Recent Philippines BSN grad, also US citizen, looking to return to US.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jul 26, 2013

Duplicate threads merged as per site terms of service.

Suggest a good read in this forum. California will be difficult if not impossible unless all your clinical, theory and cases were completed concurrently. Local license (license in the country where you were educated) is required for several states.

mpgj83 · Jul 26, 2013

Would oncall duty during the semestral break before the new semester started still be considered "concurrent?"

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jul 26, 2013

Concurrent means if you are in the maternal/OB in semester 2 all your clinical duties, delivery/cord cases and theory classes were completed in semester 2. On call in between semesters is not considered concurrent.

mpgj83 · Jul 26, 2013

Thank you for that info, JustBeachyNurse. Unfortunately for me that will pose problematic. I was told by our dean that this would still be considered concurrent, because the next semester had not yet started, and we were given up until the beginning of it to comply with these cases.

Would you happen to know what the rationale for this concurrency issue is? I don't understand how it would make a nurse any more competent if he or she completed cases in the same semester as the theory component or several weeks thereafter. I don't know if this is true or not, but moreover I've heard from a CA nursing teacher that not all CA nursing schools require their students to perform these cases hands-on; they just watch it happen. But in the Philippines, our 3 DR handling cases, 3 essential newborn care cases, 3 OR scrub nurse function cases, and 3 OR circulating nurse function cases, are all hands-on.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Jul 26, 2013

California law states that all curriculum must be completed concurrently whether it is a skill required in CA schools or not (cord cases, etc). Hence the requirement for those in your situation to repeat clinical & theory for MS & OB before being deemed eligible. Just because it was acceptable for the school in the Philippines does not mean it is accepted in the states. Hence why those that wish to practice nursing are encouraged to go to school in the country in which they intend to practice rather than run the risk of their international education being deemed inequivalent or unacceptable by the governing body responsible for professional licensing.

It is what it is. CA has the right to enforce their laws for licensing. You can apply but the fees are not refundable should you be deemed ineligible.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 26, 2013

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum,

There are several threads discussing the various issues people are having registration. CA is not the only state where International nurses are having issues

steppybay · Jul 26, 2013

Kababayans, read ALL the threads posted in the World forum, under "Nurse registration", lots of other good reads over there.

Here's some samplings....

here's one on the concurrency: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...ew-631735.html

Here's how to comply: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...on-718314.html

The other States enforcing the concurrency rule: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...me-760249.html

CA BON discussions about PH grads: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...on-687636.html

One option after getting denied by CA BON: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...ow-681582.html

Those trying to endorse (transfer) from one State license into CA: [COLOR=#003366]https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...to-746541.html

Guys, there's a lot more to read in the section mentioned above!!!

steppybay · Jul 26, 2013

While I'm not a FB'er myself, some of my batchmates in looking at a few of them, there's approximately 4,000 - 5,000 affected PH grads and nurses looking to CA as their main and preferred state, this will also explain the possible reasons the other States are just swamped and overloaded with trying to get the ATT reviews and then, you add in the regular USA applicants.

Thus the reason why so many are going to other states to get their ATT, but many do not know that to endorse back into CA is almost if not impossible (again, depending if you're a 2004 grad onwards to present or if your transcripts say you were concurrent).

I can't verify the numbers but it does seem "low" to me, as the CHED reports that 33% of the PH graduating students will or have tried to apply into CA alone.

With the high unemployment rate of CA's new grads at near 50%, I don't think the CA BRN will budge on making accomodations to foreign students. That being the case, there's no demand for any PH grads or nurses with the glut of more available US and CA educated nurses to work in the hospitals.

