Seeking RN Reentry Programs in California

[Jam T.]

Hi everyone,

I'm a foreign-educated nurse with an active RN license in Illinois. I recently migrated to the U.S. through a family petition and am now staying with my family here in California.

I don't have any clinical experience as a nurse. Though around 10 years ago, I trained and worked briefly as an EMT in my home country—less than a year in a private ambulance service. I also went to medical school but wasn't able to finish my final year due to personal and health issues. That experience deeply affected my confidence, and I ended up working in a completely unrelated field for almost seven years.

Two years ago, I decided to slowly find my way back into healthcare and took the NCLEX. I passed and didn't expect my family petition to come through so soon—but now that I'm here, I really want to pursue nursing again.

That's why I've been looking into reentry programs to help refresh my skills and, more importantly, rebuild my confidence. I saw that some schools in Illinois—like College of DuPage—offer reentry programs that include both theory and clinical practice. However, moving there is a big step, so I'm considering applying for licensure by endorsement to California instead.

The challenge is, I haven't found similar reentry programs here in California that include hands-on clinical experience—not just theory.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions on:

    •    Reentry/refresher programs in California with both classroom and clinical components

    •    Insights from anyone who's been through a similar path

Thank you in advance for your time and help!