BSN degree in US wanting to work in Finland

World International

Published

I am a Finn. I got both of my degrees from US bachelor of nursing and bachelor of health science in community health. Now I am in Finland trying to figure out how to best use my nursing degree which I earned in US. According to National Medical Affairs in Finland there is not any agreements between Finland and US that registered nurse who earned they degree in US can work in Finland. If I would have earned my degrees from any European country the degree would have been completly transferable.

The National Authority of Medical Affairs advised me to contact nursing schools to see how my degree transfers. Nursing schools in Finland fucntion independently from each other therefore I was informed to contact the closest school where I would most likely complete the classes which were till necessary in order to get a nursing license. I contacted the Kymeenlaakson Ammattikorkeakoulu but they have never dealt with this kind of situation before so I did not get very far.

Has anyone been in this same situation before? Anyone who has studied in US and then gone back to their home county either in Finland or any other scandinavian country? Or does anyone know which European country accepts best nurses who have gained their eduction in US.

Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

Bachelor's degree in nursing is accepted in every country in the world as far as education for licensure. You will be required to take their licensing exam, same as you would do if you went to school there. There is not an agreement with the US and any other country, same as the US requires that the foreign nurse take the NCLEX exam. Their local exam is not accepted for licensure in the US.

I would take another approach to this and contact the board that licenses nurses in your country. Start there and find out what you need to do to be able to sit for the exam there. Even if you trained in your country, what would you need to do? More than likely you will need a credentials evaluation to be done, just like the one that CGFNS does for the CES.

Specializes in ER.

Contact Helsinki Polytechnic Institute / known as Stadia Ammattikorkeakoulu. They are more likely to be familiar with dealing with international degrees. The further you go to the sticks the less likely it is, they have dealt with anything international. Good luck!

Contact Helsinki Polytechnic Institute / known as Stadia Ammattikorkeakoulu. They are more likely to be familiar with dealing with international degrees. The further you go to the sticks the less likely it is, they have dealt with anything international. Good luck!

Thak you Geena. I contacted Stadia Ammattikorkeakoulu and they were able to give me some good advice.

Bachelor's degree in nursing is accepted in every country in the world as far as education for licensure. You will be required to take their licensing exam, same as you would do if you went to school there. There is not an agreement with the US and any other country, same as the US requires that the foreign nurse take the NCLEX exam. Their local exam is not accepted for licensure in the US.

I would take another approach to this and contact the board that licenses nurses in your country. Start there and find out what you need to do to be able to sit for the exam there. Even if you trained in your country, what would you need to do? More than likely you will need a credentials evaluation to be done, just like the one that CGFNS does for the CES.

Thank you for your reply Suznne.

+ Add a Comment