After getting a BSN, what's next?

[crux]

My wife completed her BSN in 2005 and the plan was to get her RN immediately. Things happened and it didn't work out that way. So here we are, about to start a new year and the new plan is to take a quick refresher course online, and then take the CA RN test asap so she can get her license.

Some questions I have:

1. What are good online refresher classes? We're looking for the kind that you can study at your own pace, not have a structured time/schedule. I found one call reviewfornurses.com that has a simple refresher program and sample questions to prep for the test. Is something like that worth it?

2. How often is the NCLEX test given out? Just wanted to know what the earliest we can expect to have her take the RN test for CA if we started this process right now.

Thanks.

[crux]

As far as CNA, yes she can work as a CNA. I was just saying that right now shes working as a caregiver. She can't get a job as a CNA just based on job availability and schedule. If she wanted a crazy hour shift or far away hospital, yes, should could do CNA now if we wanted.

As far as passing the test in 2005, I quickly touched on it just to provide a quick background. We really don't know what happened in 2005 when she "passed". All I know is, she told me she took the test and then got a letter in the mail that told her she passed. We weren't living together back then and I never saw that letter. She was living in FL at the time and she got a job at a FL hospital as a RN in 2005 but it was because she knew the people there (she had family working as RNs there) and when she told them she passed the test, they took her on as an RN right away (without bothering to verify she really passed the test). So she worked as a RN for six months. Then moved to CA. She had to take an additional test to convert her FL RN to a CA RN. She took it and then started working as an RN in CA. This hospital too never verified she was an RN, just accepted her word. So then as an RN in CA, she gives the wrong meds to someone (nothing serious happened) and she got called in for a review and at that time the CA hospital basically fired her. So I spent months trying to figure out what the hell just happened. I had my wife contact the FL BON and ask what her status was and they didn't even have her in the system. She explained she got a letter that said she passed in 2005 but they didn't have anything on file. I went online to the FL and CA BON website and looked her up and she was not to be found in CA or FL. You would think her FL status should say inactive and CA should say terminated or something, but her name didn't even come up. So after months of trying to research and figure out what happened, I came to these conclusions:

1. She took the test in 2005 and received a letter saying she passed. She took no action on that because she assumed the board would send her follow up documentation to fill out. But apparently she should have taken action on that letter (e.g., set up an account, take the test scores from the testing center and submit to the BON, etc) and since she didn't, her RN test scores essentially expired and its likes she never took the test at all

2. She took the test in 2005 and failed but she misread the letter (or read another letter that she thought was her testing results).

Either way, we don't have this letter she got in 2005. I'm just looking at it like we'll just assume she didn't pass the test. I mean, as you are saying the BON is all knowing and they will find the truth- well I hope they do because I have no idea what is going and we already contacted them and they said they don't have any record of her on file. So here we are in CA and I do have confirmation that she has her BSN and the necessary education program that allows her to be an RN in CA. So all she needs is the RN. So I figure lets just take a quick refresher course and take the RN test for CA soon and see what happens.

If we apply and they say, No our records show you were fired in May 2008 from CA Hospital and you have to wait 18 months from that point to reapply, then great, then finally I'll have some official confirmation. But I highly doubt it since all these places don't seem to have any idea whats going on, probably because of poor record keeping and loose controls.

I mean, think about it. My wife worked as an RN in FL and CA without anyone verifying she was actually an RN. And the BON for CA and FL have no record of her and no one can seem to confirm she took the test at all.

One more thing to add, we are not originally from America. We are from a 3rd world country in which you just do things to get done, you dont need to go thru all these processes and filling out forms and doing all these formal requirements. I'm a bit more "American-ized" so I understand things a bit more than my wife about how things work here and I totally believe that my wife passed but she just assumed the BON would process her papers and so she didn't do anything about her passing score and just let it expire and/or it never became an official score because she took no action on it. So that's why I'm all hands in on this because she doesn't understand how things work here and I need to micro manage this process for her to get her to be an RN.

[truern]

If your wife DID pass NCLEX there was no additional paperwork to file nor was there an expiration date. She passed, she was awarded her RN license and that's it. Nothing else to do.

I find it hard to believe, though, that hospitals in two different states failed to verify her license. Very hard to believe as in IMPOSSIBLE to believe. Here in NC all you have to do to go online to the NCBON and look up anybody's license with just their name.

