Australian trained RN getting registered in California

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Hi everyone,

I am a registered nurse from Australia. I am in the process of applying for my registration in California. I hold an american passport. The nursing registration board has stated that i must study Pediatrics and Obstetrics as i did not in Australia. I have tried to contact UCLA head of admissions and they have told me that i am unable to take these classes as i need to be an enrolled student. I then asked how can i enroll and they have simply said that i cannot enroll and the simple answer was NO you cannot do any of this.

SO.. Now what? The nursing board has said that i can do this and after i have done this i will get the authority to take the NCLEX.

I'm so confused about how to go forward with doing these classes as UCLA have been less than helpful.

Thanks for any help

Sarah

Specializes in CTICU.
Over the years I've seen a lot of NEWLY CREATED "first time poster" allnurses accounts ask this same question in various ways. It gets old as the answer is always the same.

UCLA WAS helpful in that they gave you the answer all US nursing schools will give you. The truth is thousands of foreigners would like to work as RN's in the US but it's extremely hard to do without being an American citizen/having a social security number.

What a very rude response. Also clueless - the poster already said she has a US passport, so obviously is a US citizen.

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Hey i have spoken to the collage of nursing.. which courses specifically do i take for peds and obs? do u rememebr their names? Thanks, Sarah

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Hi TabithaB, Im RN in Australia at the moment and would like to apply for Green Card. I did not take Pediatrics and Obs in Uni, Thats normal in Aus. Do you have a Green Card at the moment ? I am very keen to move to US. Are you able to give me some advice. Thank you. You can send me an email to ([email protected]) if possible for you. Thank you.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi TabithaB, Im RN in Australia at the moment and would like to apply for Green Card. I did not take Pediatrics and Obs in Uni, Thats normal in Aus. Do you have a Green Card at the moment ? I am very keen to move to US. Are you able to give me some advice. Thank you. You can send me an email to ([email protected]) if possible for you. Thank you.

Without Paeds and Obs you will find it extremely difficult meeting state requirements and being able to sit NCLEX. If requiring GC via employer most will not look at you without eligibility to sit NCLEX or have passed it. Even then for most GC is taking over 6 years to get but at least you have the option of E3 whilst waiting as long as you are a Australian citizen

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Sarah,

I read your post and am wondering how it is going for you? I am an American but have received and offer to study in Australia at Queensland University of Technology for my BSN. I am reaching out to people who may have some insight that will help me make a decision. I am assuming you are Australian. Do you think the process would be different for an American coming back? I would be interested in hearing if you got things worked out. Best, Carter

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Without Paeds and Obs you will find it extremely difficult meeting state requirements and being able to sit NCLEX. If requiring GC via employer most will not look at you without eligibility to sit NCLEX or have passed it. Even then for most GC is taking over 6 years to get but at least you have the option of E3 whilst waiting as long as you are a Australian citizen

Thank you very much for your advice Silverdragon102. Do you know any one who can apply GC while on E3 ? Also, I heard E3 can not be renewed if E3 visa holder has dual intent(which is applying GC in my case). As you said, it takes 6 yrs for GC, so I am worries I have to leave USA while waiting for GC, and no employer will be keen to sponsor in the end.

Are you Australia RN? I think E3 will be a great option for me at this stage. Therefore, I am not sure how employer in USA can sponsor me ? Do I need to travel to USA for interviewing, and job hunting. Then returning to AUS while waitng for E3.

Lastly, how I can take Paeds and Obs in Aus, any Uni/ online course, clinical placement ?

Thank you for your help if you are able to. I am very much apprieciate your time !!!

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Sarah,

I read your post and am wondering how it is going for you? I am an American but have received and offer to study in Australia at Queensland University of Technology for my BSN. I am reaching out to people who may have some insight that will help me make a decision. I am assuming you are Australian. Do you think the process would be different for an American coming back? I would be interested in hearing if you got things worked out. Best, Carter

Are you American student ? so are you coming to Aus as an exchange student for a few course/ are you studying the whole Bachelor of Nursing Degree in Aus ? I think Australian Nursing Board will accept American 4yrs BSN(because I am working with some South Africa and Philipino nurses), but not the way around. I am planing to move to USA at the moment, I got Aus degree, and I have to take extra courses on Paed and Obs, then sitting in NCLEX exam, before having state licensing in USA.

I heard the nursing system in USA is different to AUS, in AUS RN give pts shower, toilet, feeding, etc and give med. Other more invasive procedure will be done by DR(catheter, blood, jelco). However, I heard in USA RN will do more on Med, Jelco, Blood, and not feeding, toilet, etc.

If I were you I will study in USA, and you can move to Aus anytime, and it will be very difficult the way around.

My current colluege in Aus even laugh at me that I will work well as LPN in USA, and look like a RN student in USA. They are 2 different system. Thats all !!!

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Are you American student ? so are you coming to Aus as an exchange student for a few course/ are you studying the whole Bachelor of Nursing Degree in Aus ? I think Australian Nursing Board will accept American 4yrs BSN(because I am working with some South Africa and Philipino nurses), but not the way around. I am planing to move to USA at the moment, I got Aus degree, and I have to take extra courses on Paed and Obs, then sitting in NCLEX exam, before having state licensing in USA.

