From Scotland to the U.S?

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Hi everyone, It's great to be here :) I am a student nurse, I have 2 more years left of my BS degree in adult nursing.

I am wanting to move to the U.S with my fiance (American) when I graduate but I am not sure about what i'd need to do to become a RN there. I have heard something about doing more modules before I am eligible to sit the NCLEX exam?

I would really appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks very much.

:)

My biggest concern is being able to make up OB and paeds.

:(

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I am still waiting to hear from someone, i've heard rumours it could take me 2 years to be a nurse there when their associate degrees are only 2 years total when all i need is the pediatric, OB and possibly mental health.

Surely someone must have a rough idea how long it would take?

I mean the US must get a lot of UK nurses moving there so there must be some sort of way.

Those that I need above are covered in a fall semester.

:(

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

UK nurses still have to meet requirements and lately many are stuck in the retrogression queue and have seen many change destination to Australia.

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UK nurses still have to meet requirements and lately many are stuck in the retrogression queue and have seen many change destination to Australia.

Even if I was a US citizen? My fiance and I are planning on getting married (saving just now) :)

I was talking about doing the classes there someone told me it would take 2 years of college, cant be surely not since the AD in nursing is 2 years.

Its just i really dont know what i'll need to do, i've heard we dont do the amount of hours (clinical) that are required for the US. I have even thought would it be better to transfer and study there? To be honest i'd rather stay here and finish due to finances and i'd need to start from scratch if i moved there, i dont think my 1st year of my BS would count for an AD in nursing.

I've looked into a college in MS to make up the classes and clinicals that I need i've even thought about buying a book with CD on the NCLEX. I would just rather know sooner rather than later what I need to do and i seem to be waiting forever on colleges getting back to me. Do you know any nurses that were in the same boat as me?

I really want to make a life in the US, my fiance is there now. :crying2:

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
I am still waiting to hear from someone, i've heard rumours it could take me 2 years to be a nurse there when their associate degrees are only 2 years total when all i need is the pediatric, OB and possibly mental health.

First, virtually all nursing jobs in the USA require passing the NCLEX, either RN or PN, for everyone wishing to practice as an LPN/RN. A few years ago, there was an exception - some states permitted Canadian nurse, that had passed the nation's licensure exam to work in the USA, without passing the NCLEX. That changed in the aftermath of 9-11.

In addition, at one time you could work as a graduate nurse until taking the NCLEX. This, too , in many places has fallen by the wayside since the advent of computer testing, where one can takes Boards and get results rapidly (we used to only test twice a year, and wait 2-3 monthes for results)

Even many facilities require nurse aides to pass their certification before working.

Second, contrary to popular belief, a person going for an ADN/AS/ASN degree in the USA (the so-called 2 year degree), if they have had no college whatsoever, said degree track in most schools generally runs closer to 3 years or more with the prerequisites. As an example. The standard Bachelor's degree in 120 semester hours, a non-nursing associate degree is 60-64 semester hours. The standard associate nursing degree runs 60-64 semester hours PLUS 25-36 hrs prerequisites, thus 3 years.

And most US colleges do not give entire credit for what classes that you took elsewhere (at another US school), even for US nurses as each program tends to teach in a slightly different way/order. Thus even a nursing student in the US that moves and transfers to another US college unfortunately loses a lot of his or her credits and has to repeat a great deal.

And given that many schools only teach some parts (OB/Paeds/etc) at certain times a year, in may take quite a while before those times of the year come around.

Many inlaws, even those that work in health care may be very unaware of the issues facing emigrating nurses. And if they are not in healthcare, they may be completely unaware that : there is no "easy 2 year course", that there is no shortage, that there are numerous hoops to jump through if foreign educated, and that most facilities now require you have license in hand and have passed NCLEX before they will even look at an application.

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I am aware of the regulations and the NCLEX but don't know if It is possible to take these classes (OB, Pediatrics, mental health) in the US. I am almost half way through my 2nd year of my BSN and had contemplated transferring though would it be better to stay here and finish then do the modules above? My fear is that I wont be able to do that (just to do those classes and clinical hours)

I know EMCC does the ADN but I really don't know if they will let me make up what i've missed.

I dont even think i can take the NCLEX either without those and also first passing the CGFNS test which the MS board wants.

I know where my fiance is living there is some shortages, his aunt is a RN near Memphis. Bearing in mind i'll be a US citizen when I come to apply to do my NCLEX.

This is from EMCC.

First Year

Fundamentals of Nursing

English Composition I

Psychology

Nutrition

Medical Surgical Nursing I

Maternal Newborn Nursing

Growth and Development

Second Year

Medical Surgical Nursing II

Mental Health Nursing

Oral Communication

Sociology

Fine Arts Elective

Child Health Nursing

Internship in Nursing Leadership

I really don't know what is best.

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This is from EMCC.

First Year

Fundamentals of Nursing

English Composition I

Psychology

Nutrition

Medical Surgical Nursing I

Maternal Newborn Nursing

Growth and Development

Second Year

Medical Surgical Nursing II

Mental Health Nursing

Oral Communication

Sociology

Fine Arts Elective

Child Health Nursing

Internship in Nursing Leadership

I really don't know what is best.

Is that coming from a ADN program because that looks similiar curriculum to the ADN programs here in CA that I've seen. But most of them require your general education to be completed prior to entry into the program. Most that I've seen usually only have nursing components in the program.

Did you try contacting a ADN program asking if you could transfer some of your college work? Also, did you try contacting some BSN programs, they may take you as advance standing students and may or may not accept all of your college studies but it's worth a shot since you seem like you really want to be closer to your fiancee. Good Luck

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Hi there, that is the AD in nursing from East Mississippi Community College, the closest college to where my fiance lives. I would like to take the classes/clinicals in bold because the rest of them we do here in first year. The BSN i am doing seems to have the same apart from what is highlighted in bold. I may be better to finish here. I am already almost half way through 2nd year.

UK education is accepted all over especially the US, we have students from worldwide at my university.

It's just that we do not do the OB, pediatrics or mental health modules.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Even if I was a US citizen? My fiance and I are planning on getting married (saving just now) :)

But you will not be a US citizen. Once you marry your US fiancée you have to wait 3 years before you can apply for citizenship, all you will get is a greencard allowing you to live and work in the US

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But you will not be a US citizen. Once you marry your US fiancée you have to wait 3 years before you can apply for citizenship, all you will get is a greencard allowing you to live and work in the US

You can tell I haven't researched much :D

Does that still entitle me to become a resident?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
You can tell I haven't researched much :D

Does that still entitle me to become a resident?

yes having a greencard means you are a permanent resident

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