Please help - uk nurse needing to practise in usa

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Please help me

I am a registered nurse in the UK who has met and got engaged to a man in Pennsylvannia.

I would like to become licensed and emigrate out there to live and work so that I can be with him. I would like to do this as soon as possible but I know the process of licensing and immigration is very lengthy especially at present.

Does anybody know of any internship programmes in the West Chester area of Pennsylvannia.

Otherwise what do people think would be the best way for me to do this?

Is it possible to get a license by endorsement so that I can get authorisation to test (NCLEX) from a state not requiring the CGFNS certification programe YET still get a license to practise in Pennsylvannia?

Thankyou

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Welcome to allnurses!

There is a lot of information already posted here about UK RNs wanting to come to the US and the licensure issues involved. I think most of those threads are in the "International Nursing" forum located under the "Region" tab at the top of the page.

Best wishes!

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Specializes in CTICU.

Immigration and licensure are 2 separate beasts.

1. Immigration: Getting married either UK/US and then applying for an immigrant visa (green card) is going to be the easiest thing immigration-wise. There are no occupational green cards available for most nurses at the moment.

2. Licensure: To avoid CGFNS exam, I applied for Vermont licensure (including doing the CES course-by-course report) and took NCLEX as part of that. They issued licenses without SSNs (check if they still do). Took about 4-5 months after applying to get my ATT to take exam.

After getting my VT license, I applied for endorsement to PA. I emailed with them prior, and as I still didn't have a SSN I filled out a waiver form. Once they licensed me, I got a work visa and SSN and provided it to PA BON later.

The exact order will depend on when you end up getting married in relation to getting licensed etc.

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

Thankyou for the replys..

I was wondering whether it would be better to begin the NCLEX and licensing process from the UK before we get married and then I hope by the time we marry and i get a marriage visa I can be licensed in PA and seek employment while I am there!!!!!!!! That way I will not have the problem of the current work visa issues! I understand the process of marriage visas are quicker and more effective than work visas.

Thankyou ghillbert for your information, it was very helpful!!!!!!!!

Did you have any problems getting endorsement to PA without doing the CGFNS certification programme?????

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

It is certainly easier getting started now before you get married. How long have you been qualified? You may have some problems with your transcripts as US nursing is generalist and you will need both clinical and theory hours in Obstetric, mental health, Paeds as well as general adult.

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

I have been qualified for nearly a year but I am willing to work hard to become licensed in PA!!!!!

ghillbert when you got your license did you have any problems regarding obstetric, paeds, psych and midwifery or did you do these in your training???????

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

The best thing to do is see if you can get hold of your transcripts and see what is on it. If you do not have clinical and theory hours in the areas mentioned you may have issues. There are not many places in the UK where the hours can be made up. It has to be done through a recognised institute not covered by working on the wards

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Specializes in surgical and oncology.

If I need to make up hours in these areas do you know where these recognised institutions are, the durations of these courses and how I should enrol?

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Specializes in CTICU.

I did my training in Australia back in 94-96 and I covered all the required hours, luckily. Thought I might be short in paeds but just scraped in.

No worries with PA on not having CGFNS certificate for endorsement, I did have the CES for them, and had kept up communication with a woman in the BON office during the process.

I would definitely start with getting the CES to see if you meet requirements. I found VT pretty easy to deal with for initial licensure.

Did you do hours (theory and clinical) in all those areas?

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