UK RN moving to California - HELP

[LClaire]

Hi all,

So I know this topic has been talked about over and over but I still require some anwsers that I just cannot seem to find....so here goes....

I am a 26 year old RN working in a hospital in London (plastic surgery nurse) I graduated in August 2015 with a Post Graduate Diploma in Adult Nursing. So in August 2017 I will have been two years qualfied and ready to move to California (all agencies and all US nurses i've spoken to state I will need 2 years experience in the UK before I can get a job there). Additonally I am currently studying my Masters degree in Nursing which I will graduate from in September 2017.

I have ordered my transcript from my univeristy to be sent to CGFNS and I have sat down with the programme lead of my nursing programme to fill in the additional form that CGFNS require stating my exact theory and clincial hours of each area, thankfully, as I knew even prior to starting my course I wanted to nurse in the US I think I have (just) enough theory/clinical hours in paeds, midwifery and mental health due to relentlessly asking for experience in these areas as a student, alongside my plentiful hours in theory and clinical of adult nusring covering all areas from med to surg. I am aiming on taking my NCLEX next summer so that hopefully (!) by September 2017 I will have a valid NCLEX certificate, obviously I can only book to take this if CGFNS decide my theory and clincial hours are enough...am I right?

So the questions...

Can I sit the NCLEX in the UK and just state that it is the Californian board of nursing that I want my results sent to?

Is an agency the only way to go in regards to getting a job in California due to not having social security number or is it possible independently?

How long does CGFNS take to get back to me in regards to my transcript/hours?

And how long does it take to receive NCLEX results?

and finally....am I crazy for thinking this is even a possibility that before i'm 30 I could be working as a nurse in California?

Any useful, positive, helpful information would be greatly received.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

2 hours ago, Briannapowel95 said:

Hello! I currently live in California and got accepted into Kingston university for Children’s Nursing. I have heard that it wouldn’t be worth getting a degree over there because I probably wouldn’t be able to come back to California to work when I’m done. Did you happen to find out any information? I’ve been looking for months to try and figure out a solution because I would love to go to school in the UK. Thank you!

Hello! I currently live in California and got accepted into Kingston university for Children’s Nursing. I have heard that it wouldn’t be worth getting a degree over there because I probably wouldn’t be able to come back to California to work when I’m done. Did you happen to find out any information? I’ve been looking for months to try and figure out a solution because I would love to go to school in the UK. Thank you!

UK is specialized nursing and for many they don’t meet US requirements in clinical and theory hours. California is also one of the toughest states to register with and this includes endorsing

[skylark, BSN, RN]

Bucks isn't in London, it's a location which is about 30 miles out, and literally in the middle of a field, so you might want to factor that commute into your decision!

There are no train or transit options out there.

[Cloud9RN, BSN]

On ‎12‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 2:08 AM, skylark said:

You can take the NCLEX in London, I forgot the name of the building but its across from Sainsburys in Holborn!

You cannot get your licence without a SSN.

As an adult RN you are unlikely to have the peds, OB or psych hours.

If you test for a CA licence its around 5-6 weeks before they write to you with the result. Most states have a way of checking online, but CA is not one of them.

NCLEX is not going to get you a visa or a SSN. and your RN licence cannot be issued without the SSN.

And to be honest, unless you trained pre 2000, you are going to have a hard time of it, and likely be unsuccessful as your training and experience won't cut it.

There is no nursing shortage anymore in the US. Agencies were chasing UK RNs a few years ago to recruit them but that has all gone and most of the agencies don't even exist anymore. I got my study materials for NCLEX from OGP but I think they have closed down.

There is a heavy shortage of nurses here in the US pre covid. A lot of agencies are hiring Nurses with NCLEX since 2015 and it has not change until now.

[skylark, BSN, RN]

I don't see a nursing shortage here at all. Agencies will always recruit, and travel nursing is growing, but in terms of regular, full time work, there is nothing going on.

[amerie89]

If you study in the U.K. you will be missing psych obs and gynae paeds etc. You will have to make those up at a California school before getting permission to take NCLEX. At the moment anyway, that may change. I know concurrency requirements have been lifted for the duration of the covid 19 emergency. But honestly I would say it’s not worth it and you may never get there so if you want to work there, figure out a way to study there ?