Nursing Issues in Canada
Nursing in Canada can be a very rewarding job, but it can also be very challenging. Since Canada has a universal health care system, being a health care provider in Canada differs from being a health care provider in other countries. Yet its challenges are similar to those in other nations, including the United States.
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Becoming a Nurse
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Canadian nurses must complete a post-secondary nursing program and become certified by the nursing college in at least one province or territory to start practicing as a registered nurse. Depending on the province or territory, the post-secondary program can be a four-year baccalaureate degree in nursing or a three-year diploma in nursing. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia require a baccalaureate degree, but all other provinces and territories accept either a baccalaureate degree or a diploma.
International Application
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Nurses from other countries must obtain a worker's visa to work in Canada. The local Canadian Consulate can help with applications for worker's visas. Nurses then need to contact a nurse's college in the province or territory that they wish to practice in, since certification differs from province to province. To practice nursing in Canada, nurses need to be fluent in either English or French, depending on the province or territory. Being fluent in both languages is also a great asset.
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Average Salary
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The average salary of a nurse varies depending on the province or territory. The average salary for a nurse differs from province to province. Newfoundland and Labrador has an average salary of approximately $46,372, while Alberta pays the most; approximately $65,694, according to a June 2008 article in the "Toronto Star."
According to a CBC News special on nurses in Canada, not including Alberta, most nurses complain of low salaries. Canadian nurses would like to see an increase in wages for their difficult jobs. In addition, nursing unions would like to see a higher hourly rate for overtime, night-time and weekend shifts.
Rigid Schedules
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Nurses in Canada are unhappy with their inflexible work schedules, according to a CBC News special on nursing. They find themselves working very different shifts at all times. Working overnight, then daytime, then weekend shifts consecutively interferes with the lives of Canadian nurses and decreases morale.
Workloads
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Canadian nurses are subject to an immense workload, mainly due to budget cuts, according to a CBC News special on nurses in Canada. These budget cuts have, in turn, caused a shortage of nurses as well as less staff in other departments, leaving nurses to take responsibilities that are not a part of their job description. This workload has affected Canadian nurses' ability to seek professional development courses and seminars, since there is usually no time or money allocated for professional development.
Lack of Full-Time Positions
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Even though the nursing profession is in high demand in Canada, the amount of full-time positions for Canadian nurses is limited, according to a CBC News special on nurses in Canada. Due to budget cuts, hospitals prefer to hire nurses on a part-time basis instead of hiring them full-time, due to the benefits that come with being a salaried employee. Of course, lack of full-time work means that the majority of Canadian nurses are worried about their job stability.
Benefits
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One of the greatest benefits to nursing in Canada is that there are plenty of job opportunities, since it is a profession in very high demand. Other benefits to working in Canada include employment insurance, maternity and paternity benefits, and sickness and disability insurance.
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References
- Canadian Nurses Association: Becoming a Registered Nurse
- CBC News: Taking the Pulse of Canada's Nurses
- Canadian Nurses Association: International Applicants
- "Toronto Star": Canada's Nursing Crisis Worse Than Ever
- Service Canada: Employment Insurance (EI) and maternity, parental and sickness benefits
Resources
- Photo Credit nurse with a syringe image by Photosani from Fotolia.com fifty dollar banknotes (canadian) image by redking from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Beverly OMalley
Jul 20, 2010
You should clarify the term "immense workloads." A single nurse will be resposbile for up to 8 patients in acute care. Mostly it is aroound 4-6 patients in the very acute areas. In intensive care units it is 1 or sometimes 2 patients.Unless you want all patients to have their own nurse it is unreasonable to expect lower patient ratios. However, because of the emphasis on early discharge nurses are required to prepare patients for discharge while they are still acutely ill. Often this fails as acutely ill clients don't learn that efficiently. Many people are disharged only to return with a larger problem than what they started with. It is a systemic issue and will not be solved by hiring more bedside nurses. Continuity of care and home support must be added to tool kit of solutions to this problem.
