Where should I report CGFNS abuse????

suzanne4, RN · Nov 14, 2006

Slow down and take a deep breath.

Which application did you submit to them? And when?

Nothing is done overnight, and usually takes several months, they only have one office and they cover the entire world. So not sure how you are claiming abuse, you better have something to back you up with that.

But I suggest that you slow down and take a deep breath, and think about your actions. Remember that they are the ones that will also issue the Visa Screen Certificate for you.

You are new here, suggest that you take the time to do some reading and answer my questions above. With what you have posted, no timeframe, or anything else, no one can help you at all.

augigi, CNS · Nov 14, 2006

I'd like to know who to complain about their inefficiency and rudeness to also. Even the supervisors seemed to always say "I don't know" when asked anything about my file. Seems they don't answer to anyone.

rsmit02 · Nov 14, 2006

I totally agree cgfns are just terrible I applied for my CES back in April. All my documents have been submitted for 3 months now. Every time I call I get the standard "it will take 6-8 weeks to issue your report" They have along the way lost my transcript and forgot to write to my school for extra documents, when I challenged them on this I was told by a lovley guy to write to my school myself for what I needed and get them to post it to cgfns it would be quicker!!!!

I called them yesterday and asked for a manager told them how annoyed I was and how much I was depending on this report and their delay was costing me money. The finally admitted they were totally back logged and short of staff and my documents were sat in a que of 100s waiting to be assigned to a reviwer who can do the report.

They confirmed all my documents had been submitted and were all correct I asked when my case would be assigned and they could give me no time scale but said it was not going to be before christmas!!!!!!

It is disgusting that a company can treat people like this especially when we have no alternative its not like we can use another company!!! I am going to be making a formal complaint to the BON and cgfns as soon as I have all my documents done.

Good luck and keep on at them I call once a week.

Ruth x

RGN1 · Nov 14, 2006

Just to let you know that CGFNS can also work very well I had absolutely no problem at all getting my VisaScreen Certificate. I was alerted by email everytime they received a new document & the web site got updated too so that I could follow the progress of my application on-line.

Also before I sent my application I called them about something & got through quickly & received the correct information. I had my Certificate in my hand 8 weeks after posting the initial application from the UK. I was even alerted by email that they were sending it by courier so I knew when to expect it to arrive.

I'm truly sorry you're having such a hard time with them but I really felt that I ought to let others know that it doesn't always go like that!

Geena, BSN, RN · Nov 15, 2006

I have been dealing with them for quite some time now. My VSC was issued on Sept 29th and posted standard groundmail. Two weeks later I called them and I was advised that they post it bulk and it is expected to take four weeks to arrive. Now this is in the US.

No show in four weeks as expected. I'm calling them again and asking for a new one to be mailed. Just as advised. Well, now another person tells me the complete opposite. Right of course I would have lost it myself... seriously?

So I'm asking to speak to the supervisor, lets call her N, who comes to the phone with her mouth full and gives me rather vague answers of the procedure to get all this fixed. Either email or send a letter asking for a new VSC and state the reasons why I need a new one.

Too easy. I email them not once but twice. And get a reply that my case is special. The supervisor has put a note in my file that email will not do but I need to mail them a request with my signature.

Right. I am calling them again and ask to speak to the supervisor who refuses to speak to me. They give me an email address to the office manager "asydnoar", whom I am supposed to email if i want anything done.

I'm spelling it back to them twice.

It just turns out that the email address is not valid.

Well, did I really expect it to be? Seriously??

A bunch of office morons who have taken passive aggressiveness to an extraordinary level.

Needless to say I still haven't got my VSC - but I'm actually beyond caring and looking fwd to going home. What was I thinking in the first place???

Enough.

suzanne4, RN · Nov 15, 2006

Sorry, but that is still not abuse to you. What the original poster was claiming.

augigi, CNS · Nov 15, 2006

Well the original poster may not have English as a first language, and may have meant what they said in the description but chosen the wrong word. I'd call it inefficiency and poor customer service, considering the big money I spent with them. Then again, they have no competition and no incentive to do any better...

rsmit02 · Nov 15, 2006

I agree perhaps "abuse" wasnt the correct word but I understood what the origional poster meant it feels horrible being at the mercy of a company with no competition or incentive to do better. It is dealing with peoples lives and should be more accountable.

Ruth x

digo · Nov 15, 2006

I am talking about "abuse of power".

Now, as most of you know, CGFNS has sued the INS, a couple of years ago, and asked the government that all healthcare professionals be evaluated/certified by them. They won the case, and what were the consequences??? All Canadian nurses that had been working in US hospitals for years, some for more than 15 years, had to go back to school to take one/single credit hour in a course or another in order to get recertified. Just imagine how much pain these nurses had to endure. What for??? More clients for cgfns...??? That is my only guess, given the stupidity of the situation.

