american citizens/permanent residents ineligible to take NCLEX-RN in California

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 17, 2012

I don't know if there a specific policy about foreign graduates.

I do know that each state BON has the right to set its requirements for licensure, and if you want to be licensed in that state you need to follow them. So unfortunately, you may be stuck until you meet whatever requirements the CA BRN has set.

ratnik13 · Feb 17, 2012

thanks for the response,appreciate it.they didn't have this requirement posted in their website.my question was how come we didn't know about this coz we know people who also graduated from the same country/school where we graduated that made it to NCLEX-RN,just last year..

elkpark · Feb 17, 2012

I don't think it's a policy about people from a particular country, it's a policy about whether a particular nursing program curriculum meets the CA BRN requirements, which is a requirement that every state BON has -- your nursing education has to meet the minimum requirements established by the state BON, and, if they determine that it doesn't, you aren't eligible for licensure until you complete whatever additional education they determine will bring you into compliance with their requirements. Apparently, from what I can tell from reading here, the CA BRN has started enforcing more rigorously requirements that they have had "on the books" for years, and that is creating problems for some individuals.

sallyp911 · Feb 17, 2012

is there a new policy about this that if you graduated from foreign countries, you're ineligible to take the Exam.after almost a year of processing and waiting, the BRN sent me a letter that I am ineligible.They said that i need to study nursing again here in california.WTH?those people i knew took the exam just a year ago and now, how did they come up with this?I don't get it. A lot of people I know are now in the same situation. Any idea or information about this?it woould be much appreciated.thank you:)

Could you be a little more specific on your rejection letter? I know that I'm trying to help an overseas friend now, as she's getting the rejection herself.

Is yours also due to not taking clinicals at the same time as the theory part? If so, it's always been a CA BON requirement since 2003 and was relaxed during the years that we had the "nursing shortage", but now the CA BON is merely enforcing those rules and regulations, nothing new as elkpark mentioned. It was always there for at least 9 years.

It appears that many of the overseas college standards chose to ignore and not follow CA's minimum requirements for years, but it's up to the respective overseas board of nursing to be aware of CA's requirements, if they know fully of where a good majority of their graduates move on too. That's why so many overseas applicants are now having to ask their colleges to submit over their signed clinical records. That's nothing new in CA, we're all asked to submit the same in one form or another.

Granted, the overseas colleges do not have to follow CA's minimum requirements as each country has its own needs and protocol, it's also partly the country's duty to let their student body know that these things may happen. There's no absolute guarantee. If in fact, as of today, if the overseas board and colleges have not advised their own students, the fault lies within themselves as of now. They are all probably getting bombarded with lots of letter requests, frantic calls, swamped e-mails from their students to help out.

There are a few other reasons for the declining of the ATT's, what was your's if it wasn't the concurrent courses taken together? Some others were lacking classes in psych and other courses.

ratnik13 · Feb 18, 2012

tnx for the response.yes it is the concurrent courses. it's just that we were kinda disappointed coz they'd let us waited for almost a year to know about this,the fact that they knew in the first place that we graduated from other country.

sallyp911 · Feb 18, 2012

tnx for the response.yes it is the concurrent courses. it's just that we were kinda disappointed coz they'd let us waited for almost a year to know about this,the fact that they knew in the first place that we graduated from other country.

Yes, I see..you might want to take a look under the "World" topic way on top of your screen and then go to the International section. You'll find topics that goes one year and a bit older from lots of overseas applicants.

It does appear that the current CA BON is strongly enforcing what has been in the rules and regulations for many years. It will be a very tough times for the majority of overseas grads to get their licenses in CA for years to come now.

A lot of the overseas colleges did not meet the CA BON minimum requirements and rejecting everyone's application. Some can take classes or courses to make them up, but no one CA college is currently classes just to to make ups, without enrolling for two years.

Mind you, it's nothing on each individual's grades or courses taken, it's the way the overseas college conducted their way of instructions and the clinicals and the therory part. Many have passed with flying colors on both courses but at different times, but CA requires they be taken together.

Based on other grads information, it's not unusual to be in limbo for several months if not close to a year.

Others are going to NY or NH to look for a job. Some are thinking to get a job out of CA, then, come back via endorsement. But it will not work since it will always go back to your initial licensure and your college credentials. If it was lacking then, it will not pass thru the CA boards.

Others it seems the only option besides having your college write an explanation on why your courses were not taken concurrently may work, but it seems like the CA BON is not likely to accept those soon. It's you either did it concurrently or you didn't.

For the time being, CA has turned off the spigot for the majority of new overseas grads.

If it's any consolation, many CA and all grads from any US states that were grads of Excelsior College are banned from ever applying to the CA BON, if you graduated after Dec. 2006. The BON will not endorse their out of state licenses either. It's also for the same reasons you're facing....courses were not concurrent.

We all live and die by their sword.

Just do a archive search on CA Excelsior here.

ratnik13 · Feb 18, 2012

thank you so much Ma'am!God Bless :)

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2012

The whole concurrent with theory issue is just rediculous if you ask me. How can they expect you to take do a clinical rotation concurrently with theory on a subject that you are just beginning to learn. You need to be able to apply what you've learned in your theory class with clinicals. Do you know how many times we've had clinical instructors expect us to know stuff that we hadn't covered in class yet? So how can we apply stuff we haven't even learned yet during clinicals. You may want to use that explanation on your letter to CA.

Yes, I'm in CA and I'm doing Excelsior but I'm also moving to Arizona or Florida within the next couple of years so and Arizona does require clinicals (other than the CPNE) to be completed before you graduate. Just an FYI Excelsior graduates aren't banned from applying to CA, they are just being denied. But I know of a few appeals that are going on at the moment. It's very hard to deny a graduate when they graduated from a NLNAC accredited when some schools in CA aren't. From what I've heard if you have a BSN or higher it may work in your favor.

mjhay · Mar 16, 2012

well,we can do nothing about it,..juz learn to deal with it..it so happen that we're the ones that being caught off guard in this matter,..actually,they're just doin what supposed to be done 9 years ago..as mentioned above,twas made since 2003,..so,i guess,all we can do is move on and find the solution,..evrything will be fine,though, juz believe in urself...am too have the same problem, and I'm planning to take nclex pn for the meantime..twas never been easy for me when i got the letter from the boards telling that i should take the additional course work..i failed nclex rn twice and planning to have the 3rdexam end of march,I've been studying religiously for almost 3 months as this shortcomings comes along...was started thinking that nursing was never meant to me,but i wasn't able to defeat my self,i know God has it own purpose and i know it was better than my plans, juz keep the faith,i know we're still on the right track,God knows BEST...