Nursing student from NZ wanting to pursue nursing in CA

[Hanathenurse]

Hi everyone,

I am a nursing student from New Zealand. I'm a year away from sitting the RN state exams. My husband is from the states and we are contemplating moving there after i have sat my exam so that he can be closer to his elderly parents. I have been reading up on practicing as an RN in California and am slightly confused. Some places I read says, I need to have had 2 years of experience before being allowed to practice and other places give me the impression that I can sit the nursing exams there without the practice?

I have been meaning to email the California Board of Nursing to get some clarification but I thought i would ask here first. Any comments would be appreciated!

Thank you

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

The two year requirement is in place of something else. I don't remember what, but I've looked into it for someone else and it is not an absolute requirement. California will want all of your transcripts from nursing and pre-nursing school, though. They're pretty tough with requirements compared to some states.

It's cute that you think they respond to emails (or any correspondence). They DON'T. It can take months to find out the answer to a simple question.

[Hanathenurse]

Thanks for your reply. I am going to the bay area to visit the inlaws soon. Would you recommend me making an appointment to see someone to discuss my situation instead of the email then?

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

You can try, but they don't usually answer the phone. I honestly don't know how they are with emails, but I would guess not good. Try early!! And good luck!!

[Hanathenurse]

thank you

[outriton]

You can sit for the NCLEX-RN, the U.S. nursing licensing exam, as soon as you finish your nursing degree and apply to the CA Board of Registered Nursing for an Authorization to Test. They verify that you completed an accredited nursing program with all the required coursework and clinical hours and there's a background check too. It's a competitive job market in CA so it might not be until you have 1-2 years of experience that you actually get hired, but you can be licensed as an RN (by taking the NCLEX) before having the years of experience. You actually can't work as an RN until you pass the NCLEX.

[Hanathenurse]

Thank you for your reply :) Is there a set time during the year that nurses sit the NCLEX-RN? Also, staying here in NZ for another year after the nursing registration exam to complete a graduate program is not out of the question for me. Would you recommend this?

[outriton]

The NCLEX is offered year-round. You'll receive an Authorization to Test from the Board of Nursing for the state you will be licensed in if you pass. (Note you do not need to take the NCLEX in this state though.) Once you have that, you can call your preferred testing center or go online to make an appointment for your test day and time.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum

Until you graduate it is hard to say how your application will go with CA. Firstly they are a hard state to get licensed in and secondly until in the US and have a US SSN CA will not look at your application

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Threads merged

[espaghet, BSN, RN]

Hi Hanathenurse,

I picked up this thread because I am a US citizen, currently applying for New Zealand residency, researching schools here in NZ and needing to know that I can work in the US (California in particular) as an RN in the future without going back to school for 3 years

I don't know much about obtaining a US SSN or citizenship/work permit stuff, but I know that as a foreign-trained nurse one of the first hoops you will have to jump through is proving you have gone through the adequate education upheld by the California BON. You will need to submit your transcript to the CABON and they will tell you if you have any "deficiencies". Then it is up to you to take the required courses. I have tried to find out the exact differences between the CABON standard and the average Kiwi BN program but it is quite hard as only a prospective student. It may be that you will have to take a few courses in obstetrics, for example. One Kiwi nurse on here told me that she didn't have to make up any courses to register in Pennsylvania and her biggest problem has been simply finding a job after being registered.

Unfortunately for us, California is a very competitive state for nursing programs so I imagine one would have to attend a private university to take only a couple nursing courses as the public schools (cheaper) are in high demand. However, at least in California you do not need an outside agency to perform a credential evaluation of your education (CGFNS is the main one)--you just have an official transcript sent straight to the CABON.

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By the way, what school are you attending? I am currently researching various programs around New Zealand.

-Elsa

[espaghet, BSN, RN]

Hi Hanathenurse, would like to PM you but don't have that function on my account. Just wondering again what school in NZ you have chosen and if you have figured out what (if any) educational deficiencies would you face when applying for registration with the Ca BON?