Florida Board Punishing Foreign Nurses!!

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Hi:

I heard from many of my collegues that, if you are a foreing nurse and you take the NCLEX through another state than FL. Once you try to do the endorsement to that state, they will "punish" you asking to work in the state you first get the lisence for 2 years before you can reapply for endorsement. This is not only a rumor. I actually KNOW more than 2 nurses moving to another state for 2 years because they took the NCLEX through New Mexico (and they even bought houses in Miami!) I've been trying to obtain my endorsement for 8 months now and so far they are requesting me the same. Is this punishment legal? Is the Board of FL allmigthy against the professionals? Any feedback?

Unfortunately, whether a new ruling or policy is fair or not, the State Board do have the the prerogative to change their previous policy and enforce a new one.

This happens all the time with all other State Boards on other issues.

My suggestion would be to make a letter and/or petition to the FL BON to reconsider.

However, if they stand by their decision I do not see why force yourself to being licensed on their State. There are 49 other U.S. States and territories out there and if one still wants to work in FL then wait for the 2 years US Hospital experience they are requiring.

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Each state can set their own requirements, and they can change them when ever they want.

If the nurse was determined to work in Florida in the first place, why did they go thru another state if they already were definite to work in Florida? There is definitely not an issue with a foreign nurse getting initial licensure in Florida. They get them all of the time.

Was it to try and get things done quicker and then just endorse to Florida?

You can expect to see more and more states tighten their requirements for licensure, we are seeing it already. And if they are, it means that there have been issues in the past. They just do not change the rules for no reason.

And this is again, why it is so important to check out things first for the state where you wish to be licensed initially or even plan to endorse to before you start the process.

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Specializes in Home care, Infection Disease.

I don't think FL is trying to punish anybody, the truth is many nurses opt to take the exam in New mexico for the only reason that you can take it in spanish. When the BON takes measures it is bc something is not right. BON is to protect patients rights and prevent malpractice.

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Specializes in Home care, Infection Disease.

exactly, why will you take the exam in a state you don't intent to practice.

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Specializes in OR.
exactly, why will you take the exam in a state you don't intent to practice.

Why Florida BON doesn't publish their rule in their website regarding any ruling that a nurse should have worked in Florida for two years before he/she can be eligible for endorsement to another state? At least a nurse who is planning to have his/her initial license in Florida knows the rule before applying in this state.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I don't think FL is trying to punish anybody, the truth is many nurses opt to take the exam in New mexico for the only reason that you can take it in spanish. When the BON takes measures it is bc something is not right. BON is to protect patients rights and prevent malpractice.

I think you will find that NCLEX is only offered in English. Some people choose one state over another because the processing times may be quicker. What we actually seeing is states that where quick are no longer due to the high demand. With retrogression there is no reason to rush

https://www.ncsbn.org/Recommend_Min_Eng_Prof_Stand.pdf

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Ximena2008 who told you that you can take the test in NM in Spanish? We took the NCLEX test in English as everybody in Pearson Vue

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I don't believe the state is required to post anything on it's website. When I got my first license their was no internet, if you had a question you had to write or call.

I agree the best advice is to apply in a state you wish to live, and not "shop" for the easiest state.

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I don't think FL is trying to punish anybody, the truth is many nurses opt to take the exam in New mexico for the only reason that you can take it in spanish. When the BON takes measures it is bc something is not right. BON is to protect patients rights and prevent malpractice.

Sorry, but the NCLEX-RN exam is not offered in Spanish in any of the 50 states, and that includes New Mexico.

There are states that have a larger spanish-speaking population by far than NM and they do not offer it in Spanish.

One must be able to pass the English exams to be able to work in the US and be able to qualify for any type of visa.

The reason that many have gone with NM in the past was that they offered a license without a SSN# and they did not require anything from CGFNS and were quite fast in granting approval to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. However, that has changed. They now require a credentials eval done by CGFNS and average wait time to get approval to sit for the exam is at least four to five months.

But it has nothing to do whatsoever with being available in Spanish, just not the case. Even if one tests in Mexico City, they are required to take and pass it in English.

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Specializes in Home care, Infection Disease.

I believe that to be true. Someone I know took the exam about 2 years ago in NM and it was offered in Spanish or maybe he lied, who knows, my point is if you are a resident of a state and intent to practice in that state , exactly what you said, don't try to rush things. I applied to FL but I live here in Ohio til I pass my exam then I'll go back to FL.

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Specializes in Home care, Infection Disease.

It took like 2 mo for FL to approve eveything but I can't say it was hard or difficult, you send what they ask and that is it, it is just the wait that kills you. But I don't think they try to make it hard on anybody. Follow their rules, and everything will be ok.

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Specializes in NICU, Psych, Education.
Someone I know took the exam about 2 years ago in NM and it was offered in Spanish or maybe he lied, who knows

States do not offer the NCLEX. The NCLEX is created by the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) and administered by PearsonVUE. Both of those organizations standardize their practices across all states and international locations.

Some other exams are offered in Spanish in certain locales (GED and CNA are examples), so maybe that's where the confusion arises.

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