Additional US education required for foreign educated murse

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Hello! I'm Russian educated nurse (regular general 3-years RN course) and is residing in Massachusetts now. I applied to CGFNS for CP and my documents are under evaluation process which might take quite a long time. I'm ready to hear that I am required to take some additional classes to get more credit points.

But I would not like to waste my time awaiting the results from CGFNS - I would prefer to join some college program right away regardless of results I'll get from CGFNS. What I need is to choose the right program and college, and any advices from those with the similar experience will be highly appreciated.

MA BON told me the most important disciplines are medical and surgical nursing, mental and psychiatric health, mother and baby nursing + pediatrics - all these subjects were taken by me in Russia though some are termed differently from those in US. That is why I'm not sure how it will be considered/evaluated by CGFNS at the end.

Does anyone know which classes I might be required to take as extra (for sure or most likely) or which classes might not be considered to have enough credits judging from one's own experience - preferably Russian educated nurses?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum

Personally I would wait and see because you may not need any courses

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Technically, you may not need any additional coursework to meet basic requirements for degree equivalency. However, nursing care is very culturally bound - which largely determines the "correct" Nursing Approach when it comes to NCLEX.

A little background: My organization is international, and associated with academic medical centers in two other nations - we have 'tested the waters' to analyze the feasibility of obtaining US licensure for the BSN-equivalent nurses from those locations - Thus far, NCLEX success rate has been dismal due to the difference in psycho-social aspects of nursing care. If there is an 'acculturation' program available in your area - to help with the transition to US nursing practice, it would probably be very valuable for you.

I wish you the very best of luck with launching your US nursing career.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

HouTx,

did you know any such program existing anywhere in this country? If so, it would benefit many if you could post it on this forum.

I researched the question in all the deep I might and only found either 1) expensive private, as a rule low quality LPN programs oriented on foreigners from certain countries, usually supplying bi-lingual staff for local "ethnic" services and; 2) private expensive colleges who are taking whoever as long as they can get money from it, whether the body in question breathes or not. Nothing actually helping foreign-trained nurses to be successful and thrive.

To the author: while waiting, you can start visiting in person colleges with nursing programs around the place you live, get a person named "admission adviser" and speak with each of them. Your goal is to figure out which college might accept you only for several courses, and at which price and under which conditions. Bring copies of your transcripts but do not give them out any documents, and DO NOT pay for anything right now. You may be pushed to "just apply right now", "letting us evaluate your credentials", into taking TOEFL or TEAS - do not agree to anything now, only ask them if they can, in principle, accept a student with incomplete foreign credentials, or not. Try to find a place that does it, and start researching it, by then your paperwork will hopefully be ready and you will know if it worth yoyr time and money.

Kerp your visa status clear and unequivocal, people in the USA are generally not educated in immigration business and may think that you are illegally here if you have "conditional" green card.

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Thank you for the warm encouragement! I need it cause I'm a new comer to US and sometimes feel like facing walls only around me instead of exits and entrances :) I hoped for a smooth and fast process but it seems to take longer than I expected, CGFNS is doing some additional checking of my background education, papers already sent by my college were not enough. Beside that I have quite a late start of all this, 2 kids and I just can't afford spending months/years on waiting for a reply: you have to go to college again. I do not mind in fact but if I have to, I would prefer to do it as soon as possible. By the way, nursing is not my first higher education, I have a bachelor degree in economics though it is also Russian education (5 years in one of universities) which was not evaluated yet here.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

If you have another Bachelor's, then you can go through accelerated BSN program. These programs are designed for adults and so more commonly accepting students from different countries and different backgrounds.

In addition, after such program you will be considered the US grad with BSN, not some "foreigner" with some sort of degree from unknown country. And you will need US diploma if you ever have ambitions to extend your education to Master's.

Plus, check your PM!

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Thanks for your advice, KatieMI! So, to summarize, my next few steps will be as follows:1/ searching through nearby colleges to take some extra hours at one of them if necessary - just wondering which subjects I should apply for if I'm asked. What I expected to hear from someone with a similar experience is a kind of answer: "most Russian diplomas require extra in obstetrics or clinical pharmacology or psychiatry or whatever..." Am I expecting too much? :) sorry about this...

2/ meanwhile I may try to evaluate my economics degree to move further onto BSN in nursing (taking in regard both diplomas).

- How long may it take?

- will I be able to work as RN (if I decide to stay for that) if I have a higher degree, BSN?

- does this BSN make a sense at all if you are 41 with no practical experience? Or it's better to stuck up with RN, get evaluated/NCLEX examined/licensed and get to work after all soonest possible?

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

AFAIK, most Russian nursing schools are deficient in Ob/gyn, pediatrics and psychiatry. You may ask about these courses just to start things up. They are all clinicals and therefore more difficult to be found as "separates".

1).Diploma eval from ECE (which you need to prove that you have an equivalent of Bachelor's) takes about 2 weeks. With this, however the results, you may start searching for accelerated BSN. This accelerated BSN takes around 2 years or a bit less, and you get your American BSN. If you want one day 1) study further, or 2) work in specialty like ICU/Critical care (or just in hospital, depending on where you are living - some hospitals do not hire nurses without BSN anymore), then it is the way to go.

2). You may wait for your foreign nurse diploma eval and take the courses they want. Most probably, what you will get is ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing). With that, you can work in nursing home, home care, doctor's office, ambulatory clinic and some hospitals. The problem is, many parts of the country are overloaded with fresh American grads. Search this forum and find out if you live in such place, because in this case it will not be quick and easy to find a job. It is possible to complete BSN after ADN and while working.

3). Either way, you will have to take and pass NCLEX before you get your license and right to work as a nurse.

At the end, it is about your opportunities, choices and, sorry to say it, money.Do your research, avoid schools that prey for recent immigrants. And check your private messages.

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Thanks a lot, Katie, for your advices! I got your point though for a proper feedback to your private mailbox I will need to create 15 more topics in this forum :)

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Dear KatieMI, thanks once again for your valuable advices! will see how things will work out...

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Hi Natasha. I am Russian speaking nurse. I went to nursing school in USA. Did you hear anything from your state boards?

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Hi Lagertha! I never studied in U.S., just recently moved from Russia. But I have been studying in my country for 4 years to become an RN. My state nursing board as many others, requires my diploma etc. to be evaluated by CGFNS - the only agency authorized to for a work with foreign educated nurses. My evaluation process is still going on, it might take up up to a year or so (that's what other people say who went through this). And I can not move any further until I get my papers done. Full stop. No evaluated docs = no admission to NCLEX = no license = no work. Meanwhile I enrolled to CNA training program in one of educational centers in my area and will complete the program soon with possibility to work as a CNA while my papers are getting ready.

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