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The Bane of Adulting IENs Part 2: Taking Control

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The gospel truth: Canada is one of most difficult, if not, the most difficult nursing jurisdiction to get licensed with in the world likely placing IENs in a precarious situation. The good news is, because of more information and success stories, more and more IENs are starting to get recognition in Canada. However, as first generation immigrants who are yet to transition in to Canadian life licensing is not just one of the dozens of problems that we face on a daily basis.

Taking Control

Whatever situation you are in, you could never go wrong with taking control. Gather all the pertinent information you need to know. We need to know what we can modify. Always bear in mind that in Canada, you are being assessed according to:

  • Your nursing schools' BSN program (not your countries')
  • Your English language skills
  • Your RN experience & practise
  • Your RN skills and knowledge
The last three, are criteria that you can do something about. Do not cry over your nursing schools'  program comparability. That's it and may be final. This can be debilitating and can affect your morale. Move on. Your chances for victory over a 40-year foreign credential evaluation expertise by CGFNS (the firm behind NNAS) is low to zero. The underlined criteria are the two that have weight.

Communication Skills

Your English language skills CAN improve. Start practising. Start speaking with native speakers and be observant. You don't have to do formal training to improve your grammar. You don't have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to learn a language that you have learned since pre-school!

So how to improve then?
  • Speaking clubs, interest groups at your local library in Canada (mostly free)
  • Online resource and YouTube videos
  • Engage with your super nice and friendly Canadian native speakers
Ignore the grammar bullies but accept corrections and learn from them. Pansin nyo mga native speakers, they don't use highfalutin language in everyday life. Jusko, saten lang yan para ibigin. *Eyes rolling* Start watching MORE English TV shows/movies. Hinay hinay na sa Eat Bulaga bes! Naku tigilan nyo yan! It's not how you were brought up by your parents or whereever neighborhood you were raised as a child. In reality, being waived from passing the required English exams is a work in progress. Bes, when you're practising you can't tell your manager, colleagues and patients: waived po ako ma'am/sir please turn on subtitles. Diba? This is not to undermine your efforts/chances of getting waived but this is reality on the ground that we face every working day as a professional nurse. A twang on your accent is NOT necessary. As you meet more people in Canada, you'll learn to appreciate different accents from diverse origins.

Professional RN Experience

If you think that you lack the required RN hours, don't get excited to fly to Canada but earn some more hours. Remember, ONLY the last 3-5 years are being assessed. This means that you should be actively practising from 2014 onwards. As much as possible, do not leave the country if you have 0 RN hours. You're potentially putting yourself in the most precarious of all situations.

RN Skills & Knowledge

Nursing skills and knowledge goes with RN experience. Start talking with kababayans who are practising RNs in Canada and start asking about their practise. Learn what's best practise in Canada from them. If you are working as an RN in a developed country, you have the advantage. But learn about the standards of practise of the Canadian jurisdiction you intend to get licensed with, learn professional communication, learn how to liaise multidisciplinary care. Review your basic nursing concepts. REMEMBER, you are being assessed as an entry-level RN for initial RN licensing. Bes, STOP thinking about cardiac catheterisation concepts. Nope. They won't test your skills/knowledge about that on your skills and knowledge assessment exams. Entry-to-practise concepts lang po talaga. Huwag nyong gawin complicado, please! Familiarise the NCLEX-RN.

Listen grasshopper and learn from the ants. 🐜


Image source: https://teezolifestyle.com/products/taking-control-tshirt
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