Nursing in the US

suzanne4, RN · May 28, 2008

I have moved your thread to the International Forum as there are many additional requirements that you will need to meet to get licensed in the US. As well as being aware that the US is currently under a retrogression, so it is going to be impossible for you to work here for actually years at this time.

Also not sure what are that you did your training in, whether adult or peds or mental health. You will be required to have clinical and theory hours in pnetal health, peds, as well as OB. The US does not permit licensure without having the required courses in a curriculum. For licensure in Florida, you will also need to obtain a CES, which is a credentials eval done thru CGFNS. That is before they will even consider your application for licensure and you need their approval just to be able to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam.

You can go to the Pearson-Vue website to see the locations where the exam is offered. The exam is $200 if you write it in the US, and $350 if you write it in the UK, but otherwise no other differences.

Not sure if you are expecting to come here on the tourist visa, but that will not permit you to work. You are going to need to apply for the green card, and that requires an employer to start the immigration process and it also requires that you have taken and passed the NCLEX first as well.

Please take the time to do some reading on this forum, including the Primer at the top here to see what you will need to do before you will be permitted to work in the US.

And best of luck to you.

RGN1 · May 29, 2008

By the time you manage to get over to the USA you won't be a newly qualified nurse!! CHeck out the threads on retrogression for the full picture.

The current wait is about 2 years frm the UK & that's for nurses whose files are completed.

Don't go with an agency if you want Florida as they don't have placements there no matter what they say. Having said that it's hard to get a job offers from the hospitals there because with retrogression they don't know when you will be able to start, so they're obviously reluctant to offer foriegn nurses a job.

I have a job in Florida but can't get to it so have opted for Canada instead - I can still use my Florida house for vacations at least! Which I'm sure I'll need for those winters!!

No point doing the exam in Florida when it's offered here - the airfare alone would not make it worthwhile. Kaplan is excellent. I would recommend you study yourself using Saunders then go on the Kaplan 1 day live course. Also check out the N-CLEX threads as there's lots of advice for you there.

letina · May 29, 2008

Hi Lesley, and welcome to allnurses :)

I'm from England and I work in a hospital not far from Davenport.

Suzanne has all the info pretty much covered in the primer, but don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions, we're glad to help.

ljones6843 · May 30, 2008

Hi Letina

Thank you for sending me the email, I have just finished my time in A & E and loved it in our local hospital. I know it is going to be very difficult being an Adult nurse to get the experience in the other areas ie child, mental health etc. Could you give me any tips on how I can get round this so I can take my NCLEX exam. My graduation is in March 09 and I am coming up for my elective placement within the next month so would it be benifical for me to choose these areas to work in for the 14 weeks?

By hook or by crook I do not want to stay in England, there is nothing here and no prospect whise for my children, and the job status in England for nurses is dyer!!! Would it be benifical for me to take a course in nursing in the states so I can get my feet under the table that way?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards.

Lesley

RGN1 · May 30, 2008

Check out the stickies, there's plenty of threads too on making up hours. It will take some time but search these threads everything you need to know & more is here.

If you don't want to wait too long & don't want to make up hours them you're better off looking at Australia or New Zealand. Closer to home is Jersey & Guernsey - no VAT & low taxes make it a good alternative & very close to home but far enough away!! The Isle of Man is another option too. There's also Gibraltar if you want more sun!!

Silverdragon102, BSN · May 30, 2008

Even if you do your electives in an area you still need the theory. We have seen some already who thought they may be short in hours get CES done once training complete and transcripts available and they found they had enough hours in all areas. Even then you are still looking at several years before moving as it currently stands and no way to come sooner to the US and try to adjust visa like going on courses to get your feet under the table. With retrogression there just isn't the visas to allow this

suzanne4, RN · May 30, 2008

The US requires that clinical and theory training be done at the same time, so clinical alone will not meet the requirements for you to work in the US.

You will need to have actual courses reflected in your transcript to meet the requirements for working here, as well as for Canada.