HELP! Please for foreign but US educated nurse to be.

[crsgalz]

I am not sure whether I am going about this the wrong way, but I can't seem to find any job opportunities for me. I am a soon to be graduated nurse who will sit for nclex in January.

I will have OPT for the first year if it is granted, but I am having such a hard time finding a hospital who will eventually sponsor me or even thinking about sponsorship. I have called /emailed / more than 30 hospitals and reached a dead end as far as employment opportunity.

I am a foreign nurse with a US education.

If anyone knows any hospitals who will sponsor "new graduates" please please please let me know? I would love to work in California, or the West coast anywhere, however I am not ruling out anywhere else. I am running out of places to apply to.

Crsgalz

[suzanne4, RN]

Right off the top, never, use the word sponsorship, it brings back terrible memories of when the H1-B visas were still available, and a facility required three full time people to handle the paperwork.

You always want to use the word "petition." But until you pass the NCLEX exam, there is not one thing that anyone can do for you.

I would focus on getting thru school and passing the NCLEX and getting the OPT. The rest is easy................I can help you, but again, not until you have that title RN after your name.

[EvePooh]

I totally agree with Suzanne. U should focus on your NLCEX first. I graduated in June, but didn't really start looking for a job until Aug after I passed my exam. U can increase your bargaining power if u have your licence in hand. In my case, I had a similar experience as u did. Many hospital HRs told me they don't do a petition for foreign born nurses. So I decided to apply some hospitals w/o mentioning the petition thing. There's an unit director in one hospital( in the bay area) really likes me. So I bought up the petition thing, and she promised me she would talked to the HR for more info. Though the HR earlier stated that they have a "no-petition"policy, they later called me and said they would do the petition for me. I have to pay all the fee though.

So all I want to say is to get your licence first, and make sure u can pass it ONCE. Otherwise u are just wasting your OPT time. We have to stay positive at all times even though it will be frustrating looking for a petition. Also, if u are graduating in Dec, u can tell your international student advisor that u want your OPT to be effective from Feb(within 2 months after u graduate), so u won't lose too much time of your OPT while u are waiting for your ATT.

Good luck!

Eve