NURSES - MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY


Happy Nurses Week 2008 from your friends at Nursing Spectrum & NurseWeek!

12 de Maio - Dia da Enfermeira.

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.

You can find information about Florence Nightingale on the Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF) web site and the Girl Child Education Fund.

Registered Nurse (RN)

A nurse holding an Associate, BSN, or Hospital Diploma degree who is licensed to practice nursing by the state authority after qualifying for registration.
Showing posts with label CAREERS AND CREDENTIALING. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CAREERS AND CREDENTIALING. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 8 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 7 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 6 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 5 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 4 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 3 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 2 of 8

The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare 1 of 8

This documentary takes a very honest, much needed look at the state of nursing in America. By interviewing doctors, hospital administrators, union representatives, members of the public and nurses themselves we get a complete picture of this severe and growing problem.

Produced and hosted by Paula Packwood MHA, RN, a health care professional with over 35 years of experience in the field. She has presented this video to politicians and policy makers in Sacramento and Washington DC.

Directed and edited by Greg Wyatt.

Originally aired on the now defunct Adelphia Channel in the fall of 2003.

Nurses2020:Nursing Shortage

Nurses documentary

Nurse TV: Incontinence nursing

Registered Nurses Job Description

Critical Care Nurse: Day in The Life

Nurse TV: Emergency Nurse Practitioner

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

I want to become a nurse. How do I get started?

ANA'S Definition of Nursing ( American Nurses Association))
http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/CertificationandAccreditation/AboutNursing.aspx

About Nursing

Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

(Nursing's Social Policy Statement, Second Edition, 2003, p. 6 & Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2004, p. 7)

In the first half of 2006, over 65,000 persons were newly licensed as registered nurses, joining 2.9 million other RNs in the nation’s largest health care profession.


Each followed a distinct path of education to become a registered nurse and, after obtaining the RN license, increased his or her expertise as a direct health care provider in work settings ranging from acute care hospitals to home and community centers to corporate work sites.


From the basic education required of an RN to the advanced educational and clinical paths taken by more experienced nurses, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting different health care needs of the population.



What is nursing?


Florence Nightingale, in her Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not, defined nursing as having “charge of the personal health of somebody … and what nursing has to do … is to put the patient in the best condition for nature to act upon him.” The philosophy has been restated and refined since 1859, but the essence is the same. In the words of nursing theorist Virginia Henderson, nurses help people, sick or well, to do those things needed for health or a peaceful death that people would do on their own if they had the strength, will, or knowledge. The most current definition that reflects the evolution of professional nursing is from the 2003 edition of ANA’s Nursing’s Social Policy Statement:


Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.



The human response…


What defines nursing and sets it apart from other health care professions, particularly medicine with which it has long been considered part and parcel? It is nurses’ focus – in theory and practice – on the response of the individual and the family to actual or potential health problems. Nurses are educated to be attuned to the whole person, not just the unique presenting health problem. While a medical diagnosis of an illness may be fairly circumscribed, the human response to a health problem may be much more fluid and variable and may have a great effect on the individual’s ability to overcome the initial medical problem. It is often said that physicians cure, and nurses care. In what some describe as a blend of physiology and psychology, nurses build on their understanding of the disease and illness process to promote the restoration and maintenance of health in their clients.


Nurses’ broad-based education and holistic focus positions them as the logical network of providers on which to build a true health care system for the future. An acknowledged realization that individuals have considerable responsibility for their personal health has driven an increasing recognition that there is a professional group, whose focus is education and practice, that can facilitate individuals efforts to reach their fullest health potential. This profession is that of registered nurses.



Nursing education


To achieve the RN title, an individual must graduate from a state-approved school of nursing—either a four-year university program, a two-year associate degree program, or a three-year diploma program—and pass a state RN licensing examination called the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).


BSN

The four-year university-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree provides the nursing theory, sciences, humanities, and behavioral science preparation necessary for the full scope of professional nursing responsibilities, and provides the knowledge based necessary for advanced education in specialized clinical practice, research, or primary health care. In 2005, 573 U.S. colleges and universities offer the BSN or advanced nursing degree.


• First two years – Most programs concentrate studies on psychology, human growth and development, biology, microbiology, organic chemistry, nutrition, and anatomy and physiology.


