Australian RN to USA

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As my Australian RN degree does not meet USA requirements I am currently doing the 2 extra courses I need (Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Midwifery) as a Distance Education student, including 80 hours Clinical in each course. Today I was informed by my university that one of their students has just been refused a license in California because the subjects she did as a Distance Education student are not acceptable. I'm devastated ...... can anyone give me more information about this?? (I am planning to apply for licensure in NY).

Many thanks,

Hannah

Many thanks ghillbert - sorry to be a bore but I have another question re number of hours for each clinical - the information I have says I need 40-80 hours (for each) - what would you recommend/suggest? ie is 40 enough or should I do the 80??

Specializes in CTICU.

80 for each.

many thanks ghillbert, have googled monash medical centre but can't find specific info i need..... can you suggest/recommend a person and/or department/address i should contact to try and arrange my clinical placements??

Hi Suzanne, Have just noticed your response (20 August 2008) to another Australian RN re way to meet Obstetrics requirements - you told her she could 'easily do the training for about 6 weeks in a community college in USA'. Could you please tell me more about this option, specifically for Obstetric and Pediatric Nursing.

Specializes in CTICU.

PM'd you.

hi i was just reading above and would love if somebody could let me know about completing the required courses at a community college. I really dont want to go back to Australia to finish the requirements...

would reallllly appreciate ANY info! :)

p.s would like to hear from any aussie rn's in illinois!

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Contact some of your local nursing schools and talk to them about just making up the hours in the speciality you need

thank you for the advice :)

Hello Casserooni,

I'm a RN and work in QLD. I am looking forward to work in USA in near future. As you have been thorugh this process, I wonder if you would be able to answer me few questions for me. How much work experience do you need to be able to work in USA? How much prep time did you need for NCLEX? Is the pay in USA better than OZ? What is the salary range? Do they have penalty rates like in OZ?

I know these are a lot of questions to start with..:-)...

Cheers,

QLD-RN

Specializes in CTICU.

I dont' think Casserooni is in the US yet.

In order to qualify for working visa for australian professionals, you need enough experience to be considered a "specialist" nurse. You need enough experience to convince a US employer to hire you. There is no minimum experience requirement that I'm aware of for US licensure.

I studied for 3 months for NCLEX after being out of school for 11-12 years, and found it easy (but I am a good exam taker usually).

Salary in the US tends to be better than Australia, but pay rates are totally location-dependent. Pay in San Francisco or New York are much more than elsewhere, but so are living expenses. I live in Pittsburgh - lower wages but much lower cost of living. New grads are around $22/hr, rising with experience. There are shift differentials paid. I wouldn't move for the money - you work overseas for the experience - but I don't think you'd be WORSE off than you are in Australia based on pay.

Thank you ghillbert, you're right I'm not working in USA yet and also have not yet done NCLEX so I was unable to help QLDRN - great that you could.

Casserooni, I am in the exact same boat as you. I am doing 2 distant courses in paediatrics and obstetrics via Otago Polytechnic school of nursing in New Zealand. I am planning on going to Colorado however have not contacted the BON yet, after reading this I definately would. I DID NOT KNOW that they would not accept some courses. I will be DEVASTATED to say the least if they wont accept these courses that I'm doing through Otago.... I found out about Otago through Geneva Health - I would assume that they are credible and that people have been accepted doing these courses.. I HOPE

OMG now I am stressing, i just paid the $1600 and start clinicals on Monday AND have taken a month of leave without pay to do them!!!

if anyone has heard of people that have done the courses through Otago and have been accepted PLEASE let me know!

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