Advancing your career
When Carl Diaz, a registered practical nurse (RPN), came to Canada under a caregiver’s work permit, he quickly realized its welcoming attitude towards immigrants and high regard for the nursing profession made him want to call the country home.
To practice his profession, he needed to meet the requirements of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), which asks for Canadian coursework to be added to international credentials. Diaz turned to George Brown College’s academic pathway for internationally educated nurses (IENs) graduate certificate program.
“The program played an important part in advancing my career,” says Diaz, who, after completing the offering in 2014, obtained his RPN license. “The courses not only helped me to understand entry-level nursing, but they significantly enlightened me to areas where I wanted to advance in my practice.”
Consisting of 16 courses, the part-time program covers topics that enable IENs wanting to practice as registered nurses (RNs) in Ontario to meet the CNO requirements for safe practice, language fluency and competency gaps. It also includes real world experiences.
“Aside from the preparation, we were given an opportunity to have a Canadian nursing experience through the clinical placement,” Diaz says, who today works as a casual RPN at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. “I believe that this was one significant reason why I landed work in a renowned institution after finishing my program.”
In addition to a practical approach, the program also keeps in mind the needs of adult learners, many of whom work while studying. To ensure flexibility, classes are offered in the evenings and on weekends. They are taught, says Diaz, by professors and instructors who understand the demands of a work-school balance and the previous experiences of IENs.
“The professors and instructors truly respected us as nurses from other countries,” he says. “They supported us as well and taught us time management, especially in completing our school requirements.”
Since completing the program, Diaz has gone on to graduate, with honours, from Ryerson University’s post-diploma bachelor of science in nursing program. He is currently reviewing for the Canadian registered nurse’s exam and plans obtain a master of nursing degree.