[Haunted]

I have been JUMPING THRU HOOPS since January to get my RN license here, thank the cannolis I am still current in California so I can take travel assignments THERE!!!! I move all the way across the country, buy a home here, endure downtown living, sleepless nights and SNOW only to be told by the Tenn BRN that they want a copy of my DIPLOMA???? What diploma? I took the boards as soon as my preceptorship was done and have been working non stop for 10 years. Every time I call the board here I get good ole Shirley telling me my paperwork is stuck in some kooky quagmire of bureacracy and confusion. Ultimately this will end with a Benjamin changing hands in a parking lot somewhere. Has anyone else had problems getting their license here ? Whom did you have to sleep with ? Any chance I could get by with just a little dinner, maybe a little dancing? I wanna WORK!!!!

[TowferD]

Haunted,
I didnt have any problems when I transfered my license from WA to TN; but when I originally transfered from LA to WA...oh man...what a headache. Hang in there, eventually they will get it straight, just keep hounding them and eventually they'll get sick of you calling. At least thats what happened to me and the WA board. They even knew my voice by the time it was all over!

[TNNurse92]

TN was my original state of licensure and I practiced there for 10 years. I found the staff at the board to be quite "limited" and at times it seemed as if they went out of their way to be unhelpful. Time and persistance... I wish I had better advise to offer.

[Haunted]

Just to top this nightmare off... I am a registered nurse from California (still maintain my license there) and have moved to Nashville Tennessee with my husband. We got here in December and I submitted my application to the Tenn. BRN in January. I spent almost 600 bucks in fees, waivers and submitted my finger prints, pictures and transcripts from my nursing school.

Here we are riding out March and I have not received my permit, which I paid extra for or any word from this Board. Today I called and asked to speak to a supervisor to find out what the hold up was. I was told that they respectfully declined my application because I did not present them with a diploma or documentation of graduation from an accredited nursing program.

The woman I spoke with also stated that "California holds lower standards than we do for who can take the boards". HUH???? I had to complete years of pre reqs to even get into the nursing program. I didn't go thru the graduation ceremony at my school because I was working. It has been 10 years since I originally took my boards and have completed some course work in nursing but never needed a degree. Where do I go from here? All I need is an Associates Degree in Nursing from California. I'm stunned. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[gerry79]

Are you a 30 unit obtion RN, or do you have a degree or diploma? I am a bit confused about your status from reading your post. I gather that you are an RN though. Can you call your school and get transcripts?

[Haunted]

Not the 30 unit option. I completed 40 units of nursing and it appears from my nursing school transcript that I am 0.1 unit short of the associates degree. It was suggested prior to my completion of nursing school that I needed a computer class, which I completed last year thru UC Riverside extension (it was an online forensic nurse course I was told would cover it) and have never needed a diploma of any kind to work.

I have a call in to the Dean of my nursing school, this is her job to figure out, tell me what classes I am deficient in and I will take them, just issue me a damn diploma or something!!!!! I need to get back to work. I'm just frustrated.

[traumaRUs]

So...you're an RN, right? California allows someone without an RN ADN or diploma to take the NCLEX? Forgive the questions, I'm just confused. Thanks and good luck.

[caliotter3]

Not to make light of your predicament (I'm in a similar boat), now you know why CA nursing schools will make the info avail to prospective students but go out of their way to discourage anyone taking advantage of either of these options. Years ago, they came up with another method to produce nurses for CA, but gave no thought to adverse consequences for the individuals. Good luck in your attempts to remedy your position.

[RNsRWe]

What a mess. Somehow, through oversight or a loophole, you were allowed to sit for the NCLEX-RN--which was the first problem. If I'm understanding what caliotter is saying, in California you passed enough nursing credits to be allowed to sit for the exam, even though you hadn't graduated from school...? Then that WOULD be a problem anywhere else!

Yikes. If TN law allows only for those with a degree or diploma to have a TN RN endorsement then yes, it looks like you'd need to get that last credit completed on your degree before getting that endorsement.

I'm so sorry this has happened; guess it goes to show us all that just because we're allowed to do something today, doesn't mean it's in our best interest to do it. I hope this can get resolved in your favor soon.

[Sophie123]

Originally Posted by Haunted

Just to top this nightmare off... I am a registered nurse from California (still maintain my license there) and have moved to Nashville Tennessee with my husband. We got here in December and I submitted my application to the Tenn. BRN in January. I spent almost 600 bucks in fees, waivers and submitted my finger prints, pictures and transcripts from my nursing school.

Here we are riding out March and I have not received my permit, which I paid extra for or any word from this Board. Today I called and asked to speak to a supervisor to find out what the hold up was. I was told that they respectfully declined my application because I did not present them with a diploma or documentation of graduation from an accredited nursing program.

The woman I spoke with also stated that "California holds lower standards than we do for who can take the boards". HUH???? I had to complete years of pre reqs to even get into the nursing program. I didn't go thru the graduation ceremony at my school because I was working. It has been 10 years since I originally took my boards and have completed some course work in nursing but never needed a degree. Where do I go from here? All I need is an Associates Degree in Nursing from California. I'm stunned. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I wonder if the error was made in TN and not CA. I find hard to believe that as an RN anywhere in this country you'd have a problem applying for licensure via endorsement. I hope everything works out for you, and soon!