Australian RN trying to work in the USA

[aussieEDrn]

Hello,

I would love to hear from other's experiences in regards to obtaining their nursing licensure with overseas education and experience.

I have a Bachelors in Registered Nursing and am partway through a Masters in Emergency Nursing. I have 6 years emergency department experience.

My family and I immigrated to the Seattle area in October and I started the process to obtain my license in September of 2016 (seven months now!). I paid CGFNS in full and completed all paper work and it is all still pending, including the background check and payment for the NCLEX RN exam. I believe I do not have enough clinical hours in Labor and Delivery and pediatrics (both of these areas being specialty in my home state requiring post-grad education instead).

I have since started looking into jobs in Alaska and have been considering moving up there, but am not sure I will have to start the process all over again in regards to my license or am I able to ask CGFNS to change the state board under which I have started my credential evaluation service? They are notoriously difficult to reach (45-60 minute hold times) and in my experience have been only minimally helpful over the phone.

In addition: have other overseas trained nurses had to do extra clinical hours for labour and delivery / pediatrics and how have they gone about this?

I appreciate the feedback.

[Jacintamolony]

Hi , aussieEDrn

I just moved to Seattle from Melbourne and finding myself in the same situation. How did things work out for you? I'm trying to find a course that will allow me to do some sort of pediatrics and mid but im not having any luck!

Edit: I just realized your post is new. I'll keep looking and let you know if I find anything.

[RN-IDE]

Hello,

Hang in there. The process is long however it will work out.

Do not worry about the NCLEX either. I stressed over that only to find it was easy. I did not even have as many years experience.

I was trained and had my first experience in France.

I met a nurse from Switzerland and another from Poland who were asked to take a class of again.

I anticipated this therefore. Like in Australia, midwifery is a specialization. Therefore I thought there might be fewer hours for women' health in lecture. So I just approached a nursing school and asked if I could become a guest student. That way I was able to observe training in the US (and clinical) firsthand and while doing so I was taking hours needed just in case it was asked. I was not asked to do this by my state (California).

I have heard that many schools however want to see the letter from the BON before according guest student status. If I were you I'd just ignore that and begin to ask around.

Hang in there !