World Immigration
Published Feb 7, 2015
swdrobertson
19 Posts
Hi.
Firstly i am new to this site so i apologize in advance if this topic is in the wrong place.
I am a UK nurse looking to move to the US. I have been reading up on various sites about what i need to do to get there. However i am struggling to find a clear and concise guide to the process.
I am only at the information gathering stage of the process and would love any advice that can be offered. Or directed to threads i have probably missed lol.
I am currently looking at courses to prep for the CGFNS exam and NCLEX however there seems to be conflicting sources on CGFNS... some say i do the exam others say i do not. I can get the information directly but for now im just looking for friendly advice.
Basically i am a 29 year old degree educated male nurse (RGN). I trained from 2004 - 2007 in the UK. Id be interested to hear of experiences from people who trained at a similar time as again the sources are inconsistent about make up time in pediatrics etc
Silverdragon102, BSN
1 Article; 39,477 Posts
Unless the state actually says you need CGFNS exam I would not bother doing it. You will need to do CES or other acceptable report which breaks down your transcripts which must show clinical and theory hours in Paeds, Mental Health, Obstetrics and Adult. Once you have met state requirements and passed NCLEX you then need to find a employer willing to wait the current 2plus years it will take to wait for a immigrant visa. This is after the waiting time for meeting state requirements. The US nurse training is general trained hence needing clinical and theory hours in the areas I mention.
Many thanks for the reply.
I am looking at MO. I shall check to see what they request. As they accept a number of credential checking services i imagine they will not equre me to do the exam.
I belive my training would provide the appropriate theory but i wont have the clinical hours in paeds or obs. Am i correct in believeing its only training not clinical experience that counts as clinical time?
Scott.
Generally your transcripts must include both clinical and theory hours and for some states the clinical must be done at the same time as the theory. I would suggest applying, provide as much info as you can and the BON will make their own decision.
Thank you for your continued advice.
I have requested more information from the MO nursing board however the information i am reading so far seems aimed at foriegn educated nurses already residing in the US.
Once problem i am struggling with is the criminal background check. Is there a method of international criminal record checking?
many thanks
This should be a good starting point for you, especially page 3 http://pr.mo.gov/boards/nursing/rnoutside.pdf
Ah thank you. I do have that one. Im currently waiting replies to a few emails regarding international criminal checks etc. Thank you for your continued help. Il post again later with progress but for now im about to enjoy a post night shift coma.
Hello again.
Update time... I have established that the MO crimincal check will accept fingerprints taken by a UK police force so i can get the criminal check done, I have the correct forms and just have to add a covering letter explaining that i cant provide a social security number as i am a UK national. Currently waiting on a statement of entry from the NMC. All being well i will make my application in 2 -3 weeks time.
I know with certainty that i am going to have to do some make up time in peadiatrics. Does anyone out there have experience with this? Im not sure if i will be allowed to do this make up time in the UK or if i will need to volunteer in the US to do it.
I know of one woman who trained on the same ciriculum as me. She was asked to do make up time and a course designed for people who fail NCLEX. This would allow her to sit it. She choose not to persue it so sh never found out if the make up time would be in the US.
Continued thanks.
As far as I am aware there are no courses in the UK to make clinical and theory hours up. One of the universities started doing it several years ago with one of the agencies however when retrogression started in 2006 they decided the cost wasn't worth it
Ah ok thanks for the update. The course i believe was based in the US but it could be completed with online classes so it can be done in the UK, it was just the make up time i was curious about.
Be careful as clinical experience may be hard to get if online. Just make sure that it is accepted by the BON
no no im not refering to the clinical experience. The course my colleauge was asked to do was in addition to clinical time.