These work settings are more favorable to those CA students who gets hired in as some did their clinicals or were in schools that's known to the hiring managers or the staff reading the resumes. I mean, just go read in the Calif. Nursing forums and see how many international, let alone, any PH person have recently obtained a real hospital job in the last 1-2 years. You will also read of many US students who may have even worked in the hospital of choice as a lower level nursing assistant or did volunteer work and still tough for them.

steppybay · Jul 26, 2013

I just passed the Philippines nursing local board exam and am looking to return to the United States to find work. I also happen to be a US citizen so getting in will be no problem. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed lately reviewing the requirements of so many US state boards of nursing for licensure through NCLEX. Seems like a heap of verifications, certifications, and a mound of various other paperwork and fees to process. I'm about ready to search for some agency to do this hard work for me. I don't mind settling in any state, but New York, Connecticut, Illinois, or especially California my home state would be nice.
Just wondering if any of you out there are in the same boat? Maybe we could help each other. Or if any of you were in a similar position before, I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks!

To go back to your concerns, really there's no need to use an agency, you can really do this yourself, just print the instructions and cross each one as you get it completed.

BUT......

Where's the EASIEST, THE FASTEST, THE CHEAPEST STATE to get eligibility: to AVOID the different (and can be somewhat difficult) English reading and writing requirements, who doesn't need to have their curriculums reviewed and evaluated, if you don't have a local PH license, etc....here's what I've been trying to tell you guys for months!

Kabayans, you have to look at the "bigger picture".

To everyone asking of the same question: just pick whatever state you wish to work in for the next 3-8 years or more. With the strong possibility, this State is where you will plant your roots and watch your babies grow from an infant till they go to college.

-- First and foremost, you must now have a valid SSN to apply into CA and into most states and one day soon, ALL states will require a SSN and for future renewals. There are zero to a handful of hospital sponsorships in the whole country now, don't count on those, you will have better luck winning the lottery odds. There are some states that will allow you to apply and take the exam if you pass all other requirements, BUT those same states will not issue the actual license and license number until you provide them a valid SSN!! Also know that many places of employment needs to verify your SSN as part of the regular hiring process and needed for their accounting dept.

-- Many states are now requiring a copy of PH local license, this is partly so that the BON's can verify if your license name and numbers matches the ones approved and given by the PH nursing board, to reduce those submitting false documentations.

-- Some BON's now require full copies of your entire and current passports with ALL the pages, this again is due to the BON's are finding out that they are receiving more false documents and to verify that one actually attended the courses during the years their transcripts are stating for a fact.

-- Personally, I think the concurrency issue came up when the CA BON's started finding more and more "pirated and false" documents that could be purchased in the Phils streets. So upon closer examination, CA BON staffers began to see some flaws in our PH college transcripts.

-- It makes NO sense to get a license in one state, when you really WANT to work in another, as you need to still PASS that state's requirements you wanted to work in the FIRST place. I see so many trying to go thru the back door but know it's being closed down.

-- You will be spending more MONEY by hopping around one state to another in extra fee$ and possible extra money for certain testing$ and wasting more months waiting and waiting, instead of looking for a job. Why pay double $$$ ??

--- Don't forget that being a "new grad" in many of the States means that you must apply for the new grad position IF you are within ONE YEAR of your graduation, NOT the date and year you pass the NCLEX, this is a big factor that becomes the rejection for your submitted job application. This is true for any US new grads as well, it's across the board.

**** The FASTEST, the EASIEST, the CHEAPEST state to apply into is the State you feel you will put your roots down for many years, the MINUTE you pass the NCLEX! If that state doesn't meet their requirements AND your needs and desires (weather, salary, etc) now then move on and research and travel to that state if you can. ****

-- Avoid the 13-14 states that are enforcing the concurrency now, The list of them are mentioned. Here you go:

see

[COLOR=#003366][COLOR=#003366][COLOR=#003366]state board licensure requirements here

these are states having concerns over concurrent theory and practicum, so i would look at other 37 states to obtain license:

alabama

arizona

california

georgia

illinois

kansas

louisiana

maryland

north dakota

oklahoma

vermont

virginia

washington

"

NV was recently enforcing it. Don't be surprised if FL and TX join the concurrency bandwagon one day, it's a very old requirement from years ago before most of us were born (25 plus years). NV recently started to enforce the concurrency rules.