• Final two years – This is when many programs begin the focused nursing curriculum including adult acute and chronic disease; maternal/child health; pediatrics; psychiatric/mental health nursing; and community health nursing. Also, nursing theory, bioethics, management, research and statistics, health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and electives in complex nursing processes are covered.


Most often, supervised clinical practice is obtained during the last two years in hospitals, nursing homes, and community settings.


ADN

A two-year program granting an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) prepares individuals for a defined technical scope of practice. Set in the framework of general education, the clinical and classroom components prepares ADN nurses for nursing roles that require nursing theory and technical proficiency. Many RNs whose first degree is an ADN return to school during their working life to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher. In 2006, many students find the ADN program to be longer than 2 years, often 3 years or more. In 2005, Associate Degree programs were 58.9% of all U.S. basic programs.


Diploma

Usually associated with a hospital, the Diploma in Nursing program combines classroom and clinical instruction, usually over three years. Although once a common educational route for RNs, diploma programs have diminished steadily—to 4 percent of all basic RN education programs in 2006—as nursing education has shifted from hospitals to academic institutions.


Education of RN Workforce, 2004

Diploma 17.5%

ADN 33.7%

BSN 34.2%

Masters or PhD 13%



Licensing


Upon graduation, an individual must pass the NCLEX-RN to obtain a license to practice registered nursing and use the RN title. State boards of nursing govern licensing requirements, set continuing education or competency requirements, and handle disciplinary actions against RNs. Once an RN, the nurse must practice following the requirements of the nurse practice act in the state in which they function as an RN.



So what is a licensed practical nurse?


A licensed practical nurse is not a registered nurse. Also called a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in some states, an LPN has taken a 12- to 14-month post-high school educational course that focuses on basic nursing care. LPNs also must pass a licensing exam (the NCLEX-PN). In 2005, there were about 710,000 LPNs in the United States, with an average salary of $36,210. The membership of the American Nurses Association consists only of registered nurses (RNs).



Where do RNs work?


As members of the nation’s largest health care profession, registered nurses practice wherever people need nursing care, including such common sites as hospitals, homes, schools, workplaces, and community centers, and uncommon areas such as children’s camps, homeless shelters, and tourist sites. Over 2.4 million of the nation’s 2.9 million RNs were employed in 2004, about one-quarter of them on a part-time basis.


About 56 percent of nurses currently work in hospitals. Hospital unit settings include intensive care, operating/recovery room, stepdown, emergency room, labor and delivery, and outpatient units.


The median salary of a staff nurse working full-time in hospitals in 2005 was $56,880.


Other settings where registered nurses work include:

Community/public health 14.9%

Ambulatory care 11.5%

Nursing homes 6.3%

Nursing education 2.6%



Advanced practice registered nurses


Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is an umbrella term given to a registered nurse who has met advanced educational and clinical practice requirements, at a minimum of a Master’s level, beyond the basic nursing education and licensing required of all RNs and who provides at least some level of direct care to patient populations. Under this umbrella fit the principal types of APRNs (numbers of APRNs based on 2004 data):


• Nurse practitioner (NP) – Working in clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, or private offices, more than 141,000 nurse practitioners are qualified to provide a wide range of primary and preventive health care services, prescribe medication, and diagnose and treat common minor illnesses and injuries.


• Certified nurse-midwife (CNM) –Almost 14,000 CNMs provide well-woman gynecological and low-risk obstetrical care. In 2002, CNMs attended more than 300,000 of U.S. births that year, in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.


• Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) –Working in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, private offices, and community-based settings, some 72,000 CNSs handle a wide range of physical and mental health problems, and also work in consultation, research, education, and administration.


• Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) – The oldest of the advanced nursing specialties, CRNAs administer more than 65 percent of anesthetics given to patients each year. There were about 32,000 CRNAs in practice in 2004.


A move in nursing is currently underway to shift the standard for qualification to be an APRN to that of a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) by 2015. While still providing the direct care to patient populations, the shift demonstrates the comparability of the APRN with other such advanced roles, ie Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Doctorate in Pharmacy.


There are other nursing roles that are usually filled by master’s prepared registered nurses as well, including nursing administration, nursing education, patient and staff education. Yet another master’s level role currently being introduced into educational programs is the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role. This role expects to act as a system facilitator for nursing care delivery.


