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I am taking classes at Omnibus International College foundation. They are a private school in the Philippines, but have a site in Houston, TX where students can take their clinicals. I know they are not accredited in USA, but they are in the Philippines. In the Philippines they have Practical Nursing (PN), but Omnibus titles it ADN (Associates Degree Nursing) equivalent.

My question is: Is there any way I can verify if my degree from Omnibus will be honored in TX by the BNE (Board of Nurses Examiners) for licensing as a Foreign graduate student? How do I go about making sure that their program is equivalent and acceptable to the Texas licensing board when I apply as a foreign graduate and get an Registered Nursing license, NOT a Licensed Practical Nursing?

Please keep me posted on what happens.

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So far, my parents were thinking of getting my nursing courses I've done so far credited, but when I called the CES, they said they could not evaluate them unless I completed the program entirely. So then, I wrote to about three contacts/ commissioners in the Philippines connected to the CHED, but none of them responded to my emails. I did not know exactly who to direct my email to, so I just picked the comissoners on their website (http://www.ched.gov.ph/). Tonight, I called about five times through my land line which is quite expensive. No one would answer and it was like a recording saying the line was busy. I called here in the evening, which is about 8 or 9am in the Philippines.

Yesterday, I contacted the TX workforce commission about vocational colleges operating. They said that they actually CAN operate without a license, these foreign schools. That made me angry.... but they gave me another number to contact, which I did and found out it was an attorney. I do not want to hire an attorney for it might not be worth it (paying an attorney can be VERY costly!)

I am just hoping my parents credit card co can dispute this once I get proof or a letter stating they are not accredited. Once I get that, I'll get my parents money back and everything will be settled and I'll move on with my life. Until then, I'll let your know happens.

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Specializes in icu nurse.

i've seen their website (www.omnibusonline.org/files/CHED_TESDA.pdf), the documents show they are accredited by both tesda & CHED. hope this helps. but if you have a relative here its better to check it personally

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

CES need a complete set of transcripts so are correct they will not be able to do anything. Sorry you are having to go through this and hope you get things sorted soon

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i've seen their website (www.omnibusonline.org/files/CHED_TESDA.pdf), the documents show they are accredited by both tesda & CHED. hope this helps. but if you have a relative here its better to check it personally

Sorry, but no two year nursing program in the Philippines is approved by CHED. They only handle the four year BSN programs.

Does not matter what the school posts, they can post what ever they wish. Other issue is that one of the requirements of CGFNS as well as most states is that the training be considered as first level professional RN in that country, even if the person is unable to sit for the local license there. When the school is under a vocational doctrine, then that takes it out of the running right from the start. CES is required for Texas and CGFNS will not issue that report since the training does not meet US requirements in most cases.

A vocational school is just that, a vocational school. One may sit for the NCLEX-PN exam, but the issue is that if they do not already hold a green card or US citizenship, then the person is not going to be able to get a visa to work in the US; nor will they get one for any other country based on that one year of training. Many other countries no longer use LPNs or the other name that you might see as that of the EN, or enrolled nurse. And the countries that still use them do not have shortages. Next thing to consider is that the countries that do use them also require a local license and since the Philippines does not offer one, then that causes a number of problems as well.

Just because a country offers a program, it does not mean that it is accepted in other countries and this is major problem. And when the country does not accept it in their own country for licensure then the problem is just compounded.

If you wish to go thru them, by my guest; but be aware that you are not going to be able to use the training in most locales.

Your choice.

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So far, my parents were thinking of getting my nursing courses I've done so far credited, but when I called the CES, they said they could not evaluate them unless I completed the program entirely. So then, I wrote to about three contacts/ commissioners in the Philippines connected to the CHED, but none of them responded to my emails. I did not know exactly who to direct my email to, so I just picked the comissoners on their website (http://www.ched.gov.ph/). Tonight, I called about five times through my land line which is quite expensive. No one would answer and it was like a recording saying the line was busy. I called here in the evening, which is about 8 or 9am in the Philippines.

