Published Jan 4, 2008
Eaglegrad007
19 Posts
I am trying to help a friend find out how a Filipino nurse midwife can get a job in the USA. She has a neice in the Phillipines who has a nurse midwife degree which is a 3 year program in the Phillipines. Does anybody know if she can work as a nurse in the USA if she is eligible to take the NCLEX.
starbin, BSN, RN
406 Posts
The best bet for the Filipino Midwife would be to get her credentials evaluated by CGFNS, and if they meet the general nursing requirement for US, or if they are deemed equivalent to US RN degree, then she can apply to one of the BONs (again, each BON has different requirements) for licensing.
lawrence01
2,860 Posts
Sorry, but she is not a Registered Nurse even though her facility may allow her to do some "nursing" jobs on their facility. Not because her facility allows it doesn't mean she can readily function as a Registered Nurse on another facility in PH. It is common that a facility that is severely short may allow her to do some nursing jobs beyond her scope but it is not automatic for all facilities and is usually limited to "safe" actions and she is still not allowed to function fully as a RN. She is still not a Registered Nurse (even in PH) and cannot use RN besides her name.
I am not being mean here but that's just how it is.
Even doctors in the Philippines and around the world for that matter cannot just say I'm a doctor in my country but I want to function as a nurse in US. That doctor still needs to do a special program and earn a BS Nursing degree and still needs to pass the NCLEX and be licensed as a US RN. That doctor may even have to take and pass the local boards to get a local license if the State she or he is applying to strictly requires a local license for being a RN.
What your niece can do is upgrade her midwifery degree to being BS in nursing. Once she graduates from that bridge program or second courser program as it is more commonly called in PH and earn her BS Nursing degree, she can then apply for licensure to the US.
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
The three year midwifery program does not meet the requireements for the RN in other countries. She will need to complete an approved program to be able to get a license in the US or any other country.
In the Philippines, this is not a program that is done after they complete their RN, but in place of.
Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP
8 Articles; 4,452 Posts
I think the OP inappropriately referred to the the niece as a "nurse midwife" from the Philippines. In the Philippine setting, a Registered Midwife is one who finished a non-degree program that entitles the person to attend to uncomplicated deliveries. They are not nurses and can legally be held liable for misrepresentation if they claim to be nurses. Their closest counterpart in the US are lay midwives. A "nurse midwife", on the other hand is an advanced practice nurse in the US setting. They are Registered Nurses who obtained a graduate degree aimed at training beyond the basic nursing degree and are certified to provide care to childbearing women.
Thanks to Everyone who responded to my question. The feedback I received was very informative. I will be able to give my friend the information she needs. You Guys are so knowledgeable on this site, Thanks again for the information.:innerconf:cheers: