My Pinoy IEN Story: The Eastern Calling

Different struggles, one goal, three stories. Stories that galvanize your passion to be the Canadian RN you always wanted to be. The Pinoy IEN had the chance to talk to three Pinoy IENs from Canada’s East Coast. From the Canadian capital, Ottawa to the Maritime city of Halifax, learn from their experience and what made them took chances to make their dreams a reality.

Cathy Realiza, RN

Tinadhana

Pinoy IEN: WOW! Barely 12 months in Canada, RN kana agad agad! Ikaw lang talaga mahal ni God! Hahaha! Tell us your background.

Cathy: Hahaha. Hi! My name is Cathy! I graduated in Siliman University in 2009 and completed my Master's in Nursing major in Maternal and Child Nursing in Misamis University in 2012. I have over 5 years RN experience and most of my assignment was in the hemodialysis unit. I came to Canada just barely a year ago under the Québec Skilled Worker Program and have lived in the National Capital Region (Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada) since then.

Pinoy IEN: So why didn't you process your RN in Québec?

Cathy: Québec is a beautiful province we all must say. Pero nag NCLEX-RN ako in 2012. I am aware that the full-time 6-month long RN bridging in Québec is free at may monthly subsidy pa. But learning French to have plein droit d'exercice (Full/Unrestricted Right to Practise)... char hahaha.. as RN would drag me. So I chose to apply in Ontario instead. Why complicate things when there's an easy way to do it that is low-risk! English lang ang puhonan... a language of which you are familiar of since pre-school.

Pinoy IEN: *Nosebleed* Hahaha! Kaka pagod na nga mag English minsan. Nauubos ang English ko sa ika-3 day na magkasunod na shift friend! Kelangan mag reload ng 1 week lol! Uy there's nothing wrong about taking risks but these should be calculated risks. You determine calculated risks from the information you gather from people, from reliable sources, from first-hand experience. Pros and cons of all angles.

Cathy: Truth. I love languages friend... I took French courses at the Alliance Française de Cebú for several months. Pero to pass a French exam or to do additional French courses to get the most coveted full RN licensure is way too much of an effort to do. As a matter of fact, I got my proof of English proficiency waived! I have to make critical decisions for myself. If I make delays my Evidence of RN Practise will be at risk which should be within the last three years for Ontario.

Pinoy IEN: Québec does have its own way of doing things. Di ka nga full-licensed RN without meeting the French language requirement. So basically, CNO jurisprudence lang talaga tinake mong exam?

Cathy: YES!

Pinoy IEN: That is so AMAZING! Typically, it takes at least 18 months average to process for RN licensure from NNAS to RN licensure. Why that fast? Anung secreto mo?

Cathy: I believe that God led me to the right people. Knowledgeable people who really want you to succeed in life. I am blessed to have known good friends in French school wayback in 2014. I met Yen one of her cousins is one of the Admins of the Pinoy IEN. Nung sa Pinas pa ako kinukulit talaga ako na mag process before coming to Canada. Dagdag gastos siya for someone who is trying to gather resources for immigration pero everything was worth it and I got a Somewhat Comparable to Canadian RN Education NNAS Advisory report! Seeing 'RN Entitled to practise WITHOUT restrictions' on the public registry made me speechless! Elated.

Pinoy IEN: The moment you write down your full RN license number for the first time on your resumé is one of the best feelings ever!

Cathy: I know!

Pinoy IEN: So anu na ginagawa mo ngayun?

Cathy: Job-hunting of course! Within the week after I received my RN license, I received calls for interview all scheduled in the next few weeks. Naka appointment na lahat in March. I'm looking at working in the hemodialysis unit again as this is my passion pero open din naman ako sa ibang areas. I received a call from a home hemodialysis company, from the Ottawa Hospital, from a dental clinic. I am overwhelmed. There's just too much opportunities to take a chance on!

Jestaley Bandayrel, RN & Glenda Moraleja, LPN

Good friends. Right People.

Provincial healthcare budget cuts for human resource and impossible, lagging IEN processes made these small town girlfriends, Jestaley & Glenda to move out of their comfort zone in Neepawa, Manitoba for an adventure with a purpose in Atlantic Canada.

Pinoy IEN: How long do you know each other?

Glenda: Jestaley and I were introduced back in 2014. We met at our workplace since then she became  one of my closest friends.

Jestaley: Dun pla tayu nag meet vaks? Haha. We started sharing ideas on how to proceed with our applications.

Pinoy IEN: Whose idea was it to try their luck in Atlantic Canada?

Glenda: Kasalanan to lahat ni Jestaley! Haha.

Jestaley: Kalurks! Haha

Glenda: It was her idea to try the Maritimes and when I was declined to proceed she told me to give Newfoundland & Labrador (NL) a shot. With research and asking questions around the Pinoy IEN group and friends in Halifax, we found out na magandang pathway ang NL so di na ako nag dalawang isip. I purchased another NNAS service for the third time. Haha.