Yesterday, I contacted the TX workforce commission about vocational colleges operating. They said that they actually CAN operate without a license, these foreign schools. That made me angry.... but they gave me another number to contact, which I did and found out it was an attorney. I do not want to hire an attorney for it might not be worth it (paying an attorney can be VERY costly!)

I am just hoping my parents credit card co can dispute this once I get proof or a letter stating they are not accredited. Once I get that, I'll get my parents money back and everything will be settled and I'll move on with my life. Until then, I'll let your know happens.

Thank you for sharing and proving what we have been talking about. I would not trust one program in the Philippines that operates like this. They are great at making promises that they cannot keep.

Most definitely keep me posted.

You may wish to report them to the US Embassy in Manila as well.

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I contacted the TX workforce commission again, but this time I got a hold of someone else my mother's friend recommended. They got all my facts and said I would have a hearing about my case in Austin in front of the BON. The representative I talked to said that she will report them to the Attorney General and would inform me of what will happen.

My mother told me this school will be in the Manila Headline detailing their plot to scam people tomorrow, Friday that is distributed in Houston.

I am just glad things are starting to look brighter.

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You did a great service by reporting this. Hopefully you will get your money back. Since you live in Texas there are plenty of accredited LVN programs don't give up going back to school because of one bad program. Or go to a RN program...whatever you do best of luck.

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You did a great service by reporting this. Hopefully you will get your money back. Since you live in Texas there are plenty of accredited LVN programs don't give up going back to school because of one bad program. Or go to a RN program...whatever you do best of luck.

The program I was in was for the RN Registered Nurse Program, not LVN. Although numerous people got their LVN from that school and were licensed after passing BON exam, my RN program was not.

Just wanted to make clear that I was never interestered in an LVN program, Just RN.

I am trying to do Radiology now, once I take these two prereqs I need for a college here in Houston, which I know for sure is accredited.

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Sorry for my confusion:

you said

"I am taking classes at Omnibus International College foundation. They are a private school in the Philippines, but have a site in Houston, TX where students can take their clinicals. I know they are not accredited in USA, but they are in the Philippines. In the Philippines they have Practical Nursing (PN), but Omnibus titles it ADN (Associates Degree Nursing) equivalent.

My question is: Is there any way I can verify if my degree from Omnibus will be honored in TX by the BNE (Board of Nurses Examiners) for licensing as a Foreign graduate student? How do I go about making sure that their program is equivalent and acceptable to the Texas licensing board when I apply as a foreign graduate and get an Registered Nursing license, NOT a Licensed Practical Nursing?"

As a clinical instructor, you have to meet with the Professor who teach the theory, You have to review each students progress, this can not be done long distance. My advice radiology go to a school in the USA. First of all you have the potential to be exposed to radiation, you need to be in a country where this is monitored. good luck and hope you get your funds back. If your parents paid for the courses by credit card, you can ask the credit card to investigate.

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As a clinical instructor, you have to meet with the Professor who teach the theory, You have to review each students progress, this can not be done long distance. My advice radiology go to a school in the USA. First of all you have the potential to be exposed to radiation, you need to be in a country where this is monitored. good luck and hope you get your funds back. If your parents paid for the courses by credit card, you can ask the credit card to investigate.

That was the big question. How was it possible for clincals to be done in Katy TX if their main campus is in the Philippines? The Spanish Meadows hospital was where my clinicals was supposedly going to be before I started questioning myself and that school.

As with Suzanne, her comments and advice are exactly correct. The BON won't approve me b/c of the clinicals not being in the same country, done at the same time (theory and clincals), and them not being even accredited at all anywhere whether it be the Philipppines or USA, they are NOT accredited. They just made fake documents probably.

As for radiology, I know about the risks and I am going to try and get into Radiology with HCC Coleman. Hope for the best!

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Glad that something is going to come of this and that the government officials will be looking into this matter.

Please keep my posted as to how things work out for you.

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