Requirements for a Colombian nurse to be licensed in the USA

boomer says on Dec 6, 2008, 03:46:

Ran into a simular problem with my wife 6 years ago. It's largely a State licensing issue. If degree wasn't obtained in USA, It's basicly worthless. Seems to be some sort of protectionisum by US medical universities. The want their tuition money!
Get out your check book.

Good Luck

orgullo_de_colombia

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njc (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Dec 6, 2008, 04:34:

saddlespur says on Dec 6, 2008, 05:05:

Yea it's hard to believe our situation is the same bad news. A four year university degree and four years of working experience is worthless here in the states.

To Get What You Never Had...You Must Do What You've Never Done.

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 08:23:

Have you tried a Google search here on PBH on this subject? There are a few detailed posts on the subject already.

miamimike says on Jan 11, 2008, 23:47: flag

A few years ago a large well known US based Nursing agency went to Bogota to recruit Nurses to alleviate a US Nursing Shortage(its really a contrived shortage). A lot of applicants showed up but most were turned away. One of the primary Prereqs is they must be proficient in English at the Medical/Technical Level. There's a Reason: the Nurse coming to practice in the USA has to pass His/her State's Nursing Board Exam given in English. And in English at a very advanced level.No Exceptions to the English Test. She/he must, prior to the Test, submit a Certified Copy of their Coursework from their University for Revalidation and have it translated into English through a Official Certified Translator. When this step is done, she/he is permitted to sit for the State Exam. Here in Florida, this revalidating agency is the Joseph Smiley Agency located in South Miami, not sure where it is for the other states such as Arizona but Az must have one as I would think some Mexican Educated Nurses attempt to do this there for sure. As Far as I know, the Nurse must apply first for a Visa to sit for the Exam then if she passes, she would be eligble for a H catagory Work Visa. The First Visa obtained is not for work purposes but for the purpose of taking the Exam. It is a long drawn out process so prepare yourself or herself. Good Luck. One other thing, as I understand it, whether or not she receives a Visa for test purposes depends on her level of Education and Degree. As I understand the Law, she must be a Graduate of a 5 year Colombian Nursing program which qualifies her as a "Nurse Jefe" or a Professional Nurse in English with a Bachelor's degree(usa). Rns here in the USA can achieve their Education thru a Two year Community College or thru a 4 year Bacehlor's Degree program. They sit for the Exact same State Test and in many cases, the Nurses educated at 2 year schools in the USA pass with higher test scores due to the fact they have more Clinical Hours then a Nurse Grad from a 4 year school and the State Exam is Clinically oriented so it favors a 2 year Grad.. BTW, I don't belive Nurses are isued a License as they are here in the US. It doesn't matter what level the Nurse is, a Technico(2 year degree) or Nurse jefe(4 yr degree) the Revalidation process is the same.

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 08:38:

miamimike says on Jan 12, 2008, 01:54: flag

RJ--Nurses are an entirely different Ballgame as are Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers ect. They must be licensed in their Respective state to LEGALLY Practice. It doesn't matter what kind of Corp you form, you still need an H type Visa(iniated by the US based Employer) No State License, No Work. As I work in this Industry, I am fairly familiar with the process and we have many Nurses from Canada in South Florida.. Canadian Nurses have recipricocity with the USA and they are frequently picked up by USA based Nursing Agencies no problem. They are granted a temp license and Work Visa easily as there is NO langauge Barrier and Canadian Nursing Schools are very similiar in course content and Clinical Hours so they grant recipricocity. Same for Nurses from the UK and Australia. Attempting to start some type of an Agency before the Nurse has her license is like putting the Cart before the proverbial Horse,,,

The Visa Journey for Foreign Nurses wanting to work in the USA: http://www.immigrationlawyer-usa.com/foreign_nurses.asp?TitleID=15&Det....

Visascreen and CGFNS process for Foreign Nurses: http://www.allnursingschools.com/faqs/foreignnurse.php

Boomer--really has nothing to do with the Universities wanting "their Tuition Money" If you check any Nursing School today, you will see all available Student slots are filled, many for the next 2-3 years, with a waiting list for admission. It does have to with protecting patients in American Hospitals which are JCOH approved. Too often you hear "I couldn't understand the Nurse, she doesn't speak english at a level I understand" not to mention, Nursing Education/Practice in many foreign countries isn't geared to the same technical level of care our American Hospitals and what is needed to pass the State Nursing Tests(state board exam).

Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte después Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte de

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 08:45:

This Mountain of Red Tape can work in reverse also--below,as it was related to me, is what happened to a Colombian-American Nurse Friend of mine who graduated from the U of Miami who wanted to work in Bogota Colombia:

****Any American MDs in Colombia? work permit-related question
Does anyone know any American MDs working legally in Colombia? doctors who have gone thru the process of getting their degree/license accepted here and who were issued a work permit?******

I am specifically looking for someone who got a work permit without using dual citizenship or marriage, just a straight up acceptance of his/her US medical degree.

I would like to talk to someone who has been thru the process to see if it's possible/worth it.

Thanks for any info.

By antiguru on Dec 4, 2008, 10:05 in Friendly Talkzone.


