[kheynurse]

Hi everyone! Newie here!
I am a UK trained nurse and have worked mainly as a Practice Nurse (in a Drs clinic) for the last 12yrs or so. (Also do Med/Surg weekends at local hospital.)Am stuck on a G grade with nowhere to go except management and away from patient care....which is not what I fancy for the next 30 yrs or so!!!!!! Life sentence I think!
USA seems the place to go for a new direction in my career and a new life for my family.

I've succesfully navigated the CGFNS maze and passed the exam and have my visascreen cert.....but now I'm stuck. Looking for that job offer/ sponsor/petitioner for greencard and don't know where to go.

We fancy a nice warm climate and have friends in Houston so Texas seems to be a good place to start. Would love to hear from anyone already in Texas or TX bound! to swap tips and gripes etc.

Thanks for listening to me!.........hope to hear from you all!

[letina]

Hi, my name's Tina and I'm an RGN just embarking on the CGFNS route. My license verification and transcripts are all in and just waiting now for results of their report so I can go ahead and sit the NCLEX. I'm applying independently and directly to the Florida Board of Nursing so I can apply for jobs there. We have a holiday home in Florida and now want to move there permanently, it's a great state and there are some really nice hospitals/health care facilities. I've had a look around a few and everyone has always been very friendly and welcoming and they really make you feel as though your skills would be valued. So I would definitely recommend you consider Florida.
Do you have any tips for me re the long process of getting clearance to practice? Did you apply independently? And how long did it all take?

[kheynurse]

Hi Tina!


Thanks for your reply. We've been to Florida a couple of times and loved it, my parents are having a holiday home built near Port Charlotte (gulf coast). We want a property with acreage and don't feel we could afford that kind of lifestyle in Florida so are looking at Texas and Tennesse.

Are you going to do the CGFNS exam or are you just doing visascreen with them?

Can you apply for NCLEX without CGFNS cert in Florida? (In Texas you can't)

I am still looking for a job offer so am no further down the road than you really. Concidering there is a shortage of nurses in USA, the process is still very long (we have been at it for 12mths already and havn't even filed immigration papers yet!)

Look forward to hearing from you!

[letina]

Hello again, sorry don't know your name. I'm surprised that Texas/Tennessee could give you more acreage for your money, I thought Florida property was cheap, so what do you reckon you can get there for around $250k? We got a 4 Bed/3 Bath house with a pool for $200k in Florida.
Yes you do need CGFNS clearance before you can sit the NCLEX. This is how I've done things up to now - applied for Credentials Evaluation Service from CGFNS on the advice of the Florida Board of Nursing - filled out an application for a Florida license so that when CGFNS issue their report, Florida Board of Nursing will give me an ATT for NCLEX and I believe you can take the exam in London as from Jan 05. I've fixed up a preliminary interview at Florida Hospital in January as I'll be there then, so I'm hoping to get them interested in me, they've said that if I get a job offer, they'll use their lawyers to help me with immigration etc. So, fingers crossed but oh I do wish CGFNS would hurry!
So are you now in a position to apply for jobs in the US? Cos if you are, you should persuade them to help you with immigration. Good Luck and keep in touch.

[kheynurse]

I am looking for potential employers now but don't know where to start. I've almost convinced myself that I will go it alone (without an agency) but still not entirely sure!

$200k in TX or TN will buy us 3-4 beds with pool and approx 2 acres where we can keep a horse or 2. I havn't seen anything in Florida at those prices. Where is you house?

Are you saying you don't have to sit the actual CGFNS exam? (It took 10 months from sending in transcripts and license validation before I could sit the exam.) Still looking for a fast track to greencard!

[letina]

Cgfns exam depends on the state you are applying to I think. I only really know the Florida requirements cos that's the only Board I'm applying to and I have it from the horses mouth that they only require Credentials Evaluation and NCLEX. But at least if you've got the CGFNS exam you'll have more scope so it's not wasted. My understanding is that NCLEX is the essential requirement for all US states. Have you taken that yet? If not, that needs to be your next and immediate goal, I'm pretty certain to apply for any US nursing job you have to
have NCLEX.
Our house is in Clermont, about 40 miles from the city of Orlando, but hey, Texas sounds pretty good!
Let me know if you need any more info about registering for NCLEX

[kheynurse]

I am still waiting for my CGFNS certificate to arrive by snail mail! Then I can apply for NCLEX authority to test. I have all the forms filled out ready to go and the fingerprint cards are done, just waiting for that darn certificate!!!!! (the CGFNS web site said it was posted nov 24th2004 but the last letter they sent by ordinary mail took 6-7 weeks!

[nursebedlam]

Welcome to allnurses, I do hope you enjoy your time here, look forward to reading your posts.....

[Ari RN]

Hello and Welcome to the All Nurses Family!
Hope you enjoy yourself here with us!

[akcarmean]

Welcome to allnurses enjoy