursing field now. You can take your career to the next level and grow by improving your knowledge. To be able to work in international healthcare facilities, INSCOL offers Global Nursing programs to the nurses from all over the world. The Global Nursing programs are keen on addressing the growing needs of nurses, and thus, help them upgrade their knowledge and skills to face the challenges ahead. 

Any aspiring nursing professional can now, become a global nurse. Along with getting better pay, there are chances to work in better-equipped and better-respected environment. A global nurse is multi-nationally educated and has a license to practice in multiple countries. A global nurse exhibits professional conduct and is highly knowledgeable with apt skills to help serve the patients better.

If you are working as a nursing professional and wish to enhance your career, there is nothing better than taking up the Global Nursing Programs by INSCOL. There is a dire need for highly qualified nurses in the healthcare sector today. You can, thus, join the workforce and serve the society as nursing is one of the noblest professions one can ever take up.