Hey, any Aussies working in the USA?

[brissygal]

I have nursed in the USA and contemplating on going again. Would love to touch basis with any Aussies who are currently working in the USA at the moment, or who has recently worked there?

Drop a line when time permits?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks Brissygal:bow:

[zonnenschijn]

hi!! yes i still work at St. Andrew's... you helped me alot over long phone calls! Great to see you here! Will email!

[AussieRNinHI]

LOL!! i had a sneaking suspicion it was you!!!!! he he..so hows things going, drop me a line, love to hear where you are up to in the process!! how is the miss Kate doing?? if you speak to her, tell her to send me an email, i saw her photos from her recent trip! all look good!! im winding down, i just got home from a 3-11 shift! send me a privvy msg, and ican let you know my email addy.. hear from you soon!! cya!!

[AussieRNinHI]

BON = Board of nursing (state board of nursing)

BSN= bachelors in Science Nursing.

[zonnenschijn]

Thanks! have emailed you. My degree is just called a Bachelor of Nursing....hope this is the same as a BSN?!?!??! My degree was only 3 years and not 4.

[zonnenschijn]

hi brissygal. Thanks so much for all your advise i just received via private message. Unfortunately i can't seem to PM you back. Maybe you could PM me your email address?

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

hi brissygal. Thanks so much for all your advise i just received via private message. Unfortunately i can't seem to PM you back. Maybe you could PM me your email address?

Until you have 15 posts you can read pm's but not send any

[Kosmonavt]

hi brissygal! I am also a brissygal wanting to live and work in Madison WI. Would love any advise you might be able to give me from having 'been there done that' already! I am hoping to get an E3 visa and am looking for a hospital in WI that requires their nurses to have a BSN.

Cheers!

I don't think that staff RN qualifies for E-3 visa unless your specialization actually requires BSN or MSN. Examples include NP, wound care, clinical nurse specialist. And as far as I now BSN from Australia does not always recognized by CGFNS as BSN here in the US.

[zonnenschijn]

OMG!! BON in WI requires CGFNS cert. as well!!!! Not all States require this right? Seems so crazy when it is exactly the same process as applying with a BON and sitting the NCLEX. Why have to do the same thing twice????? Yes sorry am super frustrated!

[suzanne4, RN]

Hi and thanks so much for all the info!! I am awaiting approval from the Board of Nursing to sit the NCLEX. Have got all the textbooks ready to start studying! Pretty sure i can do it on my own without the help of an agency (fingers crossed). Have made contact with a nurse recruiter at the UW Hospital in Madison and they do have positions requiring a BSN. I take it my Bachelor of Nursing Degree (3 years) is the same or equivalent to a BSN? What does BSN actually stand for? I want to go to the states ASAP. I am going in January for another holiday for 5 weeks and will set up some meetings with potential employers and let them know all about the E3 visa.

Thanks again!

Sorry, but the three year degree offered in Australia is not considered the same as the four year BSN in the US. It is called the BN, not the BSN. It is not going to be accepted by CGFNS as being the same as the BSN. You also need to have a Visa Screen Certificate in hand to be able to apply for the E-3 visa as well.

The BSN stands for Bachelor's of Science in Nursing.

The BSN degree is a four year program and this is what is required for the jobs that require the BSN.

[suzanne4, RN]

OMG!! BON in WI requires CGFNS cert. as well!!!! Not all States require this right? Seems so crazy when it is exactly the same process as applying with a BON and sitting the NCLEX. Why have to do the same thing twice????? Yes sorry am super frustrated!

Slow down and take a deep breath. There was nothing mentioned of needing the CGFNS exam, only the fact that you will need to have a Visa Screen Certificate and the fact that most states actually require a credentials eval called the CES, that is done by CGFNS.

There are only four states out of the US that still require the CGFNS exam.

But your issue is that the three year degree is not accepted in the US as being the same as the four year BSN and this is where you are going to have issues. Suggest that you go thru the CES with CGFNS and find out what they will classify you as. No sense in trying to spend all of that money if you will be unable to get the visa. There are specific requirements that need to be met for the E-3, and the three year programs do not meet them; at least in most circumstances.

E-3 visa is a treaty visa and can be obtained in just a couple of days provided that the requirements are met; and this includes holding a license in the state where you expect to be working and the Visa Screen Certificate in hand that needs to be submitted with the petition. There is no way that the requirements are going to be met instantly, you are looking at months before being able to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, and then another couple of months for the VSC. But again, the three year degree is not going to meet the requirements as being the same as the BSN for the treaty visa from Australia.

[suzanne4, RN]

Since this thread is specific to working in the US and not Australia, per the red banner at the top of the Aussie Forum, I am moving it to the International Forum where any threads concerning licensure and immigration need to be placed.

Thanks for your understanding on this.

[suzanne4, RN]

The US is also under a retrogression so the green cards are pretty much on hold and one is looking at about five years now for a chance at one. Or close to that time frame. Without having the four year degree, it is going to be hard to get any other type of visa for the US that will permit you to work here. Any of the other visas require the full BSN to meet the specific rulings governing them by the US federal government.

Best of luck to you.