I'm a Portuguese educated RN. I attend a Portuguese Nursing School -University during 4 years. As professional experience I just have the academic internships. I finish the school 1 year ago.
In the meantime I married and me and my husband moved to the US - CT state. I am now a permanent resident here.
I really would like to practice nursing here, and I already know what to do to reach the Cunnecticut RN license. But the fact of not having experience itself will be an obstacle to getting a job later? I am really worried about that because I have qualifications and I'm afraid will never be able to exercise nursing in this country.
Anyway I would also like to know if is possible to work as a CNA or PCA, because I'm already a nurse in another country and thus I am able to perform without difficulty their functions.
I would be grateful for any information that you guys might give me.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
If you need to work then I see no reason on doing a job that you feel will help you whilst you are going through the license procedure with the state.
I would not recommend NY for initial license unless you plan on working there. NY requires CVS and takes on average 8 months before getting permission to sit NCLEX. If you must go to another state then look at one with CGFNS CES (course evaluation) and do it that way. Have you checked with your state BON that they will accept you if you endorse from another state without having to do the CGFNS exam? They may not which means you will still have to do it
In Portuguese we call "Licenciado em Enfermagem" (Enfermagem=Nursing) I dont know how to translate the word "licenciado". Is similar to a bachelor, here in the states.
In Portugal all the people that attend a university (during 4 years) is called "licenciado".
Then if you want to continue your education, you can take a master degree (in Portuguese "Mestrado")
Specifically in nursing, you can still get a specialization. Then the nurse is called "enfermeiro especialista" (specialist nurse).
In addition, there is also the possibility of pursuing a Ph.D., in portuguese Ph.D is called "doutoramento".
Recently, Portugal was suffered an academic reforme called Bologna Process, in which all undergraduate courses lasts for 5 years (3 years, "bachelor" +2 years-master). So when you end the University has a master's degree. This process was implemented across Europe to facilitate the mobilization of students and later workers. Therefore, there is a standardization of courses across Europe.
Licenciado em emfermagem, I would translate as Licensed Nurse. Wow, a Masters in 5 years, some bachelor courses here in the USA take about 5 years to get. Some BSN programs here take about 5 years. 2 years of general ed and prerequisites and then 3 years for your core nursing component.
If I take a license in NY would be to work there ... Because I think CT would not accept me to work with a license from NY.
However, I am considering what to do, if I take a license in this state or in New York and then move to there... But I heard comments that the market is tough (if it is hard for nurses with experience, for me, newly graduate could be worse).
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
As long as you meet state requirements for foreign trained nurse then passing NCLEX in one state and endorsing to another shouldn't be a problem. I have a license with both NY and AZ and had no problems endorsing
NurseCubanita, the master of 5 years is for most Portuguese courses, except medicine, law, nursing and others ...
Nursing is now undergoing a further review ... I do not really know how it goes ... I only know that at the end of the course, each student will be required to make some kind of residency for 1 year...However, this is all still under negotiation.
Silverdragon102 if I get the license in NY and then endorsing to CT, there is any chance that the CT state tell me to do the CGFNs exam, since it is a requirement here to get the license?
So I think that means that it is possible endorsing the NY license to CT. They only said that "Foreign-trained applicants need only arrange for verification of certification by the CGFNS International". Then, I dont need to do the CGFNS exam. I aply for the NY state and when I have the license, I require a licensure by endorsement to the CT state. I think that is a possibility...
Silverdragon102, BSN
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If you need to work then I see no reason on doing a job that you feel will help you whilst you are going through the license procedure with the state.
I would not recommend NY for initial license unless you plan on working there. NY requires CVS and takes on average 8 months before getting permission to sit NCLEX. If you must go to another state then look at one with CGFNS CES (course evaluation) and do it that way. Have you checked with your state BON that they will accept you if you endorse from another state without having to do the CGFNS exam? They may not which means you will still have to do it