Nursing is one such profession that is not meant for everyone. It is also often regarded as a profession that chooses you. Nurses in modern times are considered as assets in any healthcare setting and it is largely due to their ability to empathize with their patients. So, if you’re an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) who is looking to study a nursing course in Canada, then now is the right time to apply. You could become a part of the nursing workforce in Canada as the country is facing a shortage of nurses. But first, you need to know which nursing program will be the best for you, based on your expertise and interest.
Here are the 5 best nursing courses in Canada for all foreign nurses planning to move:
- Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care
This program is designed to deal with individuals who have life-limiting illnesses. As an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN), you will be required to collaborate as a multi-discipline team member to provide physical, psychological, emotional or spiritual care to terminally-ill patients. If you’re planning to study a nursing course in Canada, then a Graduate certificate in Palliative care equips you to explore the patient’s personal goals and makes sure you understand the treatment and medical choices completely. In any healthcare setting, it’s the Palliative Care team that provides an extra layer of support when patients need it the most. This team makes sure that all doctors are well coordinated and are on the same page to avoid any irregularities. Apart from dealing effectively with patients, foreign nurses who study Palliative Care are also trained to maintain a healthy relationship with the families of patients, given the nature of illnesses. Upon the completion of this program, nurses can choose to work in hospices, hospitals, long-term care clinics, medical centers and community agencies.
- Graduate Certificate in Community Mental Health
Community Mental Health is a system of care in which a patient’s community, not a specific facility as a hospital, is the primary source of providing care. A graduate certificate program in Community Mental Health educates foreign nurses about the current mental health issues and trends in Canada. It enhances the knowledge and skill of mental healthcare providers so that they can provide optimal care to patients with diverse mental health disorders. Foreign nurses who choose to study this program are imparted training in rehabilitating long stay patients and must ensure their full participation and integration within the community. Upon the completion of this program, nurses can choose to work with medical centers that focus on mental health, acute and rehab hospitals or community agencies. Nurses can also choose to work as a Mental Health Nurse/Counsellor or as a Health Policy Advisor.
- Nursing Leadership and Management
A graduate certificate program in Nursing Leadership and Management is designed to meet the needs of nurses currently employed or aspiring to be employed in leadership roles in a healthcare setting. If you’re an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) who is planning to study this nursing course in Canada, you could take up roles of nursing administrators and nurse managers upon the completion of this program. This program builds on foundational roles and management content and is meant for nursing professionals looking to explore managerial and leadership roles. Throughout the program, emphasis is laid on SBAR skills, which is an acronym for Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation. This technique is used to facilitate prompt and appropriate communication. The format allows for short, organized and a predictable flow of communication information between nursing professionals. Future career options after studying this nursing course include working in hospitals and long-term care facilities as Unit Leaders, Charge Nurses and Nurse Managers.
- Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
A nursing expertise in Gerontology is ideal for foreign nurses who are interested in catering to the older population in Canada in diverse healthcare settings. Graduates of this program are trained to mix their new, advanced learning with their previous academic credentials to provide exemplary service to old people in Canada. Gerontology is a multi-discipline study that includes sociology, biology and psychology. It deals with the multi-faceted problems of ageing where nurses focus on the physical, mental and psychological challenges faced by individuals as they age. Age related diseases and ways to deal with them are the subjects of prime focus while studying this program. This program is not just for anyone in a healthcare setup but for everyone who wants to explore the ageing demographic.
Upon the completion of this program, the career opportunities for nurses include working at clinics and medical centers focusing on mental health, working at senior centers, or as a Mental Health Nurse/Counsellor in hospitals or hospices. Foreign nurses will also get the opportunity to learn various types of social work which will prepare them for a wide range of careers in the field. This includes case management, dealing with grief, interviewing skills and therapeutic program planning.
While studying the various elements that cover Gerontology as a whole, nursing students will examine the effects of ageing on the mind and body and learn the steps that will ensure the healthy ageing of every individual. Nurses will also learn how to create therapeutic programs, such as restorative care, fitness and recreation.
- Healthcare Leadership and Management
A graduate certificate program in Healthcare Leadership and Management is meant for nursing professionals willing to explore managerial positions within healthcare settings. While it’s very similar to Nursing Leadership and Management, the duration of this nursing course is one year, as opposed to the 8-month graduate certificate discussed previously.
If you’re planning to study this nursing course in Canada, then it will train you to gain administrative and leadership skills for management careers in a variety of health care facilities. This program is apt for foreign nurses working or aspiring to work as Health Managers, Nurse Managers or Unit Managers. A Healthcare Leadership and Management program works on cultivating your managerial attributes and allows you to choose to work from a variety of healthcare setups like long-term care homes, retirement homes, community healthcare organizations and hospitals.
While choosing a nursing course in Canada can be a tough decision, one should do it as per the relevance of their expertise. With Canada facing an acute shortage of nurses and accepting applications from nurses all over the world, right now is the best time to study nursing in Canada. A vast pool of opportunities in every nursing sphere is what makes Canada a great place for foreign nurses to consider studying postgraduate nursing and have a stable career.
