Uk educated Registered Nurse Mental Health trying to get registration in the USA

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jan 19, 2008

Hi
I am a RN (Mental Health) trained in the UK. I have a BSc (Hons) and MSN. I am hoping to eventually move over to the USA. However, I am having problems with USA not recognizing my nursing qualifications as I was educated in solely mental health nursing - not a generic route. I was wondering if there were any nurses out there who were in the same position or were and have been able to sit the NCLEX with just being a mental health nurse? Would be really grateful of any help/advice - here is hoping.
TD

Hi and welcome to the site

I have moved your post to the International forum as more appropriate here.

Unfortunately unless you meet BON requirements you will not be able to sit the exam and be registered as a RN in the US. There is a thread in the UK forum which gives information on a couple of universities now in the UK which offer catch up courses but you will initially, if you haven't already done it, go through CGFNS and get CES report which will give info on where you are short.

Not sure if your MSN will help you move to the US any quicker but most nurses currently regardless on where they are from is affected by retrogression and no visas at the moment with a waiting list of approx 5 years. Suzanne will be able to give a bit more info on this

suzanne4, RN · Jan 19, 2008

In order to get licensed in the US, you must meet the requirements that we have here and they require training in all of the required areas to be able to even get thru the credentials process and get permission to sit for our licensing exam called the NCLEX-RN. Even with the MSN, you are still required to meet the requirements as a generalist first.

Same thing with Canada, you need to have hours in both clinical and theory to meet their requirements as well.

Suspect that you did the three year program witgh 18 months of general and then the 18 months of mental health initially. It is going to depend on what you actually covered during those 18 months of general and if you had peds as well as maternal health. There is no way to get licensed in the US or Canada as an RN without having those required hours.

As Anna has mentioned, suggest that you go thru CES, which is a credentials evaluation done thru CGFNS and see how they credit the courses that you have taken. You may be onle of the lucky ones and have had the needed hours or you are going to have to make them up at the minimum. There is no way to be able to even sit for the NCLEX exam if you do not meet the requirements for licensure here. Be aware that you also need to acquire a Visa Screen Certificate from CGFNS, and your training needs to meet their requirements as well if you wish to get a green card for the US.

Best of luck to you.

(p.s. in the US in order for you to get to use the MSN as a clinical nurse specialist, it also requires that you have the basic RN license before they will recognize anything else. And an employer cannot offer you a job as an RN without meeting the licensing requirements and having passed the NCLEX exam.