RN from PH to California... Any suggestions/guidance?

[boredpanda]

I need some guidance/advice for my wife who is coming from the Philippines to California. She has her nursing degree from the Philippines, but has not worked as a nurse due to lack of available jobs in her area that meet her income requirements. So, once she gets here, we'd like to be able to find a job for her that will allow her to work in the profession and finish her requirements to sit the NCLEX.

What kind(s) of jobs should she look for that will help her kill these two birds with one stone?

Thank you for your help!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Suggest reading the Nurse Registration forum and issues nurses face when applying to CA

[guest4/20/17]

Hi! Until she passes the NCLEX exam she would be unable to practice in the US. Additionally depending on the visa she comes to the US on, it will dependent is she can legally work at all.

[boredpanda]

Well, that's a part of our problem. How I understand it is she won't be able to take the NCLEX until she submits an application to the BoRN and they tell her what she is delinquent in. And in the mean time, what kind of employer or a job would hire her in the meantime while she fulfills those requirements? She is going to get her SSN card as soon as she gets here and then apply for her Change of Status to legal resident as soon as possible. We don't want her to be underemployed while we wait for the Board's decision and while she prepares for the NCLEX.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

No experience and no RN licence qualifies her for health care aide positions.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

She can apply for any jobs that are there, she just cannot work as a RN until she has met state requirements and passed NCLEX

[steppybay]

There are other possible issues that may hinder her ability to get the ATT in CA that could take up to 3 years (need to re-take certain courses with the limited seats and placed on a waiting list).

Depending on when she graduated (what year) plays a big portion of getting the approval.

What year did she graduate?

Applying to another state even with a working authorized SSN or green card or EAD and then trying to go thru the backdoor via the endorsement process into CA will only delay the license of getting endorsed to CA, if the CA BRN deemed her transcripts to be deficient.

There's been literally thousands that have gone thru this "around the backdoor" procedure only to find the door was closed (unless they were able to make up for the deficient courses).

[honeybee_23]

While waiting for documents to process (which took a minimum of 3 months, but personally 5 months for me), my friend worked as a caregiver in a nursing home, which didn't need any certification as far as I know. If she has graduated within the last 2 years, she may be qualified to take the licensure test for Certified Nurse Assistant OR to be safe, you can enroll her in a fast-track CNA course (about a month) which will cost $1800 more or less.

If in the chance that her education requirements to sit for the NCLEX-RN are not met, she may still be able to sit for the NCLEX-LPN instead. There is also the option to take the classes that she needs or to do the CNA-to-LPN-to-RN program.

For more information: CNA Requirements in California | How to become a CNA in CA

[dishes, BSN, RN]

It seems like a waste of money to take a CNA course, as CNA courses just cover the bare minimum ADL tasks and a BSN graduate would have covered those basics early on in their education. Suggest you check with employers to see if a CNA certificate is required for someone with a prior nursing education, as I don't see how an employer could justify having it as a requirement.