British RN

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Hi all

New to this place so please be gentle. Im not sure if there is an answer to my question but I wondered whether the massed brain power here might be able to help. I qualified as a RN in the uk back in 1990 and worked for the next 15 years in England, mainly in critical care. I then took five years out to look after my children and would like to start my career up again. I am now a permanent resident of Wisconsin but the bad news is my RN license to practice in the uk has lapsed. I could renew if I travelled back to the uk and completed a Return to Practice course but this would take me away from family here for 20 weeks (:eek:).

My question is, does anyone know of a way I could renew my uk license to practice here in the usa? If I could present all the evidence of my prior learning and experience, is there an organisation that would accept that and let me renew as an american

RN?

I know it's a long shot but I would be grateful for any and all advice.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Hi and welcome to the site

As far as I am aware to do a refresher course in the US you need a RN license and you are in a bit of a catch 22 because of your expired licence in the UK. Looking at the form you send to the NMC it does ask if lapsed so they could complete the form (not sure on what fee the NMC are currently charging for this) and state you had a license but it has now lapsed. The state then may let you sit NCLEX as long as you meet requirements and then may require you to complete a refresher course once you have a license.

May be worth talking to the state BON about your situation re lapsed UK license

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thanks for that Silverdragon. I have fired off a number of emails to the wisconsin licensing authority and they ended up telling me it would be up to individual nursing schools as to whether they would take me. More and more Im coming round to the idea of going back to the uk to do a return to practice course. Once I have done that Im unsure whether I need to take both the nclex and the state exam, as the wisconsin board website is sooooo confusing!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

NCLEX is the state exam so once you have eligibility that is what you will sit.

Good luck and hope you get something sorted.

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thankyou for explaining such a basic thing to me. You would think that would be obvious to someone reading the wisconsin licensing website wouldnt you? Im grateful.

Cheers!

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