I heard the nursing system in USA is different to AUS, in AUS RN give pts shower, toilet, feeding, etc and give med. Other more invasive procedure will be done by DR(catheter, blood, jelco). However, I heard in USA RN will do more on Med, Jelco, Blood, and not feeding, toilet, etc.

If I were you I will study in USA, and you can move to Aus anytime, and it will be very difficult the way around.

My current colluege in Aus even laugh at me that I will work well as LPN in USA, and look like a RN student in USA. They are 2 different system. Thats all !!!

Ongmtam85,

I am an American. I am considering coming to Australia to study for my entire BSN. Where in Australia did you study? I'm looking at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. Where are you taking your extra Paed and Obs? I'm told nurses in the US have a much harder work load. The differences you mentioned I believe are correct. I didn't quite understand your last statement? So are you being allowed to work in the US with an LPN designation while you take your extra coursework?

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Ongmtam85,

I am an American. I am considering coming to Australia to study for my entire BSN. Where in Australia did you study? I'm looking at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. Where are you taking your extra Paed and Obs? I'm told nurses in the US have a much harder work load. The differences you mentioned I believe are correct. I didn't quite understand your last statement? So are you being allowed to work in the US with an LPN designation while you take your extra coursework?

Hi ccampbell66,

I do not think Aus has BSN, we call Bachelor of Nursing in Aus, it takes 3 yrs. I studied and work in Adelaide, South Australia(graduated Uni of South Aus, 3 Uni teach nursing here Adelaide, Unisa, and Flinders). You will pay as overseas student tuition fees if you study in Aus, I am not familiar with this, but I guess about $20-25k/yr.

If you are think about migrating to Aus after graduate I think you are better to research about it, Adelaide is listed as low population city on immigration category, and I got sponsor for my permanent resident(PR)5 years ago. In big population city like Sydney, Mel, Brisbane immigration dept did not allow hospital to sponsor nurse for PR at that time. You are better to check it out. If you need more help let me on this know.

However, they stop the program at the moment in Adelaide, I guess private hospital still sponsor for temporary working visa(457), then you have to apply as independent skilled worker for PR.

I have not seen any American nurse here, just heard from other nurse's friend and rumor, but UK nurses are happy here.

I do not know where I can take extra Paed and Obs courses, but I think I can take those course at Midwifery School. In fact, USA state nursing boards accept Aus academics, so I can take these 2 course to make up for my missing these 2 courses in Aus Nursing Degree. We do not study Paed and Obs, because Midwife look after these patients.

I am in Aus at the moment, I can not apply for E3 working visa if I work as LPN, only RN with USA equivalent degree is allowed to apply for this working E3 visa. However, if you want to work as LPN with Aus nursing degree, I think you just pass the NCLEX-PN and you can work as LPN.

The last sentence is a joke. I mean my nursing friends said USA RN nurse will laugh at me, because I will not know how to do Jelco, Blood, Catherter etc, but good at LPN works, I will be demoted.

I will need to learn those skills too before I move to USA for work. You can email me to keep in touch and exchange info.

[email protected]

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Hi ccampbell66,

I do not think Aus has BSN, we call Bachelor of Nursing in Aus, it takes 3 yrs. I studied and work in Adelaide, South Australia(graduated Uni of South Aus, 3 Uni teach nursing here Adelaide, Unisa, and Flinders). You will pay as overseas student tuition fees if you study in Aus, I am not familiar with this, but I guess about $20-25k/yr.

If you are think about migrating to Aus after graduate I think you are better to research about it, Adelaide is listed as low population city on immigration category, and I got sponsor for my permanent resident(PR)5 years ago. In big population city like Sydney, Mel, Brisbane immigration dept did not allow hospital to sponsor nurse for PR at that time. You are better to check it out. If you need more help let me on this know.

However, they stop the program at the moment in Adelaide, I guess private hospital still sponsor for temporary working visa(457), then you have to apply as independent skilled worker for PR.

I have not seen any American nurse here, just heard from other nurse's friend and rumor, but UK nurses are happy here.

I do not know where I can take extra Paed and Obs courses, but I think I can take those course at Midwifery School. In fact, USA state nursing boards accept Aus academics, so I can take these 2 course to make up for my missing these 2 courses in Aus Nursing Degree. We do not study Paed and Obs, because Midwife look after these patients.

I am in Aus at the moment, I can not apply for E3 working visa if I work as LPN, only RN with USA equivalent degree is allowed to apply for this working E3 visa. However, if you want to work as LPN with Aus nursing degree, I think you just pass the NCLEX-PN and you can work as LPN.

The last sentence is a joke. I mean my nursing friends said USA RN nurse will laugh at me, because I will not know how to do Jelco, Blood, Catherter etc, but good at LPN works, I will be demoted.

I will need to learn those skills too before I move to USA for work. You can email me to keep in touch and exchange info.

[email protected]

Ongmtam85, thank you. I sent you an email.

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Specializes in Psych/ED.

I know it's been a long time but I'm going through his right now. Are you able to shed some light on how you managed this?

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