I am a trained nurse in Europe but want to relocate to California or Los Angleles.

[Ellean55]

I am a qualifed RGN from Europe., I am currently gaining a second qualification in Psychiatric nursing. I do have some experience in general nursing, but would like to move to the United States and work and live in California or Los Angeles. If that is not an option, I would be prepared to live in New York, New Jersey or Washington. When I have finishing my training I do plan to get some clinical experience working in Forensic, because I particularly want to work with patients who have forensic histories but also have personality disorder etc. I would also point out that I plan to sign up for the NCLEX exam too. I would eventually like to work in the correctional facilty with inmates who are serving life or facing capital sentences that have forensic histories in America. I would like to actually work in San Quentin correctional facility one day.

What I would like to ask is - bearing in mind the current economic crisis in the States - How do I go about starting the process of wanting to work in the states?

How long does it take for an overseas to obtain registration from the Californian Board of Nursing?

Is it possible for a non-us nurse to achieve an American nursing degree online?

Sorry for the long speil but I would be really helpful if any of the American RNs could give some advice. Thanks.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Starting point would be the state board of nursing and getting sorted with requirements for foreign trained nurse. Once you get sorted and pass NCLEX then you can start looking for a employer. Depending on route will depend on how long you have to wait. With retrogression green card will take several years. H1b as long as you meet criteria may be a bit quicker but you will have to find a hospital willing to sponsor this and with current economics in the US may be hard

[Ellean55]

Thanks for the advice. Its really appreciated.

[loriangel14, RN]

Los Angeles in IN California.

[Ellean55]

Sorry Longoria I do realise my error. Thanks for pointing it out to me. *smiles*

[Daly City RN]

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I admire you for your bravery for wanting to work at San Quentin where one California's the toughest inmates are incarcerated. San Quentin is located near San Francisco in Marin County, where real estate prices are one of the most expensive in the country despite the current economic crisis.

If experience is more important to you than salary rate despite the high cost of living here in the SF Bay Area, then more power to you. Being a correctional nurse puts you in a greater financial disadvantrage though. You will be earning a little over $5,500/month as a nurse in San Quentin, but you can earn $8,000 to $10,000 per month in acute care hospitals. Again, I am pointing these differences because it is very expensive to live here. If you still want to pursue that path, then by all means do it.

You will be an employee of the State of California and they have a generous early retirement option, plus job security (although I'm not so sure of the latter because of the huge budget deficit the state is experiencing at the moment).

Outside of the correctional facility, jobs for nurses here has not been too bright lately. Because of the high salaries given to registered nurses here in the SF Bay Area, many RNs from all over have flocked to work here thus ending the nursing shortage. I gathered that there are many nursing job vacancies in Los Angeles, San Diego and elsewhere in California except the San Francisco Bay Area.

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[Ellean55]

Thank you for that. You have certainly given me food for thought. Experience and a high salary as well as promotion and professional development are also very important to me as well. Also If I travel to the states I dont have a partner or children to support so it will just be me. I have always had an interest in the mental psyche of a person. I am particularly interested in working with those who have forensic histories as and have mental health problems such as Schizophrenia and Personality disorder. However the country I trained in does not practice capital punishment and this is something I wanted to explore and look how the justice system works in California - espeically with inmates who have committed crimes serious enough to warrant CP and indefinate inprisonment who have scizphorenia and borderline personality disorders. I think I will be taking up the NCLEX. I know the current economic crisis is upon us but It wont last forever. In fact I think this is a good time to get prepared and start the process.