Are extra classes needed before working in California?

World Registration

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Hi everyone! I was wondering if I would have to take extra classes in California before I actually start working since I graduated nursing school in the Philippines.

>My Background:

-I'm from California and graduated elementary and highschool there.

-Shortly after graduating highschool, I went to the Philippines for nursing school (BSN, RN) for 4 years.

-March 2015, I graduated nursing college in the Philippines (BSN, RN) and passed the NLE (local board exam for nursing in the Philippines) in May.

-I didn't pass the NCLEX in December, so I'm going to take up a review class before taking it again in February.

-The attorney from my review center (where I studied for the local board) suggested that after I pass the NCLEX & get my license I should apply for reciprocity/licensure by endorsement, which will allow me to work in California w/o having to take the California Nursing Board Exam (as long as I turn in the application form & its requirements).

>My question is...

I heard that many Filipino nurses who went to work in the USA had to take extra classes beforehand.

Is this because they only had 4 years of highschool and need 2 years of extra education (because in the USA we have 6 years of high school, and I completed my 6 years of high school in California) OR is it simply because the USA requires nurses (who went to school abroad) to learn the California state nursing standards and procedures???

Answers would be very much appreciated! Thanks & hope you all have a Happy New Year! :D

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

US has 4 years of HS. Philippines has 3. The lack of concurrent clinical and theory is the main reason for additional studies needed. There are dozens of threads in the nurse registration forum under world nursing.

Here's one: https://allnurses.com/nurse-registration/ca-brn-new-631735.html

https://allnurses.com/nurse-registration/california-nclex-rn-1028784.html

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Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.

United States has 4 years of high school. I would think the extra classes that a nurse from the Philippines take would involve nursing theory and clinical practice rather than high school level education.

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What state NCLEX are you taking? Why not just take the California NCLEX?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

There is one NCLEX. Apply for a nursing license by examination in the state you wish to live and work. Anything else is a waste of time and money. B

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Thanks very much~!

I mentioned 6 years of high school because I included jr. high. I heard that they don't have jr. high here in the Philippines or they're missing an extra 2 years from their high school, so they're finally adding k-12 just like in the USA.

The attorney from my review center said that a lot of requirements are needed if I were to go straight to California. He said that New Mexico and Saipan is faster with the processing and they don't ask for a lot of requirements. I applied in August and got approved in October and we had to pay $110 for the application and another $200 for Pearson Vue.

It only took me 2 months to get approved by Saipan whereas some of my classmates who went straight to California are still waiting to take the NCLEX. One of them mentioned that they had to take extra classes as well.

I didn't take it in Manila because there'd be a lot of requirements as well and it'd probably take forever. I didn't want to go straight to California and realize that I didn't bring a certain document that I needed and have to wait for it to be sent over from the Philippines. We heard some stories from my relatives about having to wait a long time because they went straight to California...

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Or you could just avoid Cali all together and go to a better state to be a nurse. Cali is kind of the armpit of America. Very liberal there.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Even if you meet another states requirements you will still hit CA issues when registering with them. Moved to the Nurse Registration forum where many have hit the same issue when endorsing to CA and trained outside the US. If your cases are not concurrent then you will not be able to endorse and CA will require make up of certain courses

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Thanks very much~!

It only took me 2 months to get approved by Saipan whereas some of my classmates who went straight to California are still waiting to take the NCLEX. One of them mentioned that they had to take extra classes as well.

I didn't take it in Manila because there'd be a lot of requirements as well and it'd probably take forever. I didn't want to go straight to California and realize that I didn't bring a certain document that I needed and have to wait for it to be sent over from the Philippines. We heard some stories from my relatives about having to wait a long time because they went straight to California...

There are no work-arounds for endorsing to California. They will still want documents from your school and have their own requirements that may be different from other states. I'm American and went to school in Texas and I still had to request transcripts from my school be sent to the California BON. They don't care that you have a license in another state, so don't waste your time and money unless you actually plan on working in the other state.

If your classmates had to take extra classes, it's very likely that you will have to as well.

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