Lost Records

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I graduated from nursing and midwifery schools in the UK back in the sixties. In order to get certified over here in the US, I requested that the General Nursing Council of England and Wales confirm my certifications. They wrote back saying that over the years records have been lost and they think one of the missing is mine. Now I'm stuck and I don't know what to do. Has anyone been in this situation? How may I tackle this problem? :crying2:

Is your nursing program still around, or absorbed into a bigger university by any chance? Did you attend a hospital based program? If so, there may be records available there...................... Will they accept a certified or notorized letter form someone that you attended school with back then?

Do you by any chance have a copy of your diploma or transcripts? If you possibly do then they should be able to grant you certification based on those.

Good luck.........................if I think of anything else I will let you know. :balloons:

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
I graduated from nursing and midwifery schools in the UK back in the sixties. In order to get certified over here in the US, I requested that the General Nursing Council of England and Wales confirm my certifications. They wrote back saying that over the years records have been lost and they think one of the missing is mine. Now I'm stuck and I don't know what to do. Has anyone been in this situation? How may I tackle this problem? :crying2:

Have you sought legal advice? This is an apalling predicament. If your records are truly lost you should surely be entitled to compensation.

Have you sought legal advice? This is an apalling predicament. If your records are truly lost you should surely be entitled to compensation.

David,

She is talking about records from forty years ago! Do you even know where any of your papers are from then? Nursing schools close down and merge throughout the years to add to this problem. It occurs around the world, and there are ways to get around it. Just as with a birth certificate never being issued years ago and the person needing a passport now.

To say that some place has to physically keep records on the premises for that long is crazy. Most hospitals transfer their older records to microfiche and they are stored off campus as we call it. What happens if the place has a fire? There is nothing that you can do, records are lost and you go on from there.

Also remember that she doesn't state when she started looking for the records................most of the people working in that office probably were not even born then. And the chances of a nurse wanting to emigrate to the US to work at 65 is not high. So please put everything into perspective before jumping to any conclusion.........

I wonder if France does a better job with copies of diplomas and transcripts in their nursing council, or however it is called, after 40 years??

:balloons:

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

I wonder if France does a better job with copies of diplomas and transcripts in their nursing council, or however it is called, after 40 years??

:balloons:

Actually, yes.

This is a very beaureaucratic society and everything is stored in triplicate. Anything remotely official has "store indefinitely" stamped all over it.

I am not saying people aren't allowed to make mistakes, but this has serious implications if it impedes somebody's ability to register abroad.

How can it truly impede? The Visa Screen process takes 6 to 8 months so I am sure that something can be solved during that time......................

Trying to sue the government over a lost or misplaced record would result in years of paperwork, I am sure more than she would care to do or spend the money on. Theoretically, all you need is a letter from the Council saying that the record was destroyed and is not available. They just need some type of documentation for their records on the US side.

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
How can it truly impede? The Visa Screen process takes 6 to 8 months so I am sure that something can be solved during that time......................

Trying to sue the government over a lost or misplaced record would result in years of paperwork, I am sure more than she would care to do or spend the money on. Theoretically, all you need is a letter from the Council saying that the record was destroyed and is not available. They just need some type of documentation for their records on the US side.

We are not talking about an individual nursing school. We are talking about the GNC (which became the UKCC which became the NMC). If we lose our original certificates and request replacements we are charged dearly. Same principle.

I'm trying to start my degree and have the same problem. Have you tried the NMC as a way of gaining proof? Mind you, with some unis this isnt enough! Never mind immigration.

And as it stands for me, most of the courses I've done will count for nothing and I'll have to start from scratch which is a real sickner :crying2: .

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

When I applied last year to Sheffield University for my transcripts I was told that all transcripts from a certain year and below had been sent to the NMC and they where supposed to be keeping records either on paper or microfilm. I would keep trying with them or have a chat with someone at the university where the training is now done in the area you originally trained at.

Sorry to hear that you are having problems

I have letters of confirmation and copies of registration but it's not enough! :uhoh3:

They need a letter stating how many pionts and at what level my training was and when schools of nursing no longer exsist I don't stand a prayer. Especially when you cant find out which school of nursing went to which college or uni. British beurocracy at its best I'm afriad!

Mind you, it might do me the favour in that I'm considering doing my degree in teaching instead of nursing. That's if I have to start from scratch I'm in conversation with the RCN at the moment.

I would keep trying with them or have a chat with someone at the university where the training is now done in the area you originally trained at.

Sorry to hear that you are having problems

WOW! Thanks for the fast replies everybody. :balloons:

Yes, the VisaScreen process here is arduous and bordering on the ridiculous. Oh well... c'est la vie!

I've actually been leaning more towards doing what Silverdragon is suggesting - contacting the hospitals and institutions where I did my program. Hopefully they are as bureaucratic in terms of their record keeping as they are in France (Thanks David). :chuckle Thanks again everyone.

Visa Screen certification is dependent upon your school of nursing filling out the form and submitting a certified set of your transcripts. The nursing council just verifies that you have a license to practice and you have not had any "marks" against you, by again filling out the form. You need to submit a certified copy of your license. That is it.......................along with the application. But also keep in mind, depending on where you will be practicing, you are subject to also completing the CGFNS exam. There are only five states in the US that currently do not require it.

:balloons:

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