Mieke

Hi, here the steps.... CGFNS for you CES..... then the TOEFL (the result needs reporting to CGFNS and State Board of Nursing). Then get you nursing school to supply transcripts (which need to be generated according to the Krankenpflegeausbildungsgesetzt: Fach/Std. je Fach, etc.). Then translation by court approved translator of Diploma and final report (Urkunde und Abschlusszeugnis). Then letter from your "Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales" in German. Get a Vorabkopie so you can get the official translation done (get 2 original copies of ea. translation you have done). Then send them the official translation and THEY have to send it to CGFNS. Basically you will get the originals/or Beglaubigte Kopien translated and get those to your Krankenpflegeschule/Landesämter/etc. It is you job to get translations done at your cost. AND the documentation will ALWAYS be send directly to CGFNS/or the State Board of Nursing. They have to send ALL originals (Stundentafeln Theorie und Praxis, beglaubigte Kopien of Urkunde und Zeugnis) with translations to CGFNS. That means you want to be on VERY good terms with the secretary of your Krankenpflegeschule. Then the State Board were you wish to work as a nurse will let you know if, for their state you need the CGFNS test. IF not, you will register and receive the Authority to Test for the NCLEX. There are other threads on this site on how to prepare for the NCLEX. Just be advised.... KNOW the English language very WELL and start to prepare right away (google Kaplan and Saunders NCLEX-RN). The lastest I heard of that the NCLEX can now be taken in Frankfurt. And it is definitely offered in London (check Pearsonvue). AND it helps to contact potential employers beforehand. You will need a sponsor for the Visa. Hope this helps. Gruß, Mieke

Well, you are right the 3-year diploma being the equivalent of the US RN. As far as I know the exact content of certifications to any type of specialty nursing ("Fachkrankenpfleger/in) is not regulated by law, but depends on where you obtain it. Are you a US trained RN? Why on earth would you be interested to work in Germany? :confused:German nurses will go anywhere else, if they are not bound by constraints such as family, funds, or language. Job satisfaction is low. Work density is VERY high (that is maybe you like being the only nurse with 20-35 patients on a night shift; and LTC/SNF you may be the ONLY RN for sometimes 80-120 patients.....). I stopped paying attention to the misery, but a newspaper article in the late '90s stated that many nurses will leave the profession 3-5 yrs after nursing school, to pursue other careers. I AM so happy to be sitting in Las Vegas with my RN license granted in July. Got my BLS and ACLS and now in the application process/interviewing. And if you like to work in Germany, concentrate on ICU/CCU nursing. Work as an agency nurse (granted pay will be lower than regular position), with a critical care certification YOU will have the freedom to determine when, where and how much you work. Once you have worked 11-12 full days in a row, and/or 5 WE one after another; shifts lasting 13 hrs you will get the drift. Of course there are all kinds of laws and regs protecting workers/nurses, but the reality looks different. And there are also laws stipulating that patient care has priority..... Not much of what you were asking, but my two cents worth:twocents:. And dying of curiosity what you are up to...... Take care, Mieke

Well, it appears you and your staff have been dealing with this over some time. If each of the "seasoned" staff made a small list of tasks that were not covered by the NV scope of practice for each of their respective ranks(RN, LVN, CNA), but encountered previously, you could get a unit/facility handout for the newbies. Being one myself (not in practice, but regarding scope/policies/procedures), I would opt to be more careful in my independent decision making and collaborate/ask. That handout could maybe be structured by most common diagnosis in your unit. Another source would be unit preceptors or clinical educators of the facility that may have encountered similar problems. And everyone was the new kid on the block once...... so thinking back.... may spring up a few ideas as well.... Hope this may lead to further leads:) Mieke

Thank you so much Dee,:) Thought about it briefly, but didn't dare doing. As the saying goes.... when in Rome do as the Romans do..... Btw, I have an interview next Tue. Do people really wear suits for interviews when it is a 100 deg+ outside? Someone said dressed casual would be ok. Dressed casual= slacks+blouse? Thanks again, Mieke

Hello, it has been a LONG time since I posted and introduced myself. That was still back in Berlin, Germany. But age and family haven't changed So I scored 115/120 on the TOEFL language test, :)did get the CGFNS squared away, passed NCLEX the first time around and got my BLS and ACLS. So now everyone is telling me that I need professional references. :uhoh3:Well, with 5 years of experience, I have letters of reference from former employers, but coworkers? Not that they wouldn't be willing, but they feel that their English skills aren't sufficient to communicate in this matter, plus there is the 9hr time difference.... and they are working in a rotating 3-shift system. I did work as a Unit Secretary and Monitor Tech in the US in the late '80 and early '90 and have letters of reference for those as well. I wish I could somehow get past those electronic application systems for someone to look at me and my references. Not only for the sake of employment, but even further advice is greatly appreciated. :twocents:Maybe there is the opportunity to volunteer on a unit..... I miss my work. I would be so grateful for any suggestions. Thanks for any input, Mieke