CELBAN Preparation in the UK and internationally

My name is Q , my colleague and l would like to take the CELBAN test. Prior to taking or booking  for the exam we would like to practise and prepare ourselves.

We are registered nurses currently based in London, UK, we are interested in migrating over to Canada next year.We will  be very grateful if  you recommend some preparation resource materials ,also wanted to know which states run preparation workshop for the exams .We would like to take the test … but most centres are fully booked.Which state are you based and do you running any  preparation  classes?

Hope to hear from you soon. Q

Dear Q,

Welcome! How excellent to hear from you in the UK!It is very wise of you to prepare for the exam before you write it, and even more so before you come to Canada.

Basically it can take up to 6 months to prepare for the exam, so now is a good time to start for an exam…. Some people can prepare in less time, depending on their strengths and weaknesses. 

The good thing about CELBANPrep is the fact that everything is online: available where you are, when you are. This means that all of the resources are available to you in the UK, before you come to Canada. The titles that are available on Amazon UK are:

• CELBANPrep Speaking
• The CELBAN Trap: 4 Ways IENs Fall
• CELBANPrep Writing Level One
• CELBANPrep Writing Level Two
• CELBANPrep Reading Complete
• CELBANPrep Listening Complete

In Canada we have “provinces” not states. Each province has a different process, and different requirements to become a LPN or RN (which continues with the announcement of the National Nursing Assessment Services) but basically they are all the same: high English scores, some kind of equivalency exam, a practicum and the national exam. Here is a link to the required scores. The order of the steps may change, but most provinces have all of these steps. Here are some examples that were posted some time ago:

• CRNBC: New application process for Internationally Educated Nurses

• Criteria for Registration and Licensure (IENs)

• CRNNS: Enhanced IEN Application Process

• ARNPEI: Internationally Educated Registered Nurse Applicants

However, with this said, the testing for the CELBAN is centralized by one organization with many locations and testing sites. A new national administrator for the CELBAN has been administering the exam since September 2014.  As such you would register with the main organization at http://www.celban.org, and choose the location where you would like to take the exam, with their online registration.

So starting your CELBAN preparations, from where you live outside of Canada, now is a good idea. One of the best things is that there are many resources to help you to prepare, through Amazon in the UK and in other places!

But the exam is only offered in Canada. So you would have to make some travel arrangements. I have heard of people coming as a visitor to take the exam.

Where you take the exam, does not have to be where you reside or plan to reside. People from one province often travel to take the CELBAN in another provinces, when seats are available. So deciding on which province in which to settle is a different question altogether!

The most important thing is that you take into considerations the predictive factors that can determine if you are able to avoid falling into the CELBAN Trap. 

I hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Kim