Clearly, there are many opportunities for those prepared as registered nurses to advance their education and careers in a way that interests the individual and utilizes their strengths and areas of expertise.



To a healthier future


There are well over 200,000 advanced practice nurses in the United States today, helping to bring needed primary health care services to the population and paving the way for increased use of such nurses in the future. In 2006, advanced practice nurses reported an average annual salary of $69,200.


Baccalaureate and advanced education prepares nurses for the independent clinical judgement necessary in an increasingly complex work environment. While in 1977, only 18 percent of RNs had a bachelor’s degree, by 2004, over 34 percent of nurses had at least a BSN, and in 2005 nearly 35 percent of all new nursing students were enrolled in four-year programs. More than 124,000 students—almost 11 percent of them men—were enrolled in BSN programs in 2005.



The nursing process: A common thread amongst all nurses…


The common thread uniting different types of nurses who work in varied areas is the nursing process—the essential core of practice for the registered nurse to deliver holistic, patient-focused care.


Assessment

An RN uses a systematic, dynamic way to collect and analyze data about a client, the first step in delivering nursing care. Assessment includes not only physiological data, but also psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, economic, and life-style factors as well. For example, a nurse’s assessment of a hospitalized patient in pain includes not only the physical causes and manifestations of pain, but the patient’s response—an inability to get out of bed, refusal to eat, withdrawal from family members, anger directed at hospital staff, fear, or request for more pain mediation.


Diagnosis

The nursing diagnosis is the nurse’s clinical judgment about the client’s response to actual or potential health conditions or needs. The diagnosis reflects not only that the patient is in pain, but that the pain has caused other problems such as anxiety, poor nutrition, and conflict within the family, or has the potential to cause complications—for example, respiratory infection is a potential hazard to an immobilized patient. The diagnosis is the basis for the nurse’s care plan.


Outcomes/Planning

Based on the assessment and diagnosis, the nurse sets measurable and achievable short- and long-range goals for this patient that might include moving from bed to chair at least three times per day; maintaining adequate nutrition by eating smaller, more frequent meals; resolving conflict through counseling, or managing pain through adequate medication. Assessment data, diagnosis, and goals are written in the patient’s care plan so that nurses as well as other health professionals caring for the patient have access to it.


Implementation

Nursing care is implemented according to the care plan, so continuity of care for the patient during hospitalization and in preparation for discharge needs to be assured. Care is documented in the patient’s record.


Evaluation

Both the patient’s status and the effectiveness of the nursing care must be continuously evaluated, and the care plan modified as needed.




I want to become a nurse. How do I get started?


For additional information about nursing as a profession, how to prepare for nursing school, what to expect in a nursing program, nursing specialties and what it’s like to be a nurse, check these additional resources:


The Johnson & Johnson Company site: www.discovernursing.com


The National Student Nurses Association: www.nsna.org (click on Career Center)


The Department of Labor-Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm



To find out which schools offer nursing programs and get started in selecting a school, obtain a copy of “Peterson’s Guide to Nursing Programs”. It is an excellent resource to nursing schools in the U.S., and is organized both by geographic area and by type of program. It also includes information on each school. Buy it at www.amazon.com, or look for it in your local bookstore.


Peterson’s also has a website with an online database of nursing schools. See www.Petersons.com




Financial assistance to become a nurse


There are both public (federal and state) and private funds available for nursing school. As a nursing student, you are also eligible for the same financial support available to any student in an approved college or university.


Your first and most important stop in seeking information should be the financial aid office of your chosen school. College and university offices of financial aid have a great deal of information available to them on both national and state sources of aid, and they are there to help you sort through it.


There are many sources of federal support for which you may be eligible, including both loans and grants. Possibilities are extensive, so contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly. Call them at (800)-4FEDAID or online at http://studentaid.ed.gov or at www.fafsa.ed.gov


For state sources of funding, contact your state Department of Education for information.


There are also many private organizations and foundations which offer smaller grants and loans, often tailored to particular degrees or requirements. Check your local bookstore for publications on searching for scholarships and grants. You can also try an online database, such as www.fastweb.monster or www.scholarshipcoach.com; these can match your information to a financial aid database.


Remember that, in addition to looking for one large scholarship or loan to pay for your college program, you may also have success putting together a package of several smaller grants and loans. Researching and assembling a financial aid package for your education requires time, attention and work; but the rewards are many as it will enable you to reach your personal and professional goals.



