peadiatric registered nurse wishing to work in the usa

[harley65]

hi all, new to the forum

would really appreciate some help, i am a qualified registered nurse child, i am looking to work in the usa.

i have read the exams board and you need clinical and practice hours in a variety of specialities before you can sit this exam. does anybody know how to do this? or do i need to retrain in america? its all confusing

thanks for your time

tracy

[TabithaB]

Hey there!

I have to agree with you that it is a very confusing path!!! I am in the process of doing the same thing. I am now living in MA with my American husband and our kids (and trying very hard to stay warm!!) My background is Bachelor of nursing from Australia.......did post grad in kids and then the last 7 years in kids general med/surg and peds sleep studies.

I have had to jump through alot of hoops to get this far with the whole process of getting registered.......my American sister in law tells me that she is glad that foreign nurses are subjected to this process.........because "We cant just let anyone come in and nurse here........you might have substandard skills"..............Agree with this to a point........Yes i must prove myself and my experience......but Australia has come along way from the days of convicts and going walk about!!! And i am sad that my hard earned bachelor degree is less now, i cant hope to get a job of the same caliber that i held in Australia.

I was advised to do an obstetric course (which wasn't really covered in my degree). Did that through Otago (NZ) and submitted my course work to Silny and co in Florida for evaluation........am going to register in Florida first and then MA. They granted me an associates.......seems i am about 20 credit points away from the BSN. So am frantically studying for Nclex and once i am working will do some online units through Australia and then have that evaluated as well to get up to BSN. Allthough i am concerned about the job crisis here.........everyone here keeps telling me that i wont get a job

Good luck to you!!!!

[harley65]

thanks, have phoned a few universities in the uk and its seems i cant just top up in the specialities, i woul have to go back to uni to study as a general nurse and a mental health nurse which would take over 4 years. it seems mad!!. but like you say they cannot just let anybody in.

just need lots of patience, trying to find the right answers

good luck to you