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Discussion

Any foreign nurses with advanced degrees?

Just wondered, I was talking to a fellow Aussie who works in the US, she had completed her Masters before migrating and (after a fight with CGFNS) was able to enter as an "advanced practice nurse".

Is this common? Is there anyone else here who did not enter as a basic RN with credit for postgraduate studies? I did 4 years of undergraduate education (one year science, 3 years nursing) then postgraduate course in critical care (one year fulltime) and practise as a CNS in Australia.

However CGFNS reported my education as equivalent to a "diploma" in the US, and just said "there is no equivalent for the postgraduate course"!!! I am considering taking this up with them (sigh), but just wondered if it's worth it.

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  • Expert

Ine year critical care course does not meet requirements for Advanced Practice in the US, it requires an actual Master's degree, and that certification with passing that license exam.

CNS in the US requires an actual Mater's Degree, plus additional licensure from the state where you will be working, and your training that you have listed does not meet that requirement.

The nurse midwife can if Master's prepared, or an actual Master's degree, but the one year course does not qualify for Advanced Practice in the US.

  • Author

Thanks for the reply. Shouldn't it at least bring the educational equivalency to a US "degree" RN rather than "diploma" - instead of being ignored because there is no equivalent (they have the credit and clinical hours).

  • Expert

The hours may not be the same; Thailand has Diploma actually listed on their Diploma that they get, but it is recognized as the BSN here in the US by all states, as well as CGFNS.

If CGFNS is calling it Diploma, then that is what it is equivalent to.

I also finished my Bachelor of Nursing (University of Technology-Sydney) in Australia plus a one year (full time) Postgraduate Certificate in Perioperative Nursing. In addition, I completed special courses in Perioperative and Obstetrics Nursing with Deakin University and Otago Polytechnic respectively to complete the requirements of Vermont Board of Nursing. I am in the process of applying for VisaScreen certificate with CGFNS but I am afraid my degree from Australia would also end up to be just equivalent to that of a nursing diploma in the US (just like Augigi). Bachelor of Nursing in Australia is a three-year degree compared to a four year curriculum BSN from a third world country that I know (recognised as a BSN degree equivalent in the US). However, I know that most of the first year subjects of the latter are usually not Nursing related subjects (i.e. Religion 101, English 111, Physical Education 100, etc)-leaving only three years for the real Nursing subjects. On the other hand, Australian curriculum have all nursing related subjects from first year to third year. I don't know how CGFNS evaluates Nursing degrees from other countries but If a Nursing Diploma from Thailand is recognized as a BSN degree equivalent while a Nursing degree from Australia is recognized as just a diploma by the CGFNS, it just does not make sense..it is like an insult by CGFNS to the Nursing curriculum of Australia.. . This makes me think that it would have been better for me to have taken my nursing degree from Thailand but I believe that the quality of Nursing education in Australia is comparable that of any western country including that of the US.

Is my Masters Degree in Nursing valid in USA? What exams will I have to appear for in order to make use of my education. I am a Nursing Lecturer in India, teaching from June 2000?

  • Expert

Depends on what you are going to do with it and the actual courses that were included in your degree. It is valid, but will not meet the requirements of the Nurse Practitioner or the Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Those designations will require quite a few additional courses to be able to get the qualifying courses in to meet the requirements for those jobs in the US.

As an instructor, your degree will be an asset for you, if that is what you wish to continue doing, and can get you the H1-B since you will not be at the bedside but working for a university or other type of school.

There are no additional exams for you to take other than the actual NCLEX-RN and the English exams for you to be able to teach, other than the requirements that the employer may have for you.

How can I apply for NCLEX when I don't get a job, in order to select a state to register in? How can I show my Master's degree for teaching purpose when the exam application doesn't have any provision to specify the same?

How can I apply for NCLEX when I don't get a job, in order to select a state to register in? How can I show my Master's degree for teaching purpose when the exam application doesn't have any provision to specify the same?

You do not need a job to take NCLEX all you need to do is complete all requirements for licensure of foreign trained nurse with a state board of nursing (BON), so need to look at a state to live in and see what their requirements are. Some states require CES, some (although only a few now) require CGFNS exam and a few do their own assessment and regardless on which state you go through licensure if it is not the state you want to work in you will still need to meet foreign nurses requirements to endorse your license. Be aware also that some states like California will not issue a hard license without a SSN which you will not get until in the US on a valid work visa and also Ca will destroy your file if you are not in the US and provide SSN within 3 years.

  • Expert

Immigration is not required to be able to get a license or even take the NCLEX exam in the US. You need to get a license first and pass the English exams, and then since you will more than likely complete the CES, which is a credentials eval, the BON will know what you have done while you were in school.

There is no special exam for the MSN that you have as it does not meet the requirements for the Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner here, not the Clinical Nurse Specialist role that we have here.

You have things mixed up, you cannot apply directly for the NCLEX exam, you must apply first to a state for licensure, and as one of the steps in the process, you will receive permission to test when you meet their requirements. To even have a job offered to you, you need to have passed the licensing exam, that is a requirement of the US Federal Govt, no job can be offered if you have not passed the NCLEX-RN exam, or the CGFNS exam. The CGFNS exam is no longer required by most states.

Your MSN will be listed on all of your applications as well as your diplomas will be submitted so there is no issue with that. Suspect that you will be applying to universities or community colleges for teaching jobs, and again, get the license or at least pass the NCLEX exam, then you can start looking for a job. Your MSN used for teaching can get you a visa.

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