American trained in the UK!

World Immigration

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Hi, all!

I'm an American. I've been living in the UK for the past several years (my husband is English) and will be graduating with a BSc Honours degree in Adult Nursing next year. We're planning to move back to my native California shortly after that. I've begun studying for the NCLEX now to give myself plenty of time to prepare for the exam.

However, I really have no idea how nursing differs on a day-to-day basis in the States. What is a shift like on a standard med/surg ward? Who will teach me how to cannulate and take blood, since that isn't taught to student nurses in the UK, and many trained RNs here don't ever learn how to do it? Will I be able to keep up? All I hear is how much more high caliber American-trained nurses are, and quite frankly it's lead me to feel like my training might be inadequate even though I will have a degree and British registration.

Any advice, information, words of wisdom, etc. would be appreciated. Immigration won't be an issue, obviously, but what do I need to know about making the transition from the UK to the US in terms of what it means to be a registered nurse?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Look at other states for your first license ie Florida or Georgia and then endorse to CA.

Same process with the BRN regardless on whether initial or endorsing application.

To the OP I would probably suggest applying to the BRN and see what they say and then get the course/s required

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Specializes in Home Health, Palliative Care.
Same process with the BRN regardless on whether initial or endorsing application.

Thanks Silver dragon. Is that new? I didn't have to add any futher hours when I endorsed to California from Florida?

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Same process with the BRN regardless on whether initial or endorsing application.

Thanks Silver dragon. Is that new? I didn't have to add any futher hours when I endorsed to California from Florida?

Did you come to the States before or after 2010? That year seems to have been the turning point for the CA BRN's educational requirements.

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Specializes in Home Health, Palliative Care.

Ah! T'was before 2010. That's a real pain!:no:

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Ah! T'was before 2010. That's a real pain!:no:

Tell me about it! From what I have heard, the measures were put in place as a reaction to some Filipino nurses applying for licensure in California with fraudulent documents. So now all foreign trained nurses are required to undertake California-based nursing education as a safety measure and as a way to ensure some type of conformity.

Personally, I don't really mind the idea. A bit of schooling will prepare me for what American nursing is like. The extra paperwork, money, and bureaucracy is a right pain in the bum, but it will work out.

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Hi moon melody,

were you able to obtain your California license after all?

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Hi moon melody,

were you able to obtain your California license after all?

Hi there! I'm just waiting for the letter telling me which credits I need to make up. I've gotten in touch with a couple of CA accredited nursing schools who are able to offer courses targeted at foreign trained RNs who need to make up discrepancies. Thanks for asking. I will keep everyone posted.

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Hey, I would love to talk to you, I am applying to Florida BON and having the same issues as everyone, can't figure out how to send a private message?!

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Meeky I can't PM you, if any chance possible could you please email me? [email protected] Wold be so grateful!

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Specializes in Psych/ED.
Thank you! Fortunately I have found three schools in LA who offer top up classes for international RNs who have deficit for paeds and obs. I'm just now trying to figure out of it's worth applying to the BRN first knowing I'll get a letter saying that I need to do extra classes, do the extra classes, and then send those transcripts in; or do the classes and then apply to the BRN once everything is completed.

Im going through the same thing. What schools did you find?

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Hi, all. I thought I'd give a quick update. YES, I'm still hacking away at this. My only remaining hurdle is getting my uni to complete the Breaking of Credits required by the CABON. They don't want to do it.

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Im going through the same thing. What schools did you find?

College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita does it!

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