Foreign nurse-student with a couple of questions

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Hi there! As I brand new member on here I feel kinda bad for starting a new thread, however I've been lurking around here for some time and you lot seem very helpful and nice, so I'll give it a go anyways.

First of all my name is Harold, I'm 21 and studying for a bachelors degree in nursing in Norway. I have a dual citizenship, Norwegian & American. I'm born and raised in Norway, but I have tons of family in America and therefor I would to live in America(Probabaly Florida) for some years when I get older and thats the reason why I made this thread.

When I finish my 3-year-long-studies here, I will be a licensed nurse in Norway and most countries in Europe, however I don't have a clue on how it's like in America, I hardly know the system over there. I'm guessing I'll have to take some courses/classes in order to become a RN?

And whats with all the other "degrees" such as LPN, LT, CNS, BSN etc.? How are the different from being an RN? :idea: We appearantly have a quite different system here in Norway.

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hi harold,

you shouldn't feel badly for starting a new thread.

and welcome!

you should definitely contact our foreign expert nurse, suzanne.

if you go to the International Nurse forum, there is a thread that's all questions for suzanne.

you can either pm her or use that forum for your questions.

best of luck.

leslie

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Hi Harold and Welcome to Allnurses.com..............

Best news for you, that with your three year program, and provided that you complete the required hours in your program for maternal health and pediatrics, then you should not need to make up any courses. If you are getting the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, you will have the equivalent of the RN. That is just our license title once we pass the boards.

If you check out the International Forum, at the top there is a sticky called "The Primer." It will give you all of the information that you need. You are only going to need to take the NCLEX-RN exam, since you already have US citizenship and a US passport, I presume?

Florida does require the CEs, which is a credentials eval, but you will not need anything else.

LPN is a licensed practical nurse, similar to the Enrolled Nurse that they had in the UK.

CNS is Clinical Nurse Specialist, NP os for Nurse Practioner. Both are Advanced Practice degrees and require the MSN to practice.

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Thanks a lot to the both of you! :)

That was some positive news indeed, what is the CE's that is required in Florida btw?

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CE is an abbreviation for Continuing Education. When you hold RN license and work for a health care facility, usually you need to attend classes, in-services, etc to keep updated on nursing news, technology, develop new skills and so on. Many time facilities will provide these lectures for you. In some states you need certain amount of CE credits, in some you do not need it at all. Looks like Florida requires it. Do not warry about it-- it just expand or refresh your knowledge. Good luck in achieving your dreams.

Best regards!

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Specializes in Paeds. PICU. Community, Midwife..

Hi Harold

Good luck in America you seem to have got good advice from the answers. It is hard going to a new place but mix with the locals and learn the informal language. I am interested in this topic as I facilitate young neophytes from China and it is so difficult for them too. I am so glad I got on to this thread because i got a new connection by way of one of your advisors which I will try and contact. Sorry I cannot help you more. Iam from Australia so am not too familiar with the American culture

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Specializes in US Army.

Hallo Harold, lykke til med studiene. Spørsmålene dine blir best svaret i international nursing-Finn Suzanne4. Hun har svar på allt. https://allnurses.com/forums/f75/questions-suzanne4-160148-new-post.html

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