California Resident, Lapsed UK License, No Experience, Want to get Licensed in U.S.A.

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Hi! I am new to these boards and still have some questions after reading many threads similar to my circumstances. I completed my mental health nursing training, in England, almost 10 years ago. I left the country soon after so did not actually work as a nurse after qualifiying. Moving on 10 years. I am now a resident of California (with a green card and SS#). I would like to start the process of getting licensed in this state. I understand that even with my resident status, I still have a long road ahead of me. I realize that there will be many hours of practice and theory I will have to complete before I can even be approved for the N-CLEX and more besides since I have a lapsed U.K. license and no experience outside of my training. Whilst I wait for the California BRN to go through their process of checking my transcripts etc. and alert me to the deficiencies that I will need to make up, are there any pre-requisites that any of you would recommend I take at a community college meanwhile? Does anyone have any idea how many hours I may need to complete before I would be approved to take the N-CLEX?

Thank you so much!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

It is hard to predict on how they see your transcripts. Training over 10 years ago may mean you are OK however they may require your license to be active, there again they may not but be aware you may have to contact NMC

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Thanks. Do you think they would require that I return to the UK to complete the "Return to Practice" course that I would have to do in England if I were to want to nurse there or do you think they would just insist that I do the equivalent here? Anyone who has that kind of experience here?

Also, what about prerequisites whilst I wait for the BRN to reply?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I think you should just wait for the BRN to get back to you. Training over 10 years ago you may not have to make any hours up

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O.K. thank you. I actually qualified in 1999, (almost 10 years) and it was project 2000 - the new nursing diploma which I understand is not necessarily a good thing in the USA. I am not in any hurry, it is just that whilst I am waiting I thought it would be a good use of time to take prerequisites at a community college in the fall.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Ca on average takes 4 months to process foreign trained nurse. We have had some project 2000 nurses do OK.

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