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  • Education Options for Registered Nurses

    The Canadian Nurses Association believes that the knowledge, skills and personal attributes that today’s health system demands of its RNs can be gained only through broad-based bachelor’s nursing programs.

    With the exception of Quebec, all Canadian provinces/territories require a bachelor’s in nursing (BN or BScN) to enter the profession. In most cases, more career opportunities will be open to nurses with degrees.

    How long is the program?
    Bachelor’s programs can be completed in two to four years. Accelerated, condensed and advanced entry programs are in place in all jurisdictions.A growing proportion of nursing students have already completed a degree in another discipline; many of these students can access two-year bachelor nursing programs. Degree programs are offered in universities and in some university college institutes.

    What will I learn?
    Nursing students will study psychology, child development, sociology, anatomy and physiology. The nursing courses include theory and clinical practice. In addition to learning social and physical sciences, university programs generally offer additional studies in leadership, health teaching, research and other disciplines. You will be supervised and supported in the clinical setting to ensure the safety of clients, as well as your own safety.

    What are the entrance requirements?
    Entrance requirements differ from one school to another. Generally, the admission requirements are high school graduation with senior level English or French, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. You can contact your provincial/territorial nurse’s association or individual schools for their specific requirements and information on funding.

    Is there funding?
    Contact your relevant school of nursing for possible contacts regarding funding, student loans, or scholarships. For more information, consult the Canadian Nurses Foundation.

    Are there graduate studies in nursing?
    Canada has 32 master’s programs available all across Canada and a total of 15 doctoral programs are available in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Some schools are offering graduate courses by distance. To learn more, consult Nursing education programs in Canada.

    For more information
    Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing
    Association of Community Colleges of Canada

  • Advice on Advice

    Advice on Advice

    Choosing an educational or career path is difficult, especially when you try to do it alone. But asking for advice can sometimes make things more confusing. When asking for opinions, it’s important to know what – and who – to ask. This guide will help you to collect the kind of advice that will help, not hinder, your decision making.

    1. Think about who really knows you best. You might automatically think, “Mom!” or “Grandpa Joe!” – but that may not be the case. Loving someone or being close to them doesn’t automatically mean that they know you best. Does your Grandpa Joe see you the way you are, or the way he would like you to be? He might think you’d make an amazing mathematics professor when, really, you can’t count and love ballet.

    2. Consider why people make the suggestions they make. Does your Aunt Louise want you to be an orchestra musician because she knows that you love to play violin; or is it because she never realized her own dream of playing in a symphony? Make sure that the suggestions you get are tailored to you, and not to the person suggesting them.

    3. Interview people and ask work-related questions. Ask people what they do (or did) and find out what their jobs were like. Ask family members about their jobs – why they chose them, what they like and don’t like, or what a typical day looks like. People are your best resource: don’t be afraid to ask around to get a better idea of what field might most interest you.

    4. Do your homework. If you already have an idea of what you’d like to do, research it before asking opinions on it. If you’d like to work in accounting, you may not want to ask the opinions of your performing arts family members unless you’ve done a bit of background research. People often react to jobs that they think are “boring” or “difficult” without considering whether or not they’d be right for you. Doing research can also help you when asking questions about other peoples’ jobs.

    The right advice can help you to make a career decision that you feel good about. The wrong advice, on the other hand, can do the opposite. The most important thing to remember is that at the end of the day, the only person doing your job is you. Your cousin Fred may love you, but he won’t be coming to work with you every day. Take advice with a grain of salt; use it to inform your decision making, but remember that your decisions are yours to make.

  • Becoming A Registered Nurse

    Thinking about a career? Think registered nurse! It’s more than a job, it’s a growing profession offering an astonishing range of choices and opportunities.

    You believe in a healthy lifestyle? Janet has been talking to teenagers about how to deal with sex and drugs. “These kids have their whole lives before them and I feel it’s so important to help them now when they need it. With some groups I get into fitness and diet, too. They really want the information and someone to talk to.”