Pinoy IEN: Grabe! Stock holder kana ng NNAS friend! Of all, why the Maritimes or Newfoundland & Labrador? Why not Ontario?

Jestaley: Hinabol din namin ang Evidence of Practise namin. Three years kasi ang window period ng Ontario.

Pinoy IEN: The key to successful RN applications is really to work on it as soon as possible. Kasi kaaway mo ang panahon. Slacking off would affect your chances of getting a favorable result!

Glenda: Tama. Medyo concern din ako sa evidence of practise ko kasi malapit na din yun mag expire. My application should be with the Association (of RNs of Newfoundland and Labrador) pero indi ko xa nahabol.

Pinoy IEN: How did your parents react on your decision to move to a region that is drab with desolation and gloom?

Glenda: Supportive naman sila haha! I always have the final say in all of my undertakings.

Jestaley: Supportive din naman sila kc nga it's part of adulting nga raw. Gusto ko rin itest ang sarili ko. I wanna prove to myself na kaya pala mag independent.

Pinoy IEN: Is this the first time you were out of home that long?

Jestaley: Oo first time ko to! Halifax is a vibrant city and it's starting to put itself on the map. Sabi nila ganito daw ang winter ganito daw ang lugar but you know what the people who are saying these things are the people who haven't been around in Canada! Snowless winter is amazing! Wearing of sneakers in winter is life in Halifax.

Glenda: The sight of the sea is compelling! Wala kaming dagat sa Neepawa. Snow madami! Minsan kasi sumama ako kay Jestaley sa Halifax. I'm excited to visit Saint John's to do my clinicals there!

Pinoy IEN: Were you all afraid or were there bouts of self-doubt before making this leap of faith?

Glenda: Of course yes! At first oo! But after I met some of my classmates in Winnipeg who are also in the program I told myself that everything will be okay.

Jestaley: Kung baga we're all in this together. Same din saken. Dalawa kami na pa fly in and out of Halifax in 2017 pero nag maternity leave xa so she had to have a break. I have flown to and from Winnipeg and Halifax for three times last year then finally moved to Halifax around Summer to do my clinical placement.

Pinoy IEN (to Glenda): Congratulations for making it to LPN registration in Manitoba! I am aware that you have gone through a lot on your RN registration processes. How did you overcome the hurdles in your application? At pinagsabay mo ang LPN bridging mo sa Manitoba at RN Reentry sa Newfoundland & Labrador. How did you do that?

Glenda: Exag naman! I was officially enrolled in the RN Reentry program at the Centre for Nursing Studies in Saint John's towards the final weeks of my LPN Bridging in Manitoba. Mahirap pero I have super friends (kasama na dun si vaklang Jestaley) in Halifax na puede mapagtanongan what to anticipate because the Maritimes and the Atlantic have almost similar programs. But I also had to prepare for the CPNRE dun talaga na time ang challenging. Preparing for an exam for a different nursing role and studying for the RN Reentry which is another type of nursing. Magkaiba ang scope of practise.

Pinoy IEN: Do you still have plans to move back home? What are your future plans?

Glenda: Maipasa ko lang mga subjects ko! Hahaha! Yan lang muna. One step at a time.

Jestaley: For now, I still want to stay in Halifax to work on my RN experience. Magpaka dalubhasa muna sa bedside care. Most of my RN experience in the Philippines was done in the clinic. Now, I work for CareCor, as a casual RN deployed over at the orthopaedic surgery, neuro surgery and medicine units. Nagcacasual din ako for a nursing home. I am starting to build up that confidence as a professional nurse. Mahirap sa umpisa but learning is continuous.

Pinoy IEN: Dami pera! Nabuhay sa casual ah! Hahaha.

Jestaley: Hahaha! Pambayad ng bills. Adulting eh! Oo. Nabuhay ako as casual. I get full-time RN hours sa casual RN position ko. Yun nga lang pa iba iba ng unit but in the same hospital so basically parehas lng ang ROP (Required Operational Policy) per unit.

Pinoy IEN: May plano mag US? Yung totoo? Lol

Jestaley: Of course! That's one of the perks you get if you have passed the NCLEX-RN. Borderless nga friend! Exciting!

Glenda: Oo naman! We are both Minnesota-licensed RNs. Magpaka totoo tayu te! Hahaha.

Jestaley: Kaloka di namin alam may VisaScreen pa pala pra makapag work sa US! Kalurks! Haha!

Pinoy IEN: Congratulations girls! God bless sa inyo!

Peer mentorship has proven to be an effective tool to successfully help IENs go through the tedious Canadian nursing registration processes. The key to its success is a genuine, honest relationship and must be matter-of-fact. Non-disclosure of experience or disinformation/misinformation could be catastrophic and abrasive. The Pinoy IEN aspire to help the Pinoy IEN Community make informed decisions.