3 replies to this topic

[Creampuff]

Hi all!

I am just about to qualify in the UK and am hoping to move to Canada in about 18 months. I've had real problems finding out basic information about what its like to nurse in Canada eg, pay, vacations, working conditions etc. Can anyone give me some guidance. I am particuarly interested in Toronto and Vancouver.

Thanks!!

Bruce

[Holly_RN]

Some of your answers are found at www.cno.org. (College of Nurses of Ontario) Hospital nursing shifts in Toronto are generally twelve going on fourteen hour shifts. Most Toronto hospitals are unionized. Vacations usually start at three weeks. I've retired so I'm really not up to date on the pay scale. There is a shortage of nursing jobs. The shortage of nurses is artificial. Hospitals hire casual nurses to avoid paying benefits and control the fluctuation in nursing load. However, that situation is changing with better gov't funding. Still....it'll probably take a few years to work the decline out of the system. In the meantime, nurses are becoming tired and frustrated. We've subsidized the health care system for years. Still, the rewards are other than financial.

[raecatherine]

hello! my fiance is canadian and we are very much in the process of deciding where it would be best to live...as an oncology nurse, i'm very interested in hearing what the working nurse conditions are like especially in the vancouver area. i'm interested in knowing (for inpatient care) generally what are the hrs, patient assignment/load expectations, general pay scales, and of course (the good stuff!) typical vacation coverage....

any information are you willing to pass on is very much appreciated!

[BritNurse]

My wife is Canadian, and we're also thinking of a potential future move to Canadian shores

The review of Toronto nursing seems to be spot-on from what we've heard. Can anyone give us the heads up on Vancouver / B.C. working conditions?