    You want excitement? So does Robin, so she works in the emergency department of a city hospital. “When people burst through those doors, they need help, fast and our ER team gives it. I have to think on my feet here, make immediate decisions about what a person needs. No other job could give me the same challenge – or satisfaction.”

    Intrigued by health questions? So is Nicole, and she’s finding the answers. Nicole is the head of a research team studying the care needs of AIDS patients. “I used to give nursing care to people in their homes and then a great AIDS patient I had motivated me to move into research. I was shocked by how little knowledge and how few resources there seemed to be to care for people like Ted, so I decided to do something about it.”

    More interested in helping people over the long term? That’s what Michael wants, so he’s head nurse at a rehabilitation centre. “A lot of rehab patients start out fighting against our care; they’re depressed, angry, and worried about their future. Helping them work through that is as important as their physical therapy. It’s an incredible feeling to help a person go through the whole process back to health.”

    Michael, Janet, Robin and Nicole became registered nurses because they wanted to work with people in a career that offers challenges and the independence to make decisions. Nursing involves caring for the whole person – the physical, intellectual and social needs. Nurses also plan and deliver health programs for groups or communities.

    Nurses are the heart of care. As a registered nurse, you can make a difference in one person’s life through one-on-one, and in the health of all Canadians through research and leadership.

    Jobs, the real story

    This is an excellent time to enter nursing as there is a shortage. At some point in their life, every Canadian will require the services of a nurse. Since many nurses will soon retire, Canada needs bright young men and women to choose nursing as a career. Changes in the health care system continue to broaden the opportunities for nurses. An especially important trend is the increasing number of services that emphasize illness prevention and health promotion programs. Many of these are planned and staffed by registered nurses.

    Registered nurses earn salaries that compare with other professionals with a similar amount of education. Health care is offered 24 hours a day, so expect to work some nights and weekends, like doctors, law enforcement officers and others who provide essential services.

    As in any profession, salaries vary across the country, and people make more as they gain experience and responsibility. Graduates of degree programs usually have more opportunities for advancement, and in some provinces, make more money than graduates of diploma programs. Your provincial or territorial nurses’ association can provide current salary ranges.

    To see nursing jobs across Canada, visit NursingCareersCanada.ca, The National job board of the Canadian Nurses Association.

    Choices… lots!

    Nursing is full of opportunities to grow, to advance and to change your career direction. Whatever your interest – working with children, scientific procedures and high tech equipment, teaching and promoting healthy practices, developing your management skills – nursing has something for you. Here are just a few examples:

    In the Community

    • health clinics
    • schools
    • wellness programs in the workplace
    • doctors’ offices
    • home care
    • family planning clinics
    • poison control centres
    • prenatal and well-baby clinics
    • rehabilitation centres
    • sexually transmitted disease units
    • AIDS hospices

    IN A HOSPITAL:

    • emergency
    • intensive care
    • operating room
    • post-surgery
    • maternity
    • cardiovascular (heart)
    • oncology (cancer)
    • psychiatry
    • pediatrics (children)
    • palliative (dying people)
    • geriatrics (seniors)

    One of the most exciting opportunities for nurses in Canada is Northern nursing. Often, community health centres in Canada’s North are run completely by the nurse – independent and in charge. Many Aboriginal nurses return home to help their communities, other nurses find they enjoy learning about a different culture.

    The great thing about nursing is that your choices never end. With some years of experience and further studies you could branch out in almost any direction imaginable. After a few years in practice you might decide to become an advanced practice nurse. An expert nurse with a master’s degree, an advanced practice nurse provides direct care to clients and serves as a role model and consultant to other practising nurses. There are currently two types of ANPs in Canada, clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner.

    Or you might decide, like Nicole, that you want to investigate current issues in health care. On the leading edge of health care discoveries, nurse researchers design studies, collect data and analyze results. Their findings contribute to the vast body of scientific knowledge that supports and improves nursing.

