Lanze

If you haven't already, i recommend you go to Facebook & follow "California Board of Nursing - Foreign Graduates" Lots of helpful info.

I spoke to a CA BRN evaluator. The board will not accept online courses. Yes you can. I did it.

Yes, I can confirm this because I did it. First you need to ask the school if they are willing to allow foreign educated nurses to take certain classes from their nursing program. Then you need to have the school send to the BRN, the course syllabi along with a letter from the director saying that they are allowing you to take those classes with them and when you will be taking them. You should also communicate with your CA BRN evaluator that you plan on doing this. If you'd like to know, I took medsurg & OB in South Texas College down here in McAllen, TX.

Thanks for the sad and ugly truth. I was planning on doing what SoCalNurse88 did, but after 2 years of working as a nurse. That way, I would have both money to spend on the "make-up" course and the experience to get hired. I'm somewhat glad I got my license in TX. At least I was able to find a job in a hospital right away, that did offer me a $5k sign on bonus. I just miss my family and friends back in CA.

I'm a foreign grad currently licensed and working in TX as an RN, but I really want to go back to CA. I originally applied for licensure by examination in CA, but was denied because my clinicals were non-concurrent. The CA BRN informed me that I must complete additional course work to be able to take the NCLEX. Now that I've passed the NCLEX and am currently working as an RN, I was hoping to reapply for licensure in CA this time through endorsement. I'm just wondering if I would still be required to complete additional coursework even after being licensed in other states and working as an RN for 2 years.

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that to me steppybay. I guess I've been lazy to look into each state/BON website. I will start doing more research as to which state would be a desirable place for me to settle into. Thanks again!

Any foreign grad nurse with concurrency problems in any of these 13 states (Alabama, Arizona California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia, Washington) try applying in any of the other 37 states to take the NCLEX and has gotten their ATT??? If so, can you please tell us which state and how you did it, like whether a CES was required, IELTS, english proficiency, etc.

Thanks for the info kuya.

I'm a BSN grad from the Philippines and am still trying to take the NCLEX since the CA BRN has denied me. I need a job, and since I can't get a position as an RN right away, I was wondering what other jobs I can get with my degree, while waiting to take my exam. A friend of mine told me that I may be able to work in a nursing home. I was hoping someone here could tell me whether that was possible or not. If so, what additional requirements, if any, would I have to go through?

The BRN want you go to a nursing school. They should have given you a list of approved schools with that letter of denial they sent you. When you go to that school, you need to talk to the Nursing Director and show her you're letter and you're transcript plus all other school documents you have (RLE). Good luck with finding a school that will have a spot for you. I've heard about hundreds of people like you (and me) all competing for one spot in a program. Unfortunately, the reality is the nursing schools here refuse to squeeze us in. I suppose you could try to take the LVN. That's not the road I took, but maybe someone here on allnurses can tell you their experience. You could wait. For what? I don't know. For California to be more open to foreign grads? For nursing schools to let foreign grads slip into their programs? I don't know. You can do what I'm doing now and apply to other states. California is not open to us, but one of these 49 states is. You really should do your research. I was like you. I applied in Cali without knowing the current situation. Make sure you research the state you plan to apply in, if you do want to apply to other states. That's what you have allnurses for. Good luck to both of us.

I'm very much upset with the CA BRN. Once they see that it's a foreign grad that's applying for the NCLEX, they pretty much just toss the application without giving them a single chance. They tell us to go find a school that would be willing or able to take us in to complete our clinical and theoretical problem, but the problem is, there are too few out there. They cash in our checks, with no hope for a refund. Where does that money go? To the board members? To the evaluators? It seems to me they are making easy money by saying, "Oh another foreign grad, lets send him/her the same letter we've sent to thousands of other foreign grads and take their money. I'm sure less than half of them will even be able to solve their problem." They should at least warn us by putting something on their website reading, "To all foreign grad nurses, we will take you're money, and make you do additional coursework. Will NOT let you take the NCLEX even once until you do as we say." I read so many comments about foreign grad nurses that have the same exact problem, but no one ever warned them that it was sure to happen.

I understand how hard it is to take the NCLEX in Cali. I just graduated this year from the Phil, and BRN slapped me with the darn concurrency problem when applying for the exam. Is this how it is with other states? If not, then why not trying to apply in other places? Quite frankly, I just want to get my license and find a job, no matter where it is, but that's me speaking from a new-grads perspective.

If what you say is true, then I would have no problem settling in the small, mid-sized cities. I just want a job, and unfortunately, I don't think I, or many of us graduates for the matter, have that luxury of choosing.

Yes i understand. I've applied for VT a few weeks ago, but after hearing that they too have the same concurrency issues as CA, I may have to apply to other states, but we'll see. If i get another letter from them stating the same thing the CA BRN states, then i'll apply to other states. Thanks again!

Wow thank you steppybay. That is some unfortunate news to hear. I might try your advice and contact that person. Hopefully though, she really could help me out. I kind of regret going abroad to get my degree. Had I known I would be facing this kind of problem, I would have stayed here in the states.