US citizen or stay as immigrant

dorkyalmonds · Nov 4, 2008

Look how many foreign grads your current employer hires. As Suzanne mentioned, 5 years is a long time to go to school, read the posts here many second coursers have had difficulty with the BON ( so you may not have any short cuts in the Philippines).
And you may put your permanent residence here in the USA as an issue if you don't apply for citizenship.
I would make a list and when you are on vacation in March check out each issue.
A. Quality of education, how much nursing experience will your instructors have.
B. When you took the NCLEX-PN did you pass easy on the first time, I would caution you if you didn't pass the NCLEX-PN without difficulty, since this is a predictor as how you will do on NCLEX-RN.
C. How much are you really going to save ( travel, time waiting to qualify for the boards, transportation, etc), you should as a LVN be able to fast track to a RN program in the US.
Good luck with your decision.

thank you so much.. I have been asking for schools in the Philippines that allows second coursers. hopefully i will be able to check them out when i get there next year.

And yes, i took the NCLEX-PN without any difficulty. I passed it the first time :nuke:

As for the money to save --i have been thinking of that too.. such as the expected expenses, tuition fees, etc.

Ive been looking on how to fast track as LVN --but as i see it, it looks like it will also take me 5-6 yrs if i take my BSN here (in community college), 2-4yrs in private schools (and very expensive). I dont even want to have any student loan anymore.

Im still weighing my options. Thanks so much :redpinkhe

dorkyalmonds · Nov 4, 2008

Just to clear out some stuff:
1. If you acquire your US citizenship now, you CAN still be considered a Filipino, as long as you do the necessary paperwork and pay the appropriate taxes (http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2003/ra_9225_2003.html) HENCE
2. You CAN take the Phil Licensure Exams, so that wont be an issue for you IF EVER your BON requires it in the future.
The real issue is:
1. The quality of Nursing Education (Esp the schools that allow second coursers) have really gone downhill. Most of the schools that have a good passing score only accept first-coursers
2. Passing the NCLEX exam is much easier if you study in the States, because that's what you are trained for and prepared for in Nursing school.

Thanks so much!

I will keep this in mind.. As to passing the NCLEX --i have seen a lot of nurses who graduated in the Philippines that passed the NCLEX the first time.. but some also didnt make it the first time. So i think it all depends.:typing

dorkyalmonds · Nov 4, 2008

Not sure if you are aware that the BSN there has increased to five years. If you are a dual citizen, or even just a citizen of the Philippines, then writing the NLE exam is not going to be exempted for you. It is required now for several states before they will permit you to sit for the NCLEX exam and we expect many more to follow suit since almost every other country requires the local license

i am aware that BSN in the philippines is now 5 years.. And even here in US, based on my inquiries -it will also take me 5 years to take my BSN (with a lot of student loans) if i take it in community colleges since i havent even taken any of the nursing prereqs, while 4 years in private schools with even more student loans.

And do be aware that your training here for the LPN will not usually give you much in the way of credits over there since the LPN program is not actually accepted by the government there for licensure even though there are a few schools there.

yeah i know about this too.. although i am just hoping that my bachelor's degree (though non-nursing) that i have taken from the Philippines years ago will be credited.. at least.

And we are seeing a tightening of employers hiring when one has trained out of the country to begin with. I would seriously reconsider what you wish to do and take the time to do some reading on the Philippine Forum as to what is happening there right now in terms of schooling and clinicals.

thanks so much.. as for the hiring, most of my employers have been hiring foreign grads and even the "fresh" foreign grads. Hopefully it will continue so.

This has been a very informative forum and i will continue to do some research and inquiries regarding my decision. As you can see, i am still searching for answers right now. And you guys are so helpful.. :bow:

suzanne4, RN · Nov 4, 2008

Only 45% that train out of the US pass the NCLEX the first time, it is my no means that most pass the first time.

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Nov 5, 2008

Have you applied to a community college? Have you gone down in person and applied? Many people accept hear say as the truth?

Even if you had to wait a year- you could be a RN in one year of study. Once you get your RN- with your BS- you could do a MSN program in 2 years.

You could be working and have a MSN from an American University. So in 4 years you could have a RN-MSN.

Also check with your BON, if they accept second coursers to see if the 2.5 Philippine Program is acceptable. There have been many reports people have been denied.

I just met a nurse who trained outside the USA, he wants to live with his girlfriend but the state of Conn will not accept his training. Keep in mind, your foreign degree may not get a license in all 50 states.

dorkyalmonds · Nov 5, 2008

Have you applied to a community college? Have you gone down in person and applied? Many people accept hear say as the truth?
Even if you had to wait a year- you could be a RN in one year of study. Once you get your RN- with your BS- you could do a MSN program in 2 years.
You could be working and have a MSN from an American University. So in 4 years you could have a RN-MSN.
Also check with your BON, if they accept second coursers to see if the 2.5 Philippine Program is acceptable. There have been many reports people have been denied.
I just met a nurse who trained outside the USA, he wants to live with his girlfriend but the state of Conn will not accept his training. Keep in mind, your foreign degree may not get a license in all 50 states.

i did.. and they told me that there is a waiting list, have to take pre-reqs that requires another pre-reqs, etc. And they told me the same thing, it will take me 5-6 years to get BSN, and to get into the program is by lottery.. As for private -i went to West Coast, now it is 68k for ADN; +32k for BSN. I cant even work since the schedule is tough.. Just the thought of the cost and having to have more student loans gives me chills.:uhoh21: Oh yeah, for online classes -- i even sat down with a counselor (of college network), and told me it will take me 4-5 years.. And i was just very skeptical about this one too. Besides, i would feel more comfy with traditional classes.And to top it all of, i tried a private school --then we found out it is not accredited, and will never be... :no:

After all these, it just hits me --why dont i go back to the PHilippines instead? :uhoh3: :uhoh3: :uhoh3: And that is where it all began :banghead:

For California BON, i have not called them. But i know someone (maybe couple) who was a second courser, took their BSN, passed the NCLEX for the first time, been hired instantly.. and just doin fine.:nuke:

dorkyalmonds · Nov 24, 2008

im still looking for school that would accept second coursers.. please help what to do? decisions.. decisions...

tobby_walter · Nov 24, 2008

(1)so it means that if i go back to the philippines as a permanent resident cardholder --i will still need to take the philippine nursing/local board exam. and like what u said, i will be classed as a foreign trained nurse and has to meet site requirement --does this mean i still need to take the cgfns or anything like that to be eligible to come back to us for the nclex-rn?

if your holding a dual citizenship then by all means you are required to take the nle as you are still a citizen of philippines which some states are requiring now recently. if you study here in rp then you are considered foreign trained nurse and are subjected to state to state requirement which means cgfns are only to those state requiring it.

(2)but if i go back to the philippines as a us citizen, i will be treated there as a "foreign" student? but i will not be permitted to take the philippine local boards, right? so, can i be eligible to take the nclex-rn here in us without a local license? you can only be exempted in taking the nle if you are a duly usc which will not permit you to sit for it. and applying for licensure will vary on the state ou intend to go to and practice. just request a letter from the philippine bon stating your not permitted for nle and send it directly to bon state you will be applying for licensure.