    Leadership

    All nurses are teachers, helping people learn to prevent illness and manage health problems. But you might want to become a nurse educator, preparing future nurses to enter practice. You could work at a community college or a university, and research would be part of what you do.

    A nurse administrator coordinates nursing services in a hospital or community health centre. Handling large budgets, supervising staff and setting the standards for excellent care takes strength and good management skills.

    The sky is the limit

    And any of these choices could lead you still further. Nurses’ ideas and opinions are sought after by the media, politicians, and national and international groups. Imagine being a consultant to Health Canada, or the World Health Organization.

    Or you could travel. Northern Canada is a close-to-home example, but Canadian nurses are so highly regarded that other countries – both developing and developed – actively recruit them. Your skills and knowledge could take you places. The possibilities are endless!

    Degree or diploma?

    If you’re thinking about a career in nursing, you should seriously consider studying for a degree (BN or BNSc). More career opportunities and the possibility of graduate study will be open to nurses with university degrees. Most provinces already require a baccalaureate in nursing (BN or BScN) to enter the profession.

    Degree programs take four years. Besides learning social and physical sciences, and nursing, as in the diploma program, university programs generally offer additional studies in leadership, health teaching, research and other disciplines.

    Diploma programs take three years. Graduates generally work in hospitals, nursing homes or other structured settings. Many colleges now offer their diploma courses in collaboration with a university with the option of continuing on after graduation to obtain a degree. However, getting a diploma and then a degree generally takes longer, and costs more, than enrolling in a degree program from the beginning.

    Nursing students in both university and diploma schools of nursing will study psychology, child development, sociology, anatomy and physiology. The nursing courses include theory and clinical practice. You will be supervised and supported in the clinical setting to ensure the safety of patients and your own safety.

    If you are interested in continuing your education, master’s and doctoral programs in nursing are available in many places in Canada.

    Get ready

    Entrance requirements differ from one school to another. Generally, the admission requirements are high school graduation with senior level English or French, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. You can contact your provincial nurses’ association or individual schools for their specific requirements and information on funding.

    Caring for people, the independence to make decisions, the challenge and excitement of being on the leading edge of health care. Sound interesting? Then ask today for more information about a career as a registered nurse!

    Provincial associations

    • * Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador
    • * Association of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island
    • * College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia
    • * Nurses Association of New Brunswick
    • * Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec
    • * Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
    • * College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba
    • * Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association
    • * College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
    • * College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia
    • * Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
    • * Yukon Registered Nurses Association
    • * Native Access Program to Nursing
  • Discover What You Love To Do

    Discover What You Love To Do

    Do what you love. You’ve probably already heard this advice plenty of times before. But what if you don’t know what you love doing? What if the question, “what do you love to do?” results in a blank stare on your face? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. There are a lot of people (young and old) who don’t know what they love to do. The irony is that the answer is already within you. You just have to pay attention to the clues to find out what it is.

    Here is a little exercise which might help you gain some clarity on what you love doing or what your interests are. First, find a quiet spot away from all distractions. Turn off the TV, your phone and any other thing that could distract you when completing this exercise.

    Next, take out a blank sheet of paper and write the title Interests. Write down anything and everything you are interested in. For instance, if you are interested in bugs, write bugs. If you are interested in fashion, write fashion. If you are interested in plants, write plants. If you are stumped for things to write, try to think of activities you currently do which you completely get lost in — where time just seems to fly by! (The clock seems to be extra slow when doing activities you don’t enjoy!) For example, if you get completely absorbed fixing a car, then writing fixing cars as one of your interests. Or if you get completely engrossed baking a cake, then put down baking as one of you interests.

    Once you feel you have made a thorough list of your interests, look over the list you just wrote. Do you notice any similarities between the different items on your list? Does one interest seem to pop up several times on your list? If it helps, highlight similar interests in the same colour.

    Now, if you had to pick three interests from your list, which three would you choose? Be honest with yourself. Consider which things you truly enjoy. Could you see yourself doing one or more of these things for many years to come? Does this thought excite you or fill you with dread? If it fills you with excitement, then you know you are on the right track.