Today, they are the only agency that gives certifications that are used in licensing and immigration, meaning they have the absolute power in decision making, when it comes to dealing with foreign nurses. Wouldn't that make them more inclined to not care too much about how they treat their clients? You bet it would...and what happens when they do that?...they "abuse the power" that was given to them by the government. The client has nowhere to turn to when he is mistreated.The client has no second option on the table. As an agency, cgfns has rights and obligations, and one such obligation is to accurately inform any applicant what exactly is being done for their money. Their services are in no way free, as you know, and consequently they need to treat their clients with respect not lies; and since when Suzane do you want to cut somebody a slack for not doing what they are paid for and supposed to do. They have the obligation to give out my certificate if I meet the requirements. I am not asking for any favors, all I want is a decision to be taken in a timely manner - be it good or bad. They have no excuse for making 16 weeks look like 8 weeks...If they are unable to keep up with the demand, they should ask for help, hire more people, increase the fees but not lie and treat your customers as dirt. Remember, we all, as customers, have rights too.

Again, where should I file a complain?

Thanks

suzanne4, RN · Nov 15, 2006

I am talking about "abuse of power".
Now, as most of you know, CGFNS has sued the INS, a couple of years ago, and asked the government that all healthcare professionals be evaluated/certified by them. They won the case, and what were the consequences??? All Canadian nurses that had been working in US hospitals for years, some for more than 15 years, had to go back to school to take one/single credit hour in a course or another in order to get recertified. Just imagine how much pain these nurses had to endure. What for??? More clients for cgfns...??? That is my only guess, given the stupidity of the situation.
Today, they are the only agency that gives certifications that are used in licensing and immigration, meaning they have the absolute power in decision making, when it comes to dealing with foreign nurses. Wouldn't that make them more inclined to not care too much about how they treat their clients? You bet it would...and what happens when they do that?...they "abuse the power" that was given to them by the government. The client has nowhere to turn to when he is mistreated.The client has no second option on the table. As an agency, cgfns has rights and obligations, and one such obligation is to accurately inform any applicant what exactly is being done for their money. Their services are in no way free, as you know, and consequently they need to treat their clients with respect not lies; and since when Suzane do you want to cut somebody a slack for not doing what they are paid for and supposed to do. They have the obligation to give out my certificate if I meet the requirements. I am not asking for any favors, all I want is a decision to be taken in a timely manner - be it good or bad. They have no excuse for making 16 weeks look like 8 weeks...If they are unable to keep up with the demand, they should ask for help, hire more people, increase the fees but not lie and treat your customers as dirt. Remember, we all, as customers, have rights too.
Again, where should I file a complain?
Thanks

Sorry, but you have wrong information about the Canadians, they just needed to get a VSC, and therefore take the NCLEX exam, if they never took it, or the CGFNS exam. In the past, several of the more northern states used reciprocity and granted a license to the Canadian nurse based on their Canadian exam.

The Canadian RNs were required to get a Visa Screen Certificate just like any other foreign nurse coming into the US to work. Those nurses did not have to go back to school. They had to write a US exam. Period.

But still stating that you were abused by them is not the case. On average, the wait for the CES, if that is what you are waiting for is about four months, it is not just a few weeks. And you still have never stated when you submitted the documents to them in the first place, and did youtr school actually submit the transcripts? They are never accepted from you.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

I agree perhaps "abuse" wasnt the correct word but I understood what the origional poster meant it feels horrible being at the mercy of a company with no competition or incentive to do better. It is dealing with peoples lives and should be more accountable.

Why, is someone holding a gun to your head, threatening to shoot you dead if your paperwork is not processed in a few weeks flat?

Sorry, but you are CHOOSING to emigrate and asking for the privilege to do so. This not a right nor in most cases, does it mean life or death. A highly understaffed group is being asked to evaluate your paperwork to see if there are any additional requirements. They have to possibly cross multiple hurdles to do so, in various languages and obtaining paperwork, from many sources (many of whom are often the cause of the delay).

No one is delaying deliberately (an aspect of abuse), they merely do not have the time/energy/resources to do this job faster. They also have way too many applicants for the staff. Much like hospital floors that are understaffed - the nurse is not "ignoring" you and meaning to be abusive, they just cannot be everywhere at once. It is a an impossibility.

Be also aware that people that call repeatedly, slow them down more. If someone is on the phone because you are demanding info "NOW", that person will be trying to find that out, keeping them from processing your or someone else's paperwork. Or that your school may not have actually sent info to the right place or provided adequate information, and that your school/employer, etc may be the problem.

Here in the USA, as a native born and educated nurse, I have had to wait over 4 MONTHES! for the state of Florida to send my NCLEX result and licensure history to the state of Georgia, before they could grant me licensure. This entailed sending a form around two hundred miles, over one state border, with no language barrier or equivalency evaluation needed. It also required multiple phone calls, being placed on hold for 10-20 minutes at a time. I racked up around two hours of long distance phone charges for this also.

An essential part of the journey to emigrate is PATIENCE. You will find that immigration to USA will probably require alot of it. Even those of us that have been born here are required to have patience. It is not easy.

You may complain about "abuse". But unless someone called you ugly names on the phone, blackmailing you, accepting bribes or came to your home to assault you, there is no abuse.

And given the bad delays that the USA states have in processing forms, for an international immigration issue to take a bit long is not going to garner much sympathy and may be seen as biting the hand that will be feeding you.