NCLEX-RN Application Problems

I graduated from the Philippines April'95 , got my license as an RN August'95, reviewed in Kaplan for my CGFNS,passed my CGFNS May '96. Worked as volunteer RN without pay From Jan.'96 to Sept.'96. Kept searching for a job there but there is none, most of the graduates who get jobs either knows somebody in the hospitals or their mother or father knows the administrator (believe me it happened to me).

All this time I took training in Post Graduate Basic Paramedic Course in Centro Escolar University which is affiliated with the San Francisco School for EMTs'. Undergone training or continuing education in Disaster Nursing (Philippine National Red Cross), Emergency in Obstetrics(University of Santo Tomas), Long term Care Nurse Certification-120 hours, OSHA, ACLS, Basic EKG,Recognizing abnormal breath sounds (all these courses are from NC-CLEX Nursing Center for Clinical Lab Experience affiliated CEU giver here in California and Florida, finished all of these Oct'96. I was so good my instructor offered me a teaching job.

Got in the US Dec'96 stayed with aunt, uncle and his wife. Trying to find an immigration lawyer to fix immigration problems. My uncle told me he doesn't know where their lawyer is so I spent Jan'96 til Mar'98 taking care of their 2yr.old daughter while they work and his wife (an RN) took overtime job which gave them a lot of money. Didn't give me any money for taking care of their daughter and I don't live with them I live with my aunt who was the one who fed and clothed me all this time.

I found out that they knew all along their lawyers address and telephone number because the lawyers office returned their call about fixing their US Citizenship papers. I was naturally mad. I met my husband Aug. '97 and we started dating Mar'98 which made my uncle mad because he doesn't have any babysitter anymore. We contacted the immigration lawyer and with my boyfriend then, started to fix the mess I'm in. We got married Dec.'98. After a lot of money spent on papers and lawyers' fees I got my employment authorization card from the Immigration Office and social security card last Friday.

I was so happy that at last I can apply for the NC-CLEX exam now. But the Texas Board said that if you graduated four years ago you are not eligible to take the exam without additional education and 2 years of work within those 4 years. I was devastated because money is so tight and my husband is the only one working (he's a Nurse Aide) and he's fixing to go to College for Medical Technology with the help of a student loan.

The Board said that I need to be currently licensed too (my license expired Aug'98. I called the Education and Examination dept. and the lady told me that I have to go through the whole nursing program. I told her what do you mean?, Go through four years again (I have a BSN)? She said she's going to send me a list of nursing programs, which I'm waiting for. I hope they're just CEU programs not College programs.

Do you think I should have my old license renewed? The matter is all of my certificates got the old license number on it. Do you think she just meant CEU's not College courses? Help! And pray for me too! ?