    Remember, do what you love. Those four words are the most important words to keep in mind when choosing a career path. If you choose a career path or job that involves something you love doing, you will be much happier and fulfilled than if you choose one in which you don’t. So discover what you love to do, and pursue a career path which reflects that. Good luck!

  • Career Profile: Horticulturist

    Career Profile: Horticulturist

    Horticulture. What is it? In its simplest form we can define it as the cultivation of plants. But there’s a lot more to it than that.

    An individual who works in the horticulture field is called a horticulturist. Their duties consist of managing and coordinating anything that involves cultivating and breeding plant life. From working with landscape companies, to advising provincial ministries on proper techniques and maintenance of plants and landscapes; a horticulturist’s job often takes them from one job site to another and seldom leaves them standing in the same place.

    An ideal candidate for the horticulturist career path is an individual who enjoys working outdoors, nature, travelling and, well, getting dirty!
    Horticulturists may act as technicians or advisors for agriculture companies and provide information on techniques to yield a higher crop growth and impart pesticide-related info to both commercial and independent farmers. They may also work with landscaping companies to help them determine which plants will grow the most plentifully based on its required needs, like climate and precipitation.

    Horticulturists may choose to work as independent contractors or work directly for natural resource ministries to ensure soil levels are not contaminated and pose no threat to its vegetation or animals in the area.

    The career path of a horticulturist typically only requires some post secondary education as an apprentice. The individual could start out as a landscaper and gradually make their way to a horticulturist. If desired, university degrees are offered in the field of horticulture. These degrees may lead into other agricultural fields such as forestry and biology.

    So if you have always loved learning about plant life and even planting your own garden or flowerbeds at home, a career in horticulture could be perfect for you!

  • Career Profile: Librarian

    Career Profile: Librarian

    Imagine a stern-looking middle-aged woman wearing half-glasses at the end of her nose. What kind of job do you think she would have? Many people would say that she was a librarian. For them, librarianship is a job for plain, quiet people who enjoy spending all day with dusty books. These days, however, librarians and library technicians do much more than that. They can be important sources of information and research help for people of all ages and backgrounds.

    If you visit libraries, you probably know that libraries are about far more than just books. Most of them also have computers, videos, DVDs, and online catalogues where people can find information on what’s available in the library. Working in a library usually requires knowledge of many different computer programs and Internet sites. Library staff members might also need to know how to find information in special computer databases on medicine, law or other subjects. Helping people use and understand library materials like these is a large part of what librarians and library technicians do.

    Besides helping people find information or books and DVDs, library staff members do many other jobs. Some of them catalogue new materials by recording information such as the author and title and by choosing a number like 398.2 that tells people where to find the books or other materials. Some of them work with children’s programs or help organize events for adults, such as information sessions on job searching or on retirement. Others choose new materials and decide when to get rid of the old ones. Others hire and train new employees or work with budgets to decide what to buy and when to spend money. Even putting books and other materials back onto the shelves is a job for librarians, library technicians or library clerks.

    What education do you need to work in a library? That really depends on where you want to work and what you want to do. In the past, people needed a Master’s degree in librarianship to be put in charge of a library or to work in other areas such as the reference desk where they would answer people’s questions. Library technicians would get a certificate or diploma and learn to do jobs such as cataloguing. Library clerks would put materials back on the shelves and do other jobs requiring only a small amount of library knowledge. In many cases that has now changed, and people with different levels of education can work in almost any role. This is true especially in small libraries.

    If working in a library sounds interesting to you, you can already get started on preparing for your career. You can read different types of books and get to know how to use databases and other resources. If your school or public library has volunteer opportunities, you can begin to learn more about what a job in librarianship is like. That will help you decide what training to get and how to find the best library job for your skills and interests.

  • Recognize Your Skills and Talents – and Use Them!

    Recognize Your Skills and Talents – and Use Them!

