WGU and Public Health Nursing in CA

Nursing Students Western Governors

Updated:   Published

Has anybody completed the RN-BSN program in California for AND obtained the public health certification from the CA BRN? This is my sticking point, and I am getting conflicting information, even from WGU. :(

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Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

We have someone on the RN to BSN facebook page that just finished both the BSN and the PHN cert -not sure if the cert has arrived, but according to the rules on the CA BRN page I don't see anything that would be against WGU. WGU is CCNE accredited and there is a box to check if you went to a nursing school that was not NLN-accredited.

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Thanks, Featherz. I does help that somebody in California was able to do it. I am in Arizona, and will probably complete the program here with the ultimate goal of receiving the PHN in CA. It looks like if I complete the program in California, I can qualify for the PHN, but not if I finish it in AZ. Here is email I received from an enrollment counselor at WGU.

If you complete the practicum in California then you will qualify for the PHN certification through our program. Looking at the application if you complete it in Arizona we don’t believe you would qualify for the PHN certification.

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Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

That is probably because the California practicum for is special for only California students and has special monitoring requirements. The other states do not have these requirements so California won't accept it. Just a guess. ;)

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I'm in California; just accepted to (RN to BSN)--this was a concern of mine too. The CA BRN PHN certificate requires more auditing of hours, as well as 7 hours of California specific child abuse/neglect mandatory reporter training.

Are there any CA WGU BSN grads on here? Any issues getting your PHN Cert after graduation? Any CA-specific problems post-graduation?

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I'm also a nurse in California going through the application process for . I would be really interested and appreciative in any additional information/ tips anyone may have on successfully completing the PHN certificate program. I am currently trying to get in touch with some nurses at my facility who have gone through WGU's RN to BSN program. For some reason this part of the program was not mentioned when I initially reached out for feedback on the program.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I know California residents have separate/different requirements for doing their public health practicum through . I imagine that, as that email indicates, if you complete the program in a different state, you will not be able to get the public health certificate in California because you did not fulfill their particular requirements for the PHC. You might ask WGU if you can do the California version of the class, even if you don't live there currently.

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hey everyone, i just came across this post. YES u are definitely able to receive your PHN certificate after graduating the BSN program at . i just received mine earlier this month. the CA board is a little backed up so it took about 3 months to receive it. follow the instructions the community health mentors give for applying for the certificate. best of luck

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Hi Ron, going thru older posts and came across this one. I too am a CA RN and will be starting , can you tell us how things are going with your education? have you started the 90 hours of community health?

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