Hello! This is my story for those interested or is going through the same things as me being dealing with the concurrency issue with the CA BON, being foreign educated, and struggling retaking the NCLEX RN exam.
2007 in California there was long waiting list just to get into a nursing program so I took my mom's offer of having my BSN education in the Philippines
2011 graduated from the Philippines, skipped the Philippine board exam (since I am an American citizen & don't need a PI license) and applied for the CA NCLEX.
I waited for CA BON to process and review my documents because they kept asking me for more things . . .waiting for almost a YEAR to find out I am not able to take the NCLEX because my education was insufficient! ! ! It did not make sense to me because my friend who graduated with me same school same state same everything as me and she got approved to take the NCLEX. My friend applied 2 MONTHS earlier than I did.
Turns out, between April to July 2011 the CA BON changed regulations or just got more strict with 'foreign educated nurses' trying to apply for the CA NCLEX. I don't know the exact details about the concurrency issue or I call the 'deadline' but the CA BON made it pretty much IMPOSSIBLE for me to get approved because their reason my education was 'insufficient'. They asked for my clinical rotation papers where I assisted with surgeries, the minor, major, etc. and the BON says that the dates of my assisted surgeries were not in the same time/semester as our medsurg classes etc from our class schedule. Ugh! So if I changed the dates (which I could of because those papers were really for the Philippine board of nursing) I could of surpassed their new requirement, or not.
What made it even more frustrating was the BON said I have to retake 2 classes, medsurg and OB, with their clinicals. Sounds do-able right? After calling around 20 colleges and emailing universities, NONE offered those classes separately, you have to take the ENTIRE nursing program again! No way! Also it was up to the dean of that college to make changes or accept irregular students but they never really responded. I heard/read a school in San Francisco let students take separate classes but I couldn't go there, and I bet they have a waiting list already.
Eventually, I had to accept I can't be an RN in my home state, CA, and look elsewhere. My stepdad lived in Florida and I got approved by Florida BON! because I think most states have the foreign education transcripts and papers reviewed by CGFNS or other services that approve foreign education. CA is sooo special and I think the only ones who check your education background themselves, thus able to deny you and you and you. ugh.
2012 a year and half after graduating, I took my Florida NCLEX and failed. I didn't know or realize after you pay pearson vue the $200 you have 3 months to take the NCLEX, I thought it was a year, but that was the state holding your application. I saw my deadline for my ATT was around 2 weddings and had to take the NCLEX right before my vacation to the Philippines I booked months ago. I was not focused on the test at all and took all 265 questions and failed, =(. That meant I was borderline though!
2013 I took my NCLEX again I reviewed with Hurst and they claimed that 'Everything you need to know is in this book, you dont need anything else' so I studied their book three times and did all of their online things and they did NOT COVER ALZHEIMERS! ! ! I got sooo many questions on alzheimers and dementia to leave the door open or not to put them in a room with an abstract painting I had such a hard time, and I actually took the test TOO SLOW and took the whole 6 HOURS and I did not finish the 265 I think I went up to 230ish and I didnt know if you run out of time they only grade the last 60 questions. I did not pass. I don't completely blame Hurst though.
2014 I did a wonderful local review Shiela's review in Florida, yellow saunders book, PDA la charity book, and rescheduled my test because my dog passed away I wanted NO DISTRACTIONS. I'm a really bad test taker and I know I haven't perfected the critical thinking skills but I went through the 265 questions AGAIN I kept praying and breezed through the last 100 question cuz honestly I was sick of nursing questions I've been practicing for 3 years I got the last question wrong thought I failed again did the pearson vue trick 3 hours later. . . couldn't believe it did the good pop and I finally passed. Btw the pearson vue trick is still good my first 2 times it went straight to credit card page cuz i failed and my last time it had the pop up! still works =D.
I can't believe my NCLEX journey took 3 years. . but I did it! I still want to transfer my Florida license to California because my family and friends are there but I heard CA will still look at my education and deny me, =(. But I'll work as a nurse here in Florida I am excited!
Let me know if you guys have updates on the CA Board of Nursing if they changed any regulations to foreign nurses! Cuz that would be great, =D.
Also if you are in Jacksonville, holla! I have no peeps here