    Do you know yet what you want to do with the rest of your life? If you have a talent for singing or playing an instrument, you might want to be a professional musician. Maybe you love to work with your hands and want to become a mechanic or a carpenter. Whatever you want to do, it’s never too early to start working on your skills and talents. You can enjoy what you’re doing now and also prepare for the future.

    Everyone has some kind of talent, but it needs to be developed to be useful. If you have a talent for working with your hands, you’ll still need to learn building and repair skills. Even if you have a talent in music or art, you’ll need to develop it. You’ll have to learn skills like teamwork, leadership, and commitment so that you can work well with others. Your skills can help you turn the things you love to do into a job that can support your lifestyle.

    Skills fall into two main categories: hard or soft skills. Soft skills can usually be transferred from one type of job to another, and they include personal skills like the ability to listen to others or to get along with people at work or school. Communication skills, a strong commitment to the job, and self-confidence are other important soft skills that can help you work well.

    Hard skills are more likely than soft skills to lead directly to a job. Knowing how to design a bridge that doesn’t fall down will help you get a job as an engineer and knowing how to use machinery will help with finding work in construction or mining. For some jobs, having these hard skills is the best way to find work.

    Almost every job is a combination of hard and soft skills. Even if you get a job as a welder, you’ll need interpersonal and problem-solving skills to be able to work with other people and to deal with equipment failures or sudden increases in the workload. If you get work at a television station, you might need to have many different hard and soft skills to use the equipment and maybe edit the stories.

    Career-related training programs are often the best places to learn hard skills, but you can work on your soft skills anywhere. Developing your ability to work with others or to complete assignments on time, for example, will always be useful no matter what career you choose.

    How you learn these skills depends on your talents and interests. You could develop your artistic and leadership skills by volunteering to lead art sessions at a summer camp. You could develop your ability to work with others by being part of a sports team or develop your ability to listen by volunteering at a seniors’ home. You can also improve your management skills by organizing a sports event, art show, or concert, even if only your family attends the event.

    Whatever you decide to do in the future, you can already start developing your skills and talents now.

  • Taking A Year Off

    Taking A Year Off

    If You’re Not Ready, It’s OK

    Post-secondary education costs a lot of money and most students leave with a hefty debt to pay off as they start their professional careers. This debt is harder to deal with if a student chooses to leave their program or is forced to drop out.

    While continuing your education is a great way to guarantee future career success and open the door to higher paying jobs, not everyone is prepared to go immediately following high school.

    Many students experience nervousness as they try to plan for their future and choose an educational institution and program suited to their wants and future goals, but some students have greater concern and need more time to discover themselves and decide what they want from life before they enrol. 



    There is no harm in taking time off to ensure you take the program best suited to your wants and needs. Perhaps after taking a year off to work and reflect, you’ll take the program you thought you’d take in high school – but it’s still better to take the time and ensure you’re prepared to invest the effort needed for success.

    Some students take a year off and work to earn money to pay for their education. Others travel and develop worldly experience, while others upgrade a course or two. There are plenty of options available. Going to school for thirteen to fourteen years straight does not always allow time to reflect on future goals and fully explore the options available. Taking some needed time off, even short-term, can help afford those thoughts.

    Remember that taking a year off does not mean leaving forever. There are always opportunities to return to school. If you’re looking for time off but a year seems like too long, look into January or May-start programs to return to school in less time.

  • Career Profile: Agricultural Engineer

    Career Profile: Agricultural Engineer

    Agricultural engineering might sound like complicated work, but the nature of the job is really quite straightforward. It’s a collision of two worlds – bringing engineering solutions to agricultural projects, particularly concerning crop production and raising livestock.

    What is an Agricultural Engineer?
    An agricultural engineer designs the machines and tools used in farming including tractors, planters, animal housing facilities, harvesting machinery, drainage and soil conservation systems, water and flooding systems and much more. They are responsible for maintaining the efficiency of these machines and systems, making improvements to those that fail in order to meet the appropriate standards.

