Is current U.K. RGN qualification enough for U.S.A?

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Hi all,

Putting immigration aside (because I've got dual citizenship of the U.K. & U.S.A.) once you get the RGN qualification (from the U.K.) then can you satisfy the U.S. requirements for nursing?

The reason I ask is because I've heard so many conflicting stories and figured I could get a pretty decent answer here on the forum.

I was told that before the year 2000 that all RGN's from the U.K. could work in the U.S. (once they satisfied immigration, etc.) because they had all the theory & practical hours in: med/surg, paeds, psych & ob/gyn. Apparently now, the RGN programme doesn't touch on paeds & ob/gyn am I correct in my thinking?

Oh I forgot to say I don't have to worry about the psych bit because I've just qualified as a RMN.

Thanking you all in advance for your replies.

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Specializes in intensive care, recovery, anesthetics.

yes, your thinking is right, you will lack those hours and have to make them up (theory and practical), if you have dual citizenship it might be the easiest to do that in the States at a college.

5cats

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Hi 5cats,Thanks for that - just wanted to make sure I was on the right track.If once I obtained the RGN from the U.K. I was going to be missing to many hours then I would just do the nursing programme in the U.S. as I've checked out the college(s), etc.Where are you and what's your status?

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It all depends on which state you're applying to because each state has different requirements for foreign educated nurses. Even though you have dual citizenship your education was still done outside the US so you will have to meet those requirements. Contact the state board you wish to obtain licensure and question them on the requirements. Or you can easily check out the BRN website and most of the time, they will list the qualifications. If your questions still aren't answered then contact the board for clarification because they are the only ones who can answer your questions. Good Luck

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Specializes in intensive care, recovery, anesthetics.

I'm in Canada, Saskatchewan:)

Still on work permit, working on my permanent residency.

5cats

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What country are you originally from 5cats? How is Saskatchewan? Is it a beautiful place? I've seen British Columbia and that's such a beautiful province.

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Specializes in intensive care, recovery, anesthetics.

It is beautyful if you don't mind not having mountains. Great colours, land of the living skies says it all. Even here rather south of the province.

originally I'm german, but used to live in Switzerland and in UK for the last years.

5cats

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

A lot will depend on what your transcripts indicate. We have had some RMN's meet requirements and not make any hours up and general adult RN's been short in some areas and have to make hours up. It really varies. I would suggest once completed training is apply to a state and get CES from CGFNS done and that will indicate whether you need to make hours up or not

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Hi Silverdragon,

Out of curiosity what states have actually accepted the british RMN? Could this be because they were dual qualified in RMN/RGN or are you saying solely from their RMN qualification?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

It all goes on what the transcripts show. The members that made it threw must have had some clinical and theory hours acceptable in the other areas

Do you have any idea what your transcript shows?

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