Please help!! US Citizens using Aus BSNs to work in the US

Murasaki81 · Feb 25, 2007

Susieok-

Thank you very much for your words of encouragement! I am currently waiting to hear back from the QUT graduate entry BSN and if I do get in, I think I'll make the move. I wish you the best of luck on the NCLEX!

suzanne4, RN · Feb 25, 2007

Hi Chigap,
The reason I want to do my schooling in Australia is to be with boyfriend.... and I have to decide whether our relationship and the degree program would be enough reason to make the move to Aus (hence the stress). Are the programs and systems in Australia that different that I wouldn't be able to study on my own for the NCLEX? I just want to be able to work in the US as a safety option. I want to have all options open to me since I've learned that life is full of surprises and twists. Also, I already have a B.A. so I'm looking into graduate entry BSN programs or recently I've run into graduate entry Masters of Science (2yr) programs that basically resemble the BSN programs. Have you heard of these and do you have any recommendations on schools? Thanks!!

The biggest issue is that you will not have training there in all of the required areas to be able to sit for the NCLEX exam. You will need to have approved clinical and theory hours in labor and delivery and maternal health to be able to sit for the NCLEX exam. That is why we have been stating what we have been. You will also then be considered a foreign nurse, and subject to all of their licensing requirements. Immigration and licensing are two different things. If you train out of the US, then you are a foreign grad. Even if you were born in the US and hold a US passport. Licensing is completely separate.

Murasaki81 · Feb 25, 2007

Hi Suzanne, Thanks again for your reply. I sense that you are encouraging me to stay in the US because going the Aus to US route would be difficult. As for your comment regarding being considered a "foreign" nurse in the US despite citizenship, how would that affect me in terms of job prospects, salary, etc. if I did have all of the sufficient training (maternity/peds) and had passed the NCLEX? Thanks!

suzanne4, RN · Feb 25, 2007

NCLEX is only one step of the licensing process, you will need to meet the requirements of the state that you initially apply to, as well as any that you may want to work in eventually. You will always be considered a foreign grad by any state Board of Nursing, requiring you to go thru the CES process or even the CGFNS exam for some states.

And be aware that Aussie programs do not routinely include the maternity part in their regular prpgrams, that is for those that are specializing in that area. Training is different there; the names of the drugs are different, even the routes that are some are given.

In the US, licensure as an RN is different from US immigration requirements. They are not related and one does not equal the other. You will always need to follow the requirements for a foreign grad for your entire career.

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You also cannot even start the process of applying for licensure in the US until you actually have graduated and have a completed transcript. It also takes longer for any foreign grad to get approval in any state. It is base don where you did your training.

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The choice is yours, but this is my two cents. And why can't the boyfriend come here to make it easier for you? You should not have to give up everything.

aussie RN · Mar 2, 2007

Hi. I am a New Zealand trained RN who currently works in Western Australia. I am in the process of trying to go to the US to work. The red tape is amazing. From what I've researched - by far the easiest way to work in the US would be to do your training and NCLEX in the US. However, it is not impossible to work in the US with an Australian course. You would need to sit NCLEX and have your transcript of training thoroughly investigated by the board of the area you plan to work in. Agencies I've talked to state that quite often Australian courses are down on hours in some areas. But you can do correspondence catch up courses to fulfill their requirements. Seems the most important decision is wether you want to be in Australia with your boyfriend. Hope this helps.

Guinness32 · Mar 5, 2007

hello-

i hope this response will be of some use to you.

first, i am a us citizen. i earned a bachelor's degree in business from the states. i hold dual citizenship so i lived overseas for the last 10 years. whilst i was in australia i completed an accelerated bachelor's degree in nursing. once i completed my degree i then moved back to the states. i'm now waiting on getting the approval to take the nclex-rn exam.

let me try to explain some of my experiences:

1. once you complete a foreign education, forget the us treating you like a us citizen. the only thing that you'll have in your favour is that you already have your social security number.

2. some of the us accelerated nursing programs take as little as 12-18 months to complete. my australian accelerated program was a 2 year course.

3. the australian program did not offer specific obstetric training, therefore, i may be required to complete an obstetrics course prior to receiving authorization to test for the nclex exam.

4. it's taken me 3 months so far to get my credentials evaluated and my application reviewed by the us nurses board and now i may need to take an obstetrics course so let's add another 3-4 months to the whole process. we're now talking approximately 6-7 months of a paperwork nightmare just to take the nclex exam. if you stayed in the us and took a us accelerated nursing course, you'd be nearly finished and not have any of the hassles of going through the application process as foreign educated.

my personal advice to you. if you see yourself wanting to return to the us, it's best to be educated in the us. if you want to go to oz with the boyfriend, wait until you have your rn and then you'll be easily employable in oz. believe me oz is a lot more appealing to live in if you can earn an income compared to being a poor university student.

as for getting a master's degree...i've enquired about this and the us universities will accept the australian bachelor's degree, however, you need to have passed the nclex-rn exam prior to getting accepted into the master's program. see i thought while i wait for the nurses board approval to take the nclex that i could at least start taking some master's degree courses. no! doesn't work that way.

if you do go to oz and do complete your degree there, my only advice to you would be to ensure you take an additional course in obstetrics.

good luck!

sunnyjanine · Mar 14, 2007

Hello,

I'm an American, living in Australia, and currently in my last year at QUT. I just wanted to let you know that this was the best move my family and I have made. I got accepted right away into their BSN program, no useless prerequisite's or long waiting lists, and I'm finished in 3 years! Though at this moment it is not a priority for me to go back to the states to work because when I'm done with the program I plan to fast track my student visa to permanent residency.

I have also looked (very briefly) into sitting for the NClEX exam, and it is possible to take it in Sydney.

Let me know if there is anything you want to know about QUT;)

Sonja

ICU_nurse · Mar 17, 2007

Hi Suzy

not sure if this is any help, but this website is good for looking up university courses in Australia. Called "The Good Guides" it's a website with stacks of info about courses and uni's in Australia. If you click search (on the left hand menu) you may be able to track down which unis offer the accelerated courses. I did a quick search for NSW and there is one course run at the uni of technology, Sydney.

You can search through other states too if you wish

http://www.thegoodguides.com.au/site

To be honest I couldn't tell you much about these accelerated programs. However if you can track down which uni's have the courses, visit their websites as they all detail their courses in depth

good luck!

Amy

steve0123 · May 26, 2007

It depends how keen you are to start nursing in the US after graduation from an Australian university. It's a long process (as other posters have stated, as your program of study will be scrutinised by the US Board of Nursing to ensure it is comparable, etc), but it is possible if you have the time. I just have two things to add to this forum:

1) Make sure the course covers ALL the US requirements - many universities in Australia are deficient in Paediatrics and Obstetrics theory/clinical hours (but then again there are many that are not).

2) The graduate entry courses you suggested (such as Sydney University's masters program etc) might not be acceptable. Some boards require the program of study to be strictly an undergraduate course. I know it's senseless bureaucracy, but it's just the way it is...

amelipet · Jun 25, 2007

I have a degree from australia and have had problems with registration in the US as a result of the university I studied through here. However I do know of a Uni (University of the Sunshine Coast) which will accomodate anyone who is interested in eventually working in the US. They will ensure you meet the theorectical and practical requirements. Additionally, they have a fast track degree for people who already hold a degree (no matter what discipline), that is they recognise your prior learning experiences and this should mean that you study for 2 years rather than 3.

I think the two main things to remember is shop around before you decide on a degree and be specific when you are enquiring about their ability to help you to meet the necessary requirements.