Foreign nursing school and CA RN license living in VA

[DocsWifey]

Hopefully someone has been in the same boat and can help me!

I graduated from my German nursing school in 2002 with a German nursing diploma. I worked for about 2 years on an ICU before we moved to the US.

I got my CA RN license in 2012 and worked for about a year for an oral surgeon.

Due to my husbands military orders we moved in April from CA to VA.

I did not go to any nursing school in the US ( I do have some credits from a community college in CA though), so all my nursing education is from Germany.

I can't get my VA license through endorsement because the VA board wants me to go through an evaluation service first (even though I passed the NCLEX and worked in CA as an RN). My problem is, that my nursing school is a PITA when it comes to filling out paperwork - in fact, they have told us that they won't help us any further regarding our education in the US. (my husband has the same problem).

I decided on going back to school to get my BSN and I'm in the process of applying to ODU. I know that ODU is very elective, but I had a brief, but bad experience with University of Phoenix, so I'm very wary of profit schools.

And even after getting my BSN I still can't practice nursing in the State of VA. I'm getting frustrated on what to do with my career. Sometimes I'm thinking I should just start all over again and do something else. Just to get away from the "foreign education" status.

I still like to hear recommendations and reviews about ODU or any other RN to BSN programs.

Also, what else in the healthcare field can you think of that would require going back to school, but not for a lenghty amount of time?

Just trying to be open for any options.

Any advice or ideas are welcome!

Thank you

[ypman18]

Hi, I am experiencing something similar at the moment. Hopefully, you did successfully pass all the required exams and may be can give me some advice. I am a military wife and originally from the Netherlands (husband is American). We live in Texas and I started the nursing licensure process. My school in the Netherlands is struggling with the breakdown of the courses and hours for the credential evaluation, but after calling the school several times they started to put more effort in it. While I am busy with the credential evaluation (1st step of the whole process), my husband decided to change his career and got a great job offer in Washington D.C. Depending on how fast the security clearance process for his job takes, we will move to D.C. maybe in a few months or max after a year.

Today, I requested CGFNS to do the credential evaluation for Texas AND D.C. I had to pay an additional $100 for D.C. Later today, my husband told me that we probably will be living in Virginia. Therefore, it might be wise to get a RN license for Virginia as well.

1. Is it possible to apply for a RN license for 3 places at the same time?

2. If I get a RN license for D.C. do I still need a license for Virginia?

3. What are the requirements for a RN license in Virginia? The BON Viriginia website doesn't show much information besides a phone number. Do they need a Credential Evaluation Report or a CGFNS Certification Program (=an exam)?

4. What are your experiences with keeping the American RN license updated when performing nursing outside the US? Note: I do not have the American nationality yet.

At this moment I really need some advice, because I am getting a bit frustrated with the application process for different states. Due to the constant moving I might have to apply for another state in a few years. So, the process never ends...

Hope to receive some answers/advice from you. Thanks.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

There are guidelines for graduates of foreign schools on the Virginia Board of Nursing website: Virginia Board of Nursing Forms and Applications

If you want to work in Virginia, you will need a Virginia RN license.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

1. Is it possible to apply for a RN license for 3 places at the same time?

I'm not sure, especially as you are a foreign graduate.

2. If I get a RN license for D.C. do I still need a license for Virginia?

Yes. D.C. is not a compact state (it's actually not a state but that's besides the point), so a D.C. license can't be used to work in VA. You would need to get a Virginia license.

If you plan to live in DC but NOT work in DC, then you won't need a DC license. See https://www.ncsbn.org/NLC_New_Grads.pdf, example #3. But if you get the VA license and decide you want to work in DC after all, you'll have to pony up for the DC license too--you can't use your VA license for working in DC.