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Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!



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Feb 21, 2009 10:41 PM

Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!


Hello Everyone!

I have a dilemma that I hope you can help me with. I will be a new grad this May. I will get my degree from a Hawaii school and I will be moving to California in June.

I called the California Board of Nursing (CBN) and they told me that they could not guarantee my degree and credits to be accepted by them to license me in California. I asked to know what credits I would need in order to be approved by the California board and they told me that they would have to see my transcripts. That would mean paying the $156.00 application fee.

I am VERY worried that all my hard work will be worthless because when I get to California they are going to tell me I need to take more classes. I will be crushed.

I thought that I could take my NCLEX in Hawaii and become a RN here in Hawaii and then transfer, but according to the CBN website I will still need to give them my transcripts. I feel like there is so much "red tape" to get through; it almost seems impossible to get a license.

Does anyone have any experience with transferring licenses to California either as a nurse already licensed or a new grad from another state?


I would love to hear your opinions about how I should go about getting my California license. Thanks!!!


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8 Comments
No. 1
from llg
Old Feb 22, 2009, 12:51 PM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
I haven't held a CA license, but I have held licenses in 10 other states. You talk to the board, fill out their paperwork, pay their fees, etc. Some of them require transcripts: some do not. If they require a transcript, then you have to supply. End of story.

Can you find out from your school whether or not previous graduates of that school have been successful in their applications to the CA board? Is there any reason why the CA board wouldn't find your education adequate? Answering those questions will give you a hint as to whether or not your application will be approved.

I would be talking to your school to see if they knew of any former students who had moved to California. I would also be carefully examining the educational requirements of the CA board and comparing them to what my school had provided.
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No. 2
Old Feb 22, 2009, 01:00 PM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
Is your school accredited? If so I would think that all credits would be accepted. If not you will have to sweat it out.
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No. 3
from suzanne4
Old Feb 23, 2009, 09:47 AM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
CA requires transcripts, they will not issue a permanent license without them.

They also do their own evaluation. Not all programs in the US are accepted in all fifty states. They are unable to do anything without having the transcripts as they do their own evaluation. So this is nothing that they can tell you about a specific program.

Two students can attend the same school, one get accepted and one rejected; it depends on the actual hours/training that you did.

Best of luck to you.
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No. 4
from suzanne4
Old Feb 23, 2009, 09:49 AM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
Originally Posted by Alexk49 View Post
Is your school accredited? If so I would think that all credits would be accepted. If not you will have to sweat it out.
In CA it is not a point if the program has accreditation in another state, the curriculum needs to meet the requirements for CA. And they do have additional courses that are required that some states do not have.

Excelsior is has accreditation in some states, but not in CA.
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No. 5
from newgrad82
Old Feb 23, 2009, 02:32 PM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
Hi OP- I went to nursing school in PA and then returned home to CA. Yes there is A LOT of red tape, but you just need to apply, give them the trascript and be done with it. You should know that it might take a while to get the license. I had to wait for my trascripts to be updated with my degree (3 weeks) then had to mail the paperwork to my school in PA and wait for them to process it and send it to the board (another 3 weeks). Then I had to wait for the Board to process all of it (another 3 weeks). I took a temp job, not in the field, during this time so I didn't go crazy waiting. Good luck to you, and good luck getting information from the CBN. I know that can be a pain!
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No. 6
from suzanne4
Old Feb 24, 2009, 03:47 AM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
Please check out the website for CA BRN, they have recently updated it. There is much information that you need to be aware, actually everyone does.
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No. 7
Old Feb 24, 2009, 01:29 PM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
Originally Posted by suzanne4 View Post
Please check out the website for CA BRN, they have recently updated it. There is much information that you need to be aware, actually everyone does.
Thank you, I had already done that! I ended up with more questions then answers!!!
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No. 8
Old Feb 24, 2009, 03:19 PM

Default Re: Licensing Dilemma ~Help~!!!
How bout we trade licenses? I just found out I passed the NCLEX this morning but have really been itchin to move to Hawaii!!! Lol
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