Travel Nurse with Puerto Rico RN license

NedRN · Mar 18, 2014

That is interesting, I wasn't aware that PR did not use NCLEX or that any state would accept a recent graduate without it. All foreign graduates are required to have it. Are you eligible for the NCLEX? If so, I would suggest taking it as your mainland opportunities will be very limited otherwise. You may be required to take an English test as well.

Have you called Virginia?

If you can get a state license, I would suggest getting a staff job. Getting a travel position requires more experience than you have, and your lack of ability to get many state licenses will slow you down tremendously.

elkpark · Mar 18, 2014

Outside of federal employment (all federal employment, not just the VA (I assume you're referring to the Department of Veteran's Affairs, not the state of Virginia), you will have to have a current, active license in any state in which you wish to practice in order to practice there. Also, travel nursing typically requires significantly more than nine months experience. Even if agencies will sign you up, most hospitals will require 2-3 (or more) years of current experience in a particular specialty in order to be willing to accept you.

There is lots of information here about travel nursing -- have you reviewed it? Best wishes for your journey!

merarn · Mar 18, 2014

You are absolutly right, no states will have a nurse without the nclex only the VA would do that, aint that odd. The Government will but Private No. I thought there might be a Travel Agency that will go into the VAs and I was hoping that i could do that. Im really considering taking the nclex, and yes Im eligible to take it. It just to think to go thru all that studying, worrying and nervousness it gives me the gibiris lol Im fully bilingual. Born and raised in MA had my childhood at PR, just came back a couple of yrs ago decided to go for nursing while I was here (PR). At that time didnt know how licensing was. First nurse in the fam, learned everything the hard way. Just asking why Virginia? Is it easier whith them? Thanks NedRN for the advice, I will go after my NCLEX, that will be my next proyect. Want to go back home really bad. :)

elkpark · Mar 18, 2014

I believe NedRN was interpreting your previous reference to "VA" as referring to the state of VA rather than the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs. The state of Virginia requires passing the NCLEX for licensure, as do all the other 49 states.

It's been a long time since I've worked for the VA and I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong, but I believe the VA system has its own, internal group of travelers that meet the VA's needs; they don't use traveling nurses from regular agencies.

merarn · Mar 18, 2014

So sorry elkpark didnt see your post before, for some reason i didnt, maybe is because im using my phone. But Thank you for the advice. I thought because im almost have 1 yr, as a RN. Was abble to. Im a verry busy bee wanting to go out there. Dont we all, right after school. You just want to have hands on. lol Maybe when I take the nclex by that time will have the 2yrs. But i dont lose hope there must be something. Thanks :)

elkpark · Mar 18, 2014

There's nothing stopping you from pursuing licensure in whatever state interests you and looking for a job there, without pursuing travel nursing, specifically, at this time. Best wishes for your journey!

NedRN · Mar 18, 2014

I did interpret VA for Virginia and looking at their site, they say for PR licensed to call before sending an application. So that misled me further.

The VA does use their own in-house travelers primarily, but agencies also staff VA facilities on occasion. Staffing federal jobs is a bit difficult, so not all agencies will do it, and I'm not sure who I could recommend. I think it is academic for merarn, but another option is IHS or Indian Health Services. They too, being federal, will accept any state board RN license, and many agencies staff IHS and there are a fair number of ongoing assignments. Takes a special kind of person to staff those assignments but merarn does have significant cross culture life experience. The remoteness of most of those assignments is the bigger challenge though for most.

Yes to merarn, if you are eligible for NCLEX, you should certainly do it. Even with the NCLEX, you may still experience difficulty with a few states that have rigid education requirements such as California. But maybe not.

I'm surprised that AllNurses doesn't have a PR forum along with the rest of the states. That would have been ideal to exchange information about licensing issues specific to PR trained nurses. You might Google for such a forum, it could be very helpful.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Mar 18, 2014

There is a PR/US territories over in the world nursing section of AllNurses as many of the US territories, like PR, have different educational & licensing requirements than the states. Some, like PR, do not use the NCLEX Plus many states consider nurses educated in PR to be internationally educated especially if the program was conducted in mostly Spanish.

NedRN · Mar 18, 2014

I found the PR section in the World. Thanks, never would have thought of looking there. Lots of Virgin Island threads too to go along with Virgin Island threads here. I didn't see any recent threads on PR to US licenses, mostly US to PR threads.

merarn · Mar 19, 2014

PR have the same education as the states, we used same books "Fundamental of Nursing-kozier" "Medical Surgical Nursing" and so on, dont know why we dont take the nclex, that is the only different from here to there. I would have loved to take it but its politics, who knows... I choose this forum because I needed a little light shine for me in the Travel Nursing, now that personally dont think PR have any, and someone from the states would know. I am very happy with the answers I received.i do think it had been very educational for me and I hope to others. We learn new things everyday

NedRN · Mar 19, 2014

Every school sets its own curriculum, which has to meet minimum NLN criteria. But some state standards are higher, traditionally NY and California. A number of BSN Canadian schools whose graduates are NCLEX eligible do not meet California standards. The things we often learn when it is too late!

The little bit I read on the PR forum taught me that PR has a surplus of nurses with long waiting lists at hospitals such as the VA. If the barrier to entry was higher, even requiring the relatively easy NCLEX, supply and demand would be different.