Study Abroad Student Decides to Make Canada Home

There’s a good chance it’s Kiera Todd, a nursing graduate who first visited Canada in 2011 on an international student exchange between the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing and the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.

When departing for home in 2011, Kiera said she hoped to return to Canada one day. Since then, she completed her nursing education in Australia, moved to Saskatoon in July and in October 2014, passed her Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) and secured a casual position in the Saskatoon Health Region. “I wasn't too nervous writing the CRNE, as I made sure to study hard and use the prep guides, which were important because I hadn't completed my schooling here,“ said Todd. “I also had some comfort knowing I had already been working as a nurse for a few years, so I had some experience to help me.

“The transition to Canada has been relatively easy; the people of Saskatoon are always so friendly and welcoming,” said Kiera. “People are often curious what brought me here once they hear my accent or seem surprised that I moved to a place with freezing cold winters. I actually don't mind the cold too much so far; in fact, it's a novelty because I've never lived in a climate like this. In Australia, we would say 'it's all good as long as you rug up', which means wear warm clothes. The snow and the landscapes are really beautiful; I've never seen such distinct seasons and I’ve realized I’ve never experienced true 'Fall', where leaves change colour.”

Although Kiera may be from the other side of the world, she’s no stranger to Canada. Her father, originally from Regina, was a teacher who moved to Australia in 1974 for work, got married and started a family there. When Kiera started nursing school, she noticed the study abroad opportunity in Saskatchewan and felt like it was meant for her to come. “I wanted to take part in the program because I thought it would be an exciting opportunity and I knew I had family here. I was excited to combine my love for nursing in a country close to my heart. It wasn't easy to get into the program and it required a lot of planning and coordination on my behalf. There were times I thought it was too difficult to go abroad during my final year of nursing, but I was determined to make it happen and I'm so glad I did. It was such an invaluable experience, which subsequently changed my life.”

When asked about working in Canada and what the transition has been like, Kiera replied, “In Adelaide, I worked in the Women's and Children's Hospital, so to come into a new unit, new hospital, new health region and new health care system has been really interesting. It has been a big learning curve to adapt to new processes and some different ways of doing things, for example the processing of orders and nursing documentation. I also noticed there is no private health care here and I’m not sure if this creates longer waiting times or not. Despite these differences, the fundamentals of pediatric nursing is essentially the same; there are the same health issues here, as I’ve experienced at home in Australia. There are also a lot of medications used here that are not used back home, so I've had to learn these along the way. The medication charting is quite different and I was shocked by the amount of transcribing that is required. It all makes for an interesting and challenging job that is already interesting and challenging! Everyone in Acute Care Pediatrics have been most welcoming. I really love nursing and I'm so glad to be here experiencing it in Canada.”

Welcome to Canada, more specifically to Saskatchewan, Kiera!

The University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing offers international study abroad experiences in Australia, Finland, Philippines and Tanzania. Learn more.