-- Forget about trying to ENDORSE-TRANSFER any out-of-state license into CA or ANY of the current mentioned 13-14 other states that are enforcing the concurrency rules, it's NOT going to happen as again, you MUST submit the same college transcripts that already DENIED or will DENY the application, there's no way around to go around this! It doesn't matter if you have 2 years or more of US RN experience, my PH friend tried to endorse her FL into CA and was denied the licensure, citing the same concurrency issue. Same thing with our friend with her NY license, same bad fate.

-- As you may know or should know, that jobs for us international students are becoming very hard and pretty difficult to get our foor thru the door, as many hospitals even many clinics are hiring their own students that did their clinical time in that hospital or hiring more of that local students or those from the same State. It's known as hiring the "internals". So getting approved and passing the NCLEX-RN is nothing, compared to finding the real thing......a nursing job.

-- To find out what state you are interested in, the bottom of each page is the list of BON's and you can easily Google...STATE's name followed by "board of nursing"....BINGO! It's all there for the state's requirements, including every one of the Board's has a special ""INTERNATIONAL"" section.

Good luck, everyone, we can do this, but allow a lot more time than originally planned, be prepared to work in a State you really don't want to be in for several years, take any kind of job.

steppybay · Jul 26, 2013

Thank you for that info, JustBeachyNurse. Unfortunately for me that will pose problematic. I was told by our dean that this would still be considered concurrent, because the next semester had not yet started, and we were given up until the beginning of it to comply with these cases.
Would you happen to know what the rationale for this concurrency issue is? I don't understand how it would make a nurse any more competent if he or she completed cases in the same semester as the theory component or several weeks thereafter. I don't know if this is true or not, but moreover I've heard from a CA nursing teacher that not all CA nursing schools require their students to perform these cases hands-on; they just watch it happen. But in the Philippines, our 3 DR handling cases, 3 essential newborn care cases, 3 OR scrub nurse function cases, and 3 OR circulating nurse function cases, are all hands-on.

What your dean has told you is exactly what is partly the issues being caused by either their misunderstanding or ignorant of the US regulations or just trying to make you feel "it's alright, no worries".

If the dean believes that strongly, then simply ask him or her to give you solid proof that your school as of the next year and maybe this year has had NO problems with anyone getting their ATT's in CA, if this is your first choice state.

There are other states that are not enforcing the concurrency, but may be a known state or states that simply don't care, so don't let the dean show you proof of those, those don't count.

If you don't want to ask, then, that's up to you, but then don't come back and say, you got denied in CA or the enforcing states based on what the dean claims that your courses are concurrent in their eyes.

mpgj83 · Jul 27, 2013

California law states that all curriculum must be completed concurrently whether it is a skill required in CA schools or not (cord cases, etc). Hence the requirement for those in your situation to repeat clinical & theory for MS & OB before being deemed eligible. Just because it was acceptable for the school in the Philippines does not mean it is accepted in the states. Hence why those that wish to practice nursing are encouraged to go to school in the country in which they intend to practice rather than run the risk of their international education being deemed inequivalent or unacceptable by the governing body responsible for professional licensing.
It is what it is. CA has the right to enforce their laws for licensing. You can apply but the fees are not refundable should you be deemed ineligible.

You're right, it's the law. And I understand it is the law and therefore a technicality we can't do much about. I was just curious as to the real reason behind it since I also understand that that law had been in place even before the falsified documents were submitted by foreign grads. So it must be in place for a good reason (and not merely to be more strict in terms of requirements for licensure to protect patients). In my humble opinion though, I just don't think it's necessary that theory and cases have to coincide within such a narrow time frame. The reason we can't get cases done right away sometimes is because there aren't enough patients to go around for all students in a particular shift to assist in a delivery or an operation. But we always do watch when a case is available and one of our peers is assisting (or even when none of us are assisting).

So if it is the case that some US nursing schools just allow their students to watch a delivery or an operation to fulfill their case requirements, then I wonder if CA BRN might consider documentation of such for Filipino students here acceptable to fulfill its caseload requirements. Whenever we witness a case, we would document this. We'd probably have 20-30 cases each for DR handling and newborn care, and OR scrub and circulating--80-120 in total in the span of our BSN education. Then there would be no problem for us here at all, at least in terms of the concurrency issue.