♥ It means to us that someone like you listens and cares

Dear Kim

Thanks for all the information you sent me. After two weeks of waiting and whining about how hard the listening test was, I received the test result yesterday and guess what… I actualy PASSED it. I got a 10 in Listening, a 9 in both reading and speaking and 7 in writing. It’s still not bad for my writing, though because all I care about is passing the test. And I’m so glad I did.

I really appreciate all your help and that last minute sample of the listening tests. Have a happy valentine’s day and more power!

Regards, MC

Well Well MC,

I am impressed! There are very few people who can do what you just did! Don’t worry about writing, you will have lots of opportunities to improve over the next few years.

Please ensure you keep in touch as you progress to becoming a nurse!

Sincerely,
Kim

_____________________________________________________________

Hi Kim,

Thank you! I am impressed too, at the way you appear to be replying to our messages personally. It’s really good to know that someone would like to find out how the different nursing associations across Canada handles the nursing registration of internationally educated nurses here. It means to us that someone like you listens and cares. It matters to us that you are able to help nurse applicants through the information we give. It matters little whether you would have an influence on the nursing association at all, though we wish you really could as that would be so much help.

Anyway, just so you know, I am not even halfway through the application process. The strict application here in Saskatchewan would start with getting all our credentials from the country and nursing school where we came from, a passing score for the English test directly submitted to them by the examiner, and a completely filled out questionnaire from our very recent employer. I am actually awaiting the Celban test results (to be submitted to them by Celas) and so is the questionnaire from my former employer in my home country. After they have received all these, then, I will all be ready for the assessment.

Until then, I will let you know. But my assessment regarding all these process so far is that, it’s hard to get into the nursing association here. Other countries like the United States does not require all these much, not even the bridging courses that they usually require here. All that matters to them is that you pass their nursing licensure exam (which from the time of your application til the time you have to seat for the test takes about a year) and the English test, and then you’re good to start your practise. Most of my colleagues in the Philippines who got the chance to work in the U.S. have already been practising for several years. I am also a U.S. Registered Nurse since 2009 (I took the NCLEX while I was still in the Philippines) and had I been given the chance to work in the U.S., I would have probably been an experienced and established RN since then.

Oh well, I am here in Canada and I can only hope that they will no longer require me to take any bridging courses which if they would, will be another obstacle in the race. I still haven’t asked around whether the bridging courses would be free or not here in Saskatchewan (I learned that the bridging courses are free in Manitoba which makes sense because you will be working for the people of your province, so why not give it for free). I would like to seat for the CRNE soon and start my career as a nurse here. So, good luck to me and to you as well. May you continuously help aspiring nurses in Canada like me and be a source of great inspiration for everyone.

Regards, MC

________________________________________________________

Dear MC,

Thank you for recognizing the personal messages. I love working with people, hearing stories, and cheering people along. I am coming to a point with CELBANPrep where the growth is making it so that I will have to have other people help me in this area, and I feel a bit of sadness knowing that I will not be able to connect with all the people personally, but will make it a priority that when I am training staff that they have the same level of care and concern as I do.

I laughed at your comment, about how little it matters that I can not influence the process. It was heart wrenching to me to learn about how difficult that process can be, but then it turned to motivation to do something about it: to make the process easier in some way.

The thing is, it does not matter to me whether people choose to subscribe to CELBANPrep. Sure I am here to help if people choose to do so, but I am also here for people who choose a different path, or people like you who are able to pass the exam on your own! My joy is in seeing people succeed in obtaining dreams of life in Canada, knowing that families and communities depend on singular individuals. The state of the world brings sadness to me. If I can help one person, who helps a community then I know that I am making a difference, I am doing what I was created to do, and I am taking my place as a global citizen seriously. So thank you for allowing me to do that for you. Thank you for taking the time to write… even though I have yet to get to the end of the letter! 🙂

I so appreciate you sharing your process, in Saskatchewan. I know the processes in BC and Alberta well, but SK has a slightly different process. I am still learning, so all you share is valuable to me. It will help me to help others in the future. I hope you will indeed keep in touch.

How discouraging it must be to see your friends progress, and to be seemingly standing still. That must be incredibly hard, especially having passed the NCLEX! I don’t have very much to say to that except for the fact that I am Canadian and would rather be a Canadian. Canadians are loved the world over, where as many Americans when they travel pretend to be Canadians. I love Canada. Shrug. Pretty lame, but it is what I have. On second thought, maybe it is worth more than that. My love for Canada is what motivates me to help others reach their dreams of life in Canada so however lame it may seem, my love for my country runs deep. It is a land of promise, more so than the US because of our multicultural mosaic as compared to the melting pot approach to culture in the states. I guess that is what I love most about Canada: the sharing of cultures, food, music, dance, language, traditions. I met someone who got sent to Canada while his friends when to exotic places. He was so sad. He wanted to experience so much more. After living here for a year he realized he had experienced more here in Canada than his friends had overseas: he had been invited into so many homes, had so many cultural meals, he was culturally satiated and very content.

Deep sigh. MC, I hope that I will be able to walk with you on your journey from this point forth. I hope you will allow me to do this. I also hope that I can get working on my CRNE books, so that you can be one of the first to experience, to learn and to grow. I will write with you in mind. I will write these books for you and for so many others I have not met and may never meet but who I know will feel supported and encouraged.

I am so deeply grateful for your e-mail! May the wind be at your back for the remainder of your journey!

Sincerely,
Kim