Making up nursing hours to work in the US (from the UK)

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

I'm just wondering if anyone has had to do this and, if so, how they went about it. I'd posted my first thread https://allnurses.com/forums/f75/child-branch-trained-uk-nurse-going-work-us-298160.html and got some incredibly helpful answers about what it'd take to nurse in the US. I should get my transcripts in September 2008 and will get CES to evaluate them and then apply to (perhaps) the Florida BON.

As I'm child branch trained, I imagine I'll have some hours lacking (I did have a foundation year with placements in adult and learning disability and also had extra courses that year in mental health and maternity, as there weren't clinical places available for those).

So, when I get all of this confirmed - would it be best to take some extra courses here in the UK or in the US? And what type of course? It seems it'd be better for me to take the courses in the UK, if possible, as I could then keep working (££££). I know I could get adult qualified as well, but I don't want to do that entire course if I don't have to. :uhoh21:

Anyway, I'd really like some input from anyone who's had experience in this or knows of someone who has. And I'd better mention that, while I've trained in the UK, I'm an American - so no need for advice on immigration, visas, etc. - just the making up of the hours in the US or UK.

Thanks a lot! :D

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

Oooh, thought I'd also mention that I did eight months of a LVN course (including a couple of adult clinical placements) in Texas in 2000/2001 and a few pre-requisites (English, Psychology, Kinesiology, etc.) for the ADN programme 1997-1999, all at a junior college in Texas.

I still have that transcript somewhere. (I think I have my high school transcript somewhere as well....but I don't think that'd be useful.) Should I make sure CES gets that as well? Or, since it wouldn't need to be evaluated, would I just give that info to the BON along with the CES evaluation?

I also did basic and certification phlebotomy in 1998 (the certification required a six week placement) via the same junior college's "regional training and development complex."

I'm just thinking...could any of this help with my likely lack of hours? Again, thanks in advance! :bowingpur

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Unfortunately, those hours do not make any difference for you.

Best bet is to get your credentials evaluated when you are done with your program. You are unable to see what you will need until you are done. If you have completed hours in adult and mental health, as well as maternal health, then you should be okay.

Unfortunately, there is nothing to do until you are done.

If you find that you are lacking anything, the courses can be made up at community colleges all over the US, it is not a problem to do that, but would wait and see what they say that you need, if it is anything.

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

Thanks Suzanne. Like I already said, I'm definitely waiting until I get my transcript in September - I was just wanting to know what people in my situation have done so that I'll know a bit of what's out there and what to expect.

There's a few websites saying that you can't become a US nurse if you're not generally trained - and while I think it must be possible since I do have that foundation year, I'd like to hear of people who have experience training either here in the UK or when they get to the US so I'd know what to expect.

You also mention the community colleges - but I'd like specific information from someone who has done it if there are any on the message board. Also, if I can't even get licensed/take the NCLEX without the extra training, I don't see how I could do the extra training in the US since I wouldn't be able to work/earn money.

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I am telling you that you should not have any issues, you may need a class or two depending on how they assess your hours that you have completed.

There are quite a few here that I have helped and they are in the US and working as RNs here. It is your choice as to who to believe. You came here and were asking for advice on what to do or what would be needed. We are the largest nursing bulletin board in the world as many like the information that they receive here.

We have seen nurses even with mental health training get accepted here for licensure, it all comes down to the courses that you have while you were in your program and how the school breaks down your hours. You may not need to do anything, but you will not know until you get your transcripts evaluated. And it is not more than one or two classes that you would possibly need, and you just complete them as a guest student in almost every single state in the US, it has never been a problem for anyone if they need to make up a class or two.

You are asking for something that no one can tell you for sure until your credentials are reviewed; each is assessed on its own merit. And CGFNS will make the final decision.

Most that have come over here and are now working are not on the forums that much anymore as they are busy with their work and family schedules.

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

I'm certainly not disbelieving you. I was just asking for specific personal experience. I can appreciate that those who have gone before me don't use the board as often.

I'm happy with the fact that I may not have to make up any classes or that I may indeed have to do a couple. I just really wanted to know how those who did have to do a few classes went about it, i.e. did they do the extra courses in the UK? if they did them in the US, how did they afford it when they weren't working (and to then have to pay for licensure and NCLEX)? You also just mentioned studying for those courses as a "guest student," and I've never heard of that phrase. Would an American be considered that?

As you can see, I do have actual questions that I've thought of. I guess I just feel that I'm being fobbed off with a "you can't do anything until you have your transcript, so go away until then" sort of attitude. While it is three months until I qualify, that is a short period of time - and I'd like to get all the information as soon as I can so that I'm not playing catch-up all of a sudden. I'm sure when I do get my transcript and have it sent to CES, I'll have more specific questions, but I hope you don't mind that I ask these general ones now.

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Any time that you are attending a school just to take one or two courses but are not getting a degree issued to you from there, then you are considered a guest student. And many Americans actually do this.

Example: you are short one class to graduate, but your school does not offer it for six more months, you may be able to get it done at another school and it will be accepted for your degree where you are.

Or for what ever reason, you decide that you wish to go and live in another area for a few months, you can continue on with your studies or part of them, or if you get married and only have a few classes left, and your husband is in another locale, then usually you can finish the classes or part of them as a guest student. And still get your degree.

You are not going to need a degree from here, if you need hours, you just need both clinical and theory hours done during the same course and we see it done all of the time here. From CA to the coast of NJ.