    Who do They Work for?
    Many work as consultants for large production companies or engineering firms that manufacture agricultural machinery and storage facilities. There are also teaching and research opportunities at colleges and universities and with branches of the federal government that deal with the farming industry. In some instances, they also work as sales representatives by selling products and engineering solutions to farmers and breeders in need.

    What Education Do I Need?
    If agricultural engineering is a field that piques your interest, it’s a good idea to focus on developing problem solving and critical thinking skills that enable you to think outside the box, so to speak. Typically, engineers will face problems with malfunctioning equipment and out-of-date practices that create time sensitive issues. Engineers must be able to think on their feet and discover solutions within the parameters given to them in the most efficient way possible.

    In high school, it is recommended that students take advantage of all available courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. In university, these courses are further explored with the addition of computer science, crop science, leadership, design and engineering courses.

  • Science Isn’t Just For Scientists

    Science Isn’t Just For Scientists

    A 14-year-old boy in Donetsk, Ukraine, recently made a fascinating discovery halfway around the world and 894 metres under the sea. Kirill Dudko was watching Neptune Canada’s live-stream footage of the ocean floor near Vancouver Island on his computer when he saw a creature with a “nose and moustache” eat a hagfish. It seemed unusual, so he contacted Neptune scientists, who checked the footage and identified an elephant seal.

    It was unusual. Predators normally spit out the eel-like hagfish or avoid them altogether because they excrete foul slime when threatened. Scientists had never before seen an elephant seal eat one, and may not have noticed this evidence had it not been for Kirill. They believe the seal quickly slurped up the hagfish before it could release its slime.

    Like many “citizen scientists”, Kirill played an important role in advancing our understanding of the world. It takes a lot of study and training to become a scientist, but with some knowledge of scientific method, anyone can practise science.

    Citizen science is not a new concept. The Audubon Society started its Christmas bird count in 1900. As the Society explains, from December 14 to January 5, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas grab their binoculars, bird guides and checklists and head outside. “Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations — and to help guide conservation action.”

    Thanks to the Internet, citizen science is a more powerful tool than ever before. Some projects are passive, such as Seti@home, where people set their home computers to search for signs of extraterrestrial life when they aren’t using them. Others take a bit more effort. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade provides tool kits and training for people who live near oil refineries and chemical plants to take air samples for lab analysis.

    Some, like the American Gut project, are highly interactive, requiring participants to provide detailed information about their diet and send in stool, oral or skin samples. In return for that and varying levels of monetary donations, researchers give participants information about their bodies and the microbial life inside them. The research is designed to “help shape a new way of understanding how diet and lifestyle may contribute to human health through each person’s suite of trillions of tiny microbes.”

    Some initiatives require only simple observation. In a recent column, we mentioned RinkWatch, which asks people to send information about outdoor skating rinks to researchers at Ontario’s Wilfrid Laurier University to help track the impacts of climate change. The David Suzuki Foundation has also invited assistance from citizen scientists, most recently asking Canadians to participate in a survey about toxic ingredients in common personal care products like soaps, shampoos and cosmetics.

    On its website, Scientific American describes a range of citizen science projects designed to do everything from tracking animals in Africa’s Serengeti to analyzing historical patterns in human DNA to studying the ways people play with their dogs.

    Beyond providing valuable research, citizen science is a fun way for people to engage with nature and learn about the world and their place in it. Participating in the bird count, for example, is a good way for individuals and families to enjoy time outside in winter. Citizens can also enjoy the results of the research. Do you want to know what an indigo-banded kingfisher or a forest elephant sounds like? Cornell University’s Macaulay Library is “the world’s largest and oldest scientific archive of biodiversity audio and video.” Thanks to contributors worldwide, site visitors can hear sounds made by three quarters of the Earth’s birds, as well as a large number of insects, mammals, fish and amphibians. And anyone can add to the collection.

    Some citizen scientists get involved for fun. Others have a general interest in science or a particular research area. Kirill Dudko plans to become a marine biologist. Regardless of their reasons or level of involvement, all citizen scientists help us gain a better understanding of the world and our place in it.