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miamimike says on Dec 4, 2008, 10:20: flag

I cannot comment on MDs working in Colombia on a full time basis and the process for them to revalidate their US Degree in Col but I can on friend of mine who is a Nurse(Florida RN license). I know from time to time, US licensed MDs go on Medical Oversea's Missions and their lack of Credentials in the host country never appears to be a problem for a Temporary work basis. Key word, Temporary. A Miami (and very educated) friend of mine who was born in Colombia, who graduated from a well respected University in Bogota as a Teacher and who then moved to Miami 20 years ago, ran into a big credentialing problem when she wanted to return to Colombia a few years ago and work as Nurse. After arriving here in Miami in the early 80s, she attended and graduated from the U of Miami with a BSN in Nursing(RN and referred to as an enfemera jefe in colombia)) and was licensed as a Florida RN. She was/is an ICU Nurse with a years of experience, She is perfectly Bi-lingual, She holds a Colombian University degree, She was/is a Colombian citizen(as well as a US citizen). I would have thought any Large City Hospital in Colombia would have recruited her immediately with her medical and linguistic skills/capabilities. The Medical Community in Colombia is very familiar with the U of Miami as many Col MDs take coursework here as well as intensive English langauge courses so U of Miami coursework is no stanger in Bogota Medical Circles. When she wanted to return to Col and take care of her aging parents and planned to work as well in Colombia, Colombia(medical board equiv) put up so many roadblocks as to accepting her Degree( as well asFlorida state RN credentials) from U of Miami(fl) she gave up on the idea and commutes monthly to and from Bogota.She related to me "just too much paperwork" and they wanted her to retake various Medical courses as well advanced Nursing courses. So it appears its not only the US who makes it difficult to re-validate coursework and what they accept from other countries. This is an oft heard complaint here in Miami from MDs, Nurses, Engineers ect from Colombia and other south americian countries who attempt to revalidate their coursework and degrees here in the USA.

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Gator says on Dec 6, 2008, 08:49:

Mrs. Gator's sister in Miami had to present all of her Colombian credentials to the the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools in Philadelphia, PA. Then, if acceptable to the commission, that clearance is sent to the state board of nursing in Jacksonville and take the test-IN ENGLISH. She failed on the first try but passed the second go round. The test was in Orlando.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 10:43:

I see its different in Pennsylvania then it is in Florida Gator but no surprise as the Reqs for State Boards in many cases have their own criteria .GCFNS was noted in my above Previous link.

from below link: "The first thing to remember is that licensure requirements differ with each state. The state Board of Nursing will be able to tell you what prerequisites you should fulfill to be licensed. You need to know where you will be working before you arrive in order to be sure that you meet all of the criteria."

Visascreen and CGFNS process for Foreign Nurses: http://www.allnursingschools.com/faqs/foreignnurse.php

Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte después Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte de

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Gator says on Dec 6, 2008, 11:58:

I started out with "Mrs. Gator's sister IN MIAMI" She did nothing but send her clenical credentials. to PA to the CGFNS and everything else was done in Florida. I am not aware of a GCFNS. She had her academic transcripts certified by Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. in South Miami- They only did her academic transcripts. The clinical evaluation was done someplace else. She had to submit both academic and clinical evaluations to the Florida Board of Nursing. SHE DID NOT WORK IN PENNSYLVINA.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 13:09:

Gator--once she had a License in Florida for example, she could have applied and received a Penna License by Reciprococity. That is the nice thing about the US Nurse licensing system, once you get a License in one state, in most other states they have recipricocity as state nursing boards are under the auspices of the NLN. "GCFNS"--LOL was a TYPO Gator--we all make 'em and it should have read from my above link CGFNS====BTW you are aware they have made several important changes to the NCLEX testing of foreign Nurses. They caught many Filipino Nurses scamming the NCLEX Test in Manilla a few years back(around 2005) so they tightened the security and removed Manilla as a test site.

Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte después Bésame, bésame mucho Como si fuera esta noche La última vez Bésame, bésame mucho Que tengo miedo a perderte Perderte de

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Gator says on Dec 6, 2008, 17:58:

The sister is presently employed in South Florida-never has and does not want to work in Pennsylvania. I only posted as a point of interest please disregard posts. I do not want to get in a posting "war"about a subject I really have no interest in.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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miamimike says on Dec 6, 2008, 21:16:

Sorry you misinterpreted my comment Gator, no one(not I) was interested in a "Posting War". I posted(recip'ty) it only for general knowledge concerning the recipricocity as other posters here on this thread not as knowledgeable as you may be interested FYI,,,

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Gator says on Dec 7, 2008, 11:24:

agree, my post(s) were with the same intent-no harm no foul.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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miamimike says on Dec 7, 2008, 16:11:

My thoughts also Gator, no harm intended. I go long on this type of Post only because its an area of interest related to a profession of mine. Feliz Navidad!

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larryrn says on Dec 8, 2008, 09:53:

Next to impossible statistically speaking. The only option that comes to mind is maybe going to Puerto Rico and see if you can take the boards in Spanish. As one who is involved in the profession, even if you know the language, most of the questions are cultural in nature.

Larry

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Nick Serrano says on Dec 8, 2008, 10:05:

Thanks everyone for the comments!

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Mononoke28 says on Dec 8, 2008, 11:11:

larryrn says on Dec 8, 2008, 09:53 (today)
Next to impossible statistically speaking.
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Nothing's impossible. If they really want to work in the career they studied outside of the US, all they have to do is start from scratch. Time consuming? yes. Impossible? no. It's a matter of wanting to do it, not whether or not they're able to do it.

Diana

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