[sunray12]

IMHO it doesn't matter which country you or your wife is from. She has to make these decisions for herself. If she wants to sort out her license issues and work as a RN then she alone has to take the initiative. It isn't something you can do for her whether that's in this country or in your country of origin. If she isn't taking the initiative then this is calling her competence to be a nurse at this time into question and this means that she would be likely to have trouble on the floor again. This is not something she needs or her patients need and that applies to patients here in the U.S. or in your country of origin. I understand that nursing school can be an expensive investment and if you are not able to use your license then you are not recouping your investment, but this is something your wife has to figure out and want to change. You can't do it for her.

[Cinqui73]

As for "passing" but finding out later she isnt' licensed, is it possible she's confused about the exit exam versus the NCLEX-RN? That's what I was assuming......

~ Laura

[crux]

If your wife DID pass NCLEX there was no additional paperwork to file nor was there an expiration date. She passed, she was awarded her RN license and that's it. Nothing else to do.

I find it hard to believe, though, that hospitals in two different states failed to verify her license. Very hard to believe as in IMPOSSIBLE to believe. Here in NC all you have to do to go online to the NCBON and look up anybody's license with just their name.

I find it impossible to believe as well but what do you want me to do?

FACT: She worked under the title of an RN in FL

FACT: She worked under the title of an RN in CA

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the FL BON website

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the CA BON website

If what you say about passing is passing, then my first theory about not filing the paperwork timely is not applicable, and the only real answer is that she never passed the test the first time? Either way, two hospitals on different sides of the country hired her and employed her as an RN.

I'm thinking my only solution is the have her apply for the test as if she never took it before and hope someone at one of the BON knows what they're doing and can figure it out.

[crux]

As for "passing" but finding out later she isnt' licensed, is it possible she's confused about the exit exam versus the NCLEX-RN? That's what I was assuming......

~ Laura

Wow that could be. As I'm not familiar with the nursing process, can you explain this to me? When you say exit exam are you talking about the exit exam from her BSN program? So she "passed" the exit exam and then never took the NCLEX-RN? Oh man, that sounds plausible.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the FL BON website

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the CA BON website

Then it is unlikely that she has ever been issued a nursing license in either state.

If your wife is willing and able to be licensed and work as an RN, then she should apply to the BON of the state where she is living now. The situation you are in may be difficult, but this is her responsibility, not yours.

Another word of caution: she may have a tough time explaining the circumstances under which she gained employment as an RN possibly fraudulently.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I find it impossible to believe as well but what do you want me to do?

FACT: She worked under the title of an RN in FL

FACT: She worked under the title of an RN in CA

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the FL BON website

FACT: Her name doesn't show up online in the CA BON website

If what you say about passing is passing, then my first theory about not filing the paperwork timely is not applicable, and the only real answer is that she never passed the test the first time? Either way, two hospitals on different sides of the country hired her and employed her as an RN.

I'm thinking my only solution is the have her apply for the test as if she never took it before and hope someone at one of the BON knows what they're doing and can figure it out.

Is it possible your wife could have been lisenced under a different last name?

[crux]

Is it possible your wife could have been lisenced under a different last name?

No because we weren't married at the time when she got her BSN so she could have only used her maiden name. Perhaps another name was used, but based on what the Laura mentioned above, I'm starting to think she just passed her exit exam from the BSN and passed that and assumed that was her RN test, and she never actually took the NCLEX exam, as sad as that sounds.

[nightmare, RN]

Is it possible in the US to be employed as a GN before you sit NCLEX?

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

No because we weren't married at the time when she got her BSN so she could have only used her maiden name. Perhaps another name was used, but based on what the Laura mentioned above, I'm starting to think she just passed her exit exam from the BSN and passed that and assumed that was her RN test, and she never actually took the NCLEX exam, as sad as that sounds.

Well I also find it hard to believe that two hospitals would hire her without checking her lisence. I'm an RN, and the places I've worked make sure first thing that I'm lisenced with the state I'm going to be practicing in.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Is it possible in the US to be employed as a GN before you sit NCLEX?

Yes, in some states. And this might be a plausible explanation for the first job at a hospital in FL.