Help! I am a UK nurse wanting to go to the USA but I may need to make up hours!

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

:heartbeat:redbeathe Hi

I am a nurse in the UK and I am desperately wanting to live and work in Pennsylvannia with my fiance:redpinkhe! I know that this is a slow process but I would like to start the process by working on getting a license to work in PA! However I trained in 2006 so I am worried that I do not meet the criteria for NCLEX with regards to child, mental health and midwifery hours! I have an agency looking into my transcript to see if I would meet the requirements but that seems to be taking months and I am at a standstill!

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I could be doing in the meantime to get me in good stead for licensing and taking the NCLEX?

Also has anyone had to make up hours in order to be eligible to take the NCLEX and how did they do that?

I know that due to retrogression work visas are an issue at the moment but am hoping to get my license so I could emigrate on a spouse visa if necessary but then seek employment as an RN!

:tku:

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Have you started the application process with the state BON? Just getting an agency to review doesn't mean anything as each state will have their own requirements. Yes a lot will depend on what your transcripts state and looking at PA they require you to sit CGFNS exam so may benefit you to look at another state for initial application. We have had UK nurses think they have had to make hours up only to find they didn't and others who have had to make hours up.

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Thankyou for your quick response! It is just an agency at the moment because applying to a state board can be expensive, is that correct? Didn't want to pay lots to find a brick wall! I have looked into PA's licensing and due to the CGFNS certification exam they require I have also looked into getting a license through endorsement!

Do you know what would be the best state currently for me to go through with regards to their requirements!

Thankyou once again

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I would say any state apart from CA as they will not issue a license without a SSN and will destroy your file after 3 years if you haven't provided SSN or asked for a extension. New York do their own evaluation through CGFNS and that takes approx 6-8 months. Many use Vermont and go through CES which is a eval of your transcripts

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Thankyou for your information! Do you know if many get refused as they dont meet the criteria for NCLEX?

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hi, i am a nurse from brazil living in indiana and i sent my documentation to the cgfns, took the nursing test (and in my case also the english test, since portuguese is my native language) and finally took the nclex 2 weeks ago... i got positive results thank god and i am waiting for my licence. i think you will be ok. it takes about 3-4 weeks for the cgfns to review everything and i know you can do everything from uk if you want.. even the test. the test is offered only 4 times a year. if you don't meet the criteria they will suggest classes for you to take, so don't worry you will be fine! just in case you don't know here is the link of the cgfns. http://www.cgfns.org/ you can always contact them to ask more about pa... i applied for the certification program, but there is also the visascreen... it depends on what you want and also on the state.

good luck!

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P.S: I forgot to say that I did just like you are planning - came with a fiancee visa, got married within 3 months and got a greencard... now I will be also look for an RN job.

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Thankyou that is very helpful!!!!!!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Visa screen is only required if you are applying for a immigrant or work visa in your own right. If you come on a spouse/family/fiancée visa then visa screen certificate is not required

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Specializes in CTICU.

I got licensed in VT initially, then endorsed to Pennsylvania. Very easy. PA have a SSN waiver so they issue the license without the SSN and then you provide it once you're over there working. I got the CES for VT and PA.

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Thankyou

Does anybody know of any good agencies that can guide me through the application process, licensing and NCLEX exam!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

You do not need an agency to assist you. Information is on the state website that you apply to as is information on the CGFNS website if CES is required. Otherwise you can ask your question on here and someone will post their experience

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