My Timeline: From NNAS to NCAS, to NCLEX to NURSE!
Helllllo IEN’s!
I’ve been working on something really exciting to help IEN’s to prepare for the Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS).
[[SPOILER: It’s a scenario based quiz!! So NCAS CBA questions to practice on.. More info coming SOON]]!
As I’m working on building the quiz, I thought it would be helpful for me to compile a quick summary of me and my journey to get licensed in Canada. From the national nursing assessment service (NNAS) to the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) to the Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) to the NCLEX.
About ME!
So about me… I’m a nurse from the UK and immigrated to Canada in 2018. I initially was not going to be a nurse in Canada as I wanted a bit of a career break for my 2 year visa that I had. But, I realized I should probably work in the professions I worked so hard to be in! Additionally I realized I liked Canada and probably would be staying for longer than my 2 year visa.
And so, I embarked on this licensing journey and wow I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself in to!
How long and how much?
just shy of THREE YEARS and around SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLAR$$$ later……
I finally got my license in British Columbia (BC), Canada.
While I know the time and dollars spent is not as long as other people, I still think it was a lot of time and money!
Right Now
At the time of writing this, I know BC has implemented a lot of new things in hopes to reduce the time and costs for international nurses so you don’t have to take the same route I did.
The Timeline
Anyhoo, enough rambling here is my timeline….
September 2018:
NNAS account created. Figuring out what to do. Collated documents such as notarized copies of identification.
February 2019:
PAID for RN NNAS application.
April 2019:
PAID for add on for LPN application.
August 2019:
NNAS portal updates to ‘Ready for Review’ .
** Cue SO MUCH back and forth with NNAS as they hadn’t made any changes. Their communication was very unhelpful and indirect to the questions I asked. They even ended up waiving my employer documents without telling me!! **
January 2020:
after A LOT of complaining – COMPARABLE ADVISORY REPORT FOR BOTH RN AND LPN.
PAID BCCNM initial application.
English fluency for BCCNM waived.
February 2020:
NCAS received referral from BCCNM.
PAID for NCAS.
Registered for NCAS CBA for April. Had to wait for SLA dates from NCAS.
*** CUE COVID DELAYS *** Received emails from prometric (people who proctor the CBA) and NCAS saying they had put things on pause and would reach out when they would reschedule.
July 2020:
NCAS CBA .
August 2020:
NCAS SLA.
NCAS report! (only 13 days after my SLA!)
September 2020:
BCCNM emailed to say they received my NCAS report.
** from here, BCCNM were soooo helpful! I was so shocked after the crazy unhelpful and drawn out process with NNAS.
Had to send in more documents (letters of employment as an RN.. they even accepted the employment that NNAS didn’t… YAY!)***
*
** Cue more COVID delays – I was told the BCCNM registration committee were only meeting once a month now due to the pandemic. I thought I’d be waiting forever. THEN to my surprise… ***
December 2020:
BCCNM Decision Letter! - To complete transitional education: 2 short courses.
March 2021:
Transitional education COMPLETE!
Eligibility to write NCLEX.
Completed BCCNM jurisprudence course and submitted a criminal record check.
PROVISIONAL LICENSE RECEIVED.
June 2021:
NCLEX DONE!
PASSED NCLEX
FULL PRACTICING LICENSE!
Overall
PHEW! Got there in the end!
Sending so many well wishes in hoping that things are quicker for anyone trying to get licensed in Canada now.
Stay tuned for more information on the NCAS CBA question material I’m working on :)