Community colleges all over offer this, it is a way for them to fill in the gaps in their classes when someone drops or is unable to continue with that class. But you still will not know if you need the hours until you submit your transcripts. Unless you can get into contact with someone that specifically went thru your program, it would hard for anyone to make an educated guess on it.

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Each of the courses, if they are needed, are only about 6 weeks in length, so it is just three months or so that they come over to complete the coursework and then return home.

They are unable to work during that time, but three months is not usually hard to cover here, especially since things are relatively cheaper in most areas compared to the UK.

It is not being fobbed off as you call it but just that without the CES in hand, it is hard to know what will be accepted and what will not. We have seen people come thru here and not believe us and sign up for a full program in the US before getting the evaluation done, and I mean for a full nursing program again, and then find out that they did not need to make anything up. That is why you really need to wait, it also takes CGFNS several months to complete the CES. Even if you do not need to make up hours, most states require the CES before they will look at your application in the first place. That is why I am telling you to wait and see if you need anything at all, chances are that you may not need any other classes. But you need to be patient.

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Specializes in CTICU.

I know the makeup courses for paeds and maternity at Deakin Uni in Melbourne, Australia are available for online if you needed. You would have to organize your own clinical experience though to complete the requirements (if needed).

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

Thanks for explaining the "guest student" term to me and also how to go about doing it, should I need to. Don't worry - I won't be booking anything now. I just like to know the possibilities. Patience is a virtue that I must work on, but I think I'm happy now with the information you've provided me with. I still have family all across the South, so I guess six weeks to three months wouldn't be too difficult if I stayed with one of them. It'd just be the matter of arranging the time off work here.

Anyway, it's all in the future, so I'll hang tight for now and keep an eye on the board. Thanks for the info! :D

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I think it is best you speak to state boards and hear from the horses mouth.When i did my foundation programme here in the UK,i WROTE to so many state boards of nursing in the USA to find out if I was in the right branch, as i originally went into university to study children's nursing.I was shocked by the responses that flooded my email box.Not one of the states advised me to do this branch of nursing.That was why i quickly switched to the adult branch.They all told me i would have to do another 18-24 months course to be able to be registered in their state.Don't even bother wasting your money with CGFNS OR ANY OTHER CREDENTIAL SERVICES.

Your best BET is to ask the boards which courses you need to do and the required theoretical and clinical hours accept by them.You are better off using one or two boards.Hope they will be kind to tell you.I don't know about this.

I am afraid,you may have to return to the university to do another 18 months to qualify as an adult nurse.That would cover all the requirements needed to get a good and acceptable report from CGFNS that state boards will accept in the USA.

I RESEARCHED PRETTY WELL IN MY FIRST YEAR,AND I AM GLAD I DID.I HAVE NOW GONE THROUGH CGFNS AND KNOW I WOULD HAVE STOOD NO CHANCE.I WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO UNIVERSITY TO DO THE ADULT PROGRAMME.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,CHILDREN'S NUSING HAS little RELEVANCE TO GENERAL NURSING.Let us assume it did..how many percent? PAEDIATRIC NURSING IS RESTRICTIVE.YOU WILL NEED GENERAL NURSING PLACEMENTS IN ADULT NURSING AREAS.YOU CAN STEP DOWN FROM ADULT NURSING.YOU CANNOT STEP INTO ADULT FROM PEDIATRICS.IT would not be realistic BUT this IS A TRUE SCENARIO.

BEST WISHES.

Never give up on what you want.Forge ahead.The future is brighter if we are willing...keep smiling.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I think it is best you speak to state boards and hear from the horses mouth.When i did my foundation programme here in the UK,i WROTE to so many state boards of nursing in the USA to find out if I was in the right branch, as i originally went into university to study children's nursing.I was shocked by the responses that flooded my email box.Not one of the states advised me to do this branch of nursing.That was why i quickly switched to the adult branch.They all told me i would have to do another 18-24 months course to be able to be registered in their state.Don't even bother wasting your money with CGFNS OR ANY OTHER CREDENTIAL SERVICES.

Your best BET is to ask the boards which courses you need to do and the required theoretical and clinical hours accept by them.You are better off using one or two boards.Hope they will be kind to tell you.I don't know about this.

I am afraid,you may have to return to the university to do another 18 months to qualify as an adult nurse.That would cover all the requirements needed to get a good and acceptable report from CGFNS that state boards will accept in the USA.

I RESEARCHED PRETTY WELL IN MY FIRST YEAR,AND I AM GLAD I DID.I HAVE NOW GONE THROUGH CGFNS AND KNOW I WOULD HAVE STOOD NO CHANCE.I WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO UNIVERSITY TO DO THE ADULT PROGRAMME.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,CHILDREN'S NUSING HAS little RELEVANCE TO GENERAL NURSING.Let us assume it did..how many percent? PAEDIATRIC NURSING IS RESTRICTIVE.YOU WILL NEED GENERAL NURSING PLACEMENTS IN ADULT NURSING AREAS.YOU CAN STEP DOWN FROM ADULT NURSING.YOU CANNOT STEP INTO ADULT FROM PEDIATRICS.IT would not be realistic BUT this IS A TRUE SCENARIO.

BEST WISHES.

Never give up on what you want.Forge ahead.The future is brighter if we are willing...keep smiling.

We have had a few find that they have been short on hours because of the training they did and was able to make courses up in less than 18 months. We even have had mental health nurses who thought they would have to make hours up but their transcripts indicated that the foundation course they did actually gave them enough hours in all areas. Each university does things different so sometimes is worth going through and getting some breakdown on transcripts

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