teale said:
Quick question I hope someone can answer definitively,
I recently completed the QL5A course, during the course there were rumors floating around that upon completion pers would be able to challenge the civilian LPN qualification. I have tried to dig up some information on the CMA accreditation, all i could find is that the QL3 PCP/QL6B PA crse is accredited, couldn't find anything in regards to the QL5A.
Since you're seeking to acquire a "nursing" qualification trying to find information about it from a "medical" association may not produce results. The nursing world dislikes oversight from the doctors about as much as old time field medics disliked nurses intruding on their world.
While there is a common Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE), each of the provinces is individually responsible for the regulating of LPNs and all (most?) have a self-governing college to perform that function (in the same manner as all the other self-governing health professions, doctors, nurses, pharmacists . . . ). While all the provincial colleges have a mechanism that allows portability of the registration, there may be differences in minimum education requirements for eligibility to take the CPNRE that will lead to the initial provincial registration.
I did a quick google and found only one provincial college (British Columbia) that specifically mentions CF training.
http://www.clpnbc.org/index.php?dbq=9#4797
Educated in the Canadian Armed Forces
Your application requires documentation from the Canadian Military Medical Service School. Your nursing education will be assessed to determine whether or not you have the equivalent education of a B.C. Practical Nurse, or whether you have any requirements prior to writing the CPNRE. For example, Armed Forces applicants are often missing pediatric nursing.
Your application process is a two step process. The first step is to apply for assessment to determine eligibility to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE). Once determined eligible, the second step is to apply for and write the CPNRE.
As previously mentioned, at one time Medical Assistant training was much different than it is today. I can speak from decades old experience (1970s) when I, along with several others from 1 Fd Amb challenged the provincial registration exam (back then, the Alberta government directly regulated the licensing of RNAs - that's what they were then officially called in AB). The prerequisite, back then, for CF MAs, to challenge the exam was completed TQ4 OJT. We also had to provide proof of number of hours of both classroom and practical experience by subject.
One odd feature of playing the system back then was that it was possible (difficult but possible) to receive up to a year or more educational credit (based on having that RNA/LPN) toward an RN diploma program in BC. I don't think there was any reciprocity granted in any other provinces. Other than credit for military training in the "Mister Sister" RN program at Deer Lodge, thare was no other recognition of military MA training.
