RN in the Philippines planning to take NCLEX-RN/LVN in California

KristeeRN · Sep 23, 2015

Hi Azumi, Lets take the exam! I myself is facing the same struggle. I am a graduate of BSN batch 2008 in the Philippines, passed the board exam and volunteered as RN for 5 months. I moved to Canada to work as LPN. But i was laid off after 1 year and was not able to take Canada's LPN EXAM.

Recently, i got married to a US Citizen and we are working on my immigration papers to get there. I am clueless on how things will turn up and i dont know if I will be eligible to take Californian NCLEX. But i will give it a try. We can help each other by motivating each other and feeding updates.

We can do this!

Azumi_07 · Sep 23, 2015

Hello kristee! Yes, were the same. My immigration papers are on the process right now. It's just kinda frustrating to take the NCLEX. but Thank you for the motivation. On what process are you starting right now? I'd like to know also if I am eligible to take the exam, so that I can start preparing now. And at the same time because I have an Education benefits from my spouse (myCAA) which I need to use very soon. Sometimes I'm thinking to just take any healthcare short courses right now, like phlebotomist/pharmacy technician. I'm so confused :arghh:then just face the and prepare for the NCLEX when I get to the the states.. Well I hope there's someone who has a knowledge with this could help us with the process. Best of luck to us!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Sep 23, 2015

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum

Until you have a US SSN you can not apply to California. They are extremely hard with IEN's so be prepared for a lot of leg work whilst you get things sorted.

steppybay · Sep 24, 2015

Guys, just so you know, the NCLEX for the RN and the LVN are two different agencies and have different requirements in terms of educational transcripts and possessing a nursing license from the PH.

You should go ahead with applying with the CA BRN, knowing if there's a chance for any sort of declination the application fees are not refundable and you will be given up to 3 years from your initial application date to complete your application before it's considered abandoned.

CA BRN will require after submission of your transcripts, further documentation of your SIGNED cases and clinical courses. Make sure that your school or the PRC or someone still has copies of the paperwork or it will just sit in limbo with the CA BRN until they are provided. Many schools will retain the copies up to so many years (from 2-4 years) then they are no longer available.

With regards to the one year of additional schooling, yes, that's very possible, BUT, to find those courses are very limited and can be very $$ of upwards to $14,000. There are literally several hundreds if not in the thousands, today, all trying to find them. It is not only students and nurses from the PH, but other international applicants from all over the globe (UK, China, India, Russia, etc) all looking for the spots that number from 1-2 to maybe up to 30 available spaces and usually only offered in the summer or winter, it's not year-round.

Remember that it's not because the CA BRN is so strict at all, as they are merely enforcing a regulation (concurrency) that's applied to ALL applicants for several decades including ANY and ALL students and nurse applicants from the US as well.

It's just that the CHED, PRC and PNA (PH nursing agencies) that completely dropped the ball and has been fumbling since Nov. 2011 (when the CA BRN started cracking down on the enforcement of the concurrency rules) BUT the CHED, PRC and PNA have all known of this concurrency regulation for many years prior to 2011 and simply choose to ignore it.

Here's a few good topics on the issues:

https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...cy-901106.html

https://allnurses.com/nurse-registrat...ew-631735.html

https://allnurses.com/world-nursing/l...ng-888007.html

One more reminder, many try to get their RN license from another state, then try to endorse back into CA, but this "back door" approach will not work as the CA BRN is very wise to this and will ask for the exact documentation that will have rejected the application in the first place as if applying into CA.

steppybay · Sep 24, 2015

However, if you know with full assurance that ALL your cases and clinicals were ALL done and completed in the exact same semester and that your transcripts will show that upon their evaluation, then, you should have no problems with getting the approval for the NCLEX-RN.

The other option of passing the LVN exam then trying to get into a LVN-RN program, is possible, as the BVPNT is not so strict but they can enforce the same exact concurrency rules as it's so clearly stated as the last line item on the BVNPT website of the concurrency, at any time and any day. I don't think they will as, they are reaping the hugh financial gain from all the other declined applicants unable to get their ATT from the CA BRN but it can happen.

The LVN-RN nursing route is no so easy either just to let you know. The competition is very fierce due to other international applicants, minimum test scores needed, other local and US students and residents as well the limited classroom size, all going after the same spots.

Good luck to all.

steppybay · Sep 24, 2015

It will not make sense to start any schooling at this time, as the deficient courses must be completed BEFORE graduation.

Along with that, until the CA BRN has had a chance to review your transcripts and you receive your letter of any possible deficient courses needed to re-take them and could be asked to actually re-take the entire nursing program (as they will have evaluated that you're missing more than the usual two deficient courses and with the 3 year limitation and knowing the very limited course offerings) it's "quicker" to find another nursing program (but not sure anyone since Nov. 2011 has reported they found one).

You'll not be able to even get consideration to enroll or be put on a waiting list with any CA school/college, until you get the CA BRN letter on what you need to re-take. As it does not make sense for a CA school to do so, since one may be deficient in more than 1-2 courses and no need to get listed when they are already several hundreds that know what they need to re-take.

KristeeRN · Sep 24, 2015

You're lucky to have myCAA. We submitted our i130 application 2 months ago, and just recently we received a letter from NVC asking for payment. I am not too sure as we have not thoroughly discussed it yet, but I believe it has something to do with the affidavit support.

How about you? BTW, are you practicing nursing in Japan?

KristeeRN · Sep 24, 2015

Thank you steppybay, This is really helpful.

Azumi_07 · Sep 24, 2015

Hi Admin, I apologize. Thank you!

Oh I see. Thanks for the information.

Azumi_07 · Sep 24, 2015

Hello Steppybay, Thank you so much for all your advice. Good thing there's this kind of ALLNURSES website which could really help every question a Nurse has.

If that's the case, I'm thinking what are the other career option for Nurses in CA?

Azumi_07 · Sep 24, 2015

Hi kristee, I think we are on that process as well, I just submitted my application last month.

Anyway, unfortunately I am not able to practice my Nursing here in Japan (US military base) because I am not NCLEX passer yet. Its been a year of being here that's why I am bit frustrated to do what I need to do to pursue my Nursing career. But it seems like it will be a long process to achieve that goal. So I am thinking to take any healthcare course right now to able to also my myCAA grant while I have the opportunity. Its not that I am giving up pursuing being a Nurse, but I think its better to have a back up plan of career just in case.

and by the way, are you practicing Nursing right now?