The importance of belonging to your professional oganization


The American Nurses Association, along with over 80 specialty nursing organizations, serves a vital role in advancing the role of nursing and the health care. ANA works to develop policies, set standards, advocate in government and private settings, provide education, maintain the Code of Ethics for Nurses and shape the future of the profession. It is members that allow associations to accomplish what needs to be done. Member dues provide the necessary funding and member volunteers provide the guidance and expertise to move the profession forward. Members make the difference – in the nursing profession and the health care of the nation.



References




American Nurses Association. (2003) Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: Second Edition. Washington, D.C.: Nursesbooks.org.


American Nurses Association. (2004) Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. Washington, D.C.: Nursesbooks.org,


Henderson, V. (1961). Basic Principles of Nursing Care. London: International Council of Nurses.


Mee, Cheryl. (2006). Nursing 2006 Salary Survey. Nursing 2006 36 (10): 46–51. (October.)


National League for Nursing. (2006). Nursing Data Review, Academic Year 2004-2005, Baccalaureate, Associate Degree, and Diploma Programs. New York, NY: Author.


Nightingale, F. (1859). Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not. London: Harrison and Sons. (Facsimile edition, J.B. Lippincott Company. 1946.)


U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Resources and Services Administration. (2005). The Registered Nurse Population. National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses March 2004, 2005. Rockville, M: DHHS/HRSA


U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2005. http://www.bls.gov



Copyright © 2007 by American Nurses Association. All right reserved.




Additional Website to link to:


The Johnson & Johnson Company site: www.discovernursing.com


The National Student Nurses Association: www.nsna.org (click on Career Center)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

A Primer For All That Wish To Work In The US

http://allnurses.com/forums/f75/start-here-primer-all-wish-work-us-160143.html

May 28, 2006, 08:36 PM
suzanne4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2003

Start here: A Primer For All That Wish To Work In The US permalink

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Please read this first before posting any questions on the forum, especially if you are new to us. I am going to try and answer the most common questions right here. I will be making editions here from time to time, so please check it for any updates.

I am also going to create a sticky with my name on it, if you have a question specifically for me, please place it there. I am unable to look at each individual thread on a daily basis, and this will keep me from missing what is addressed to me. We have managed to turn this into the best International Bulletin Board and lets continue to keep it going.

Please post any questions that deal with US immigration or working in the US, directly on this forum, not the country specific forums. It will make it easier for all to see, unless it is strictly related to the one country. And make my job easier.

I am going to unstick all of the other stickies and see how they are responded to in the future. Will make changes as needed.

Thanks in advance......

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NCLEX-RN exam is required of all nurses, no matter where they trained to work in the US. It is a national exam, and the results are accepted in all fifty states, and never has to be taken again.

You must apply to a state for "License by Examination" and have your file approved before you will be permitted to sit for the exam. It requires an ATT (Authorization to Test) to have in your hand to take to the testing center. You will get this after you have been accepted by the state, and have paid the fee for the exam to Pearson-Vue. It is $200US if taken in the US, and $350US if taken out of the US.

There are a few states that require a local license, most do not. US Immigration does not require a local license in your home country.
CGFNS does require a local license to sit for the CGFNS exam.

The only thing that is needed for the GREEN CARD is a Visa Screen Certificate. This can be gotten by passing either the CGFNS exam or the NCLEX-RN exam, and the series of English exams, if you are not exempt from them. Requirement is based on where you did your initial nursing training, not where you have worked. Even if you are now in the US working on your MSN; but trained in another country for the BSN, you will still need to take the English exams.

Permanent residency, or green card, is what you will be getting. There are no temporary work visas being issued to nurses, and there have not been any for over two years. H1-B visas do not exist for nurses. If someone tells you otherwise, they are incorrect. Please list permanent residency on any application that asks for the type of visa, and include a copy of your passport with it.

All of the green cards for nurses are employer-based, which means that you must have an employer to start the process for you. You cannot apply to immigration for the green card on your own.

Once you have found an employer to do the petitioning for you, you will be given forms to complete. The one that you keep hearing about is the I-140, and this is what will need initial approval before you can go any further. Next, the visa bill will need to be paid, either by the employer, or you. DS-230 forms will come next, and will need to completed and returned. Your dependents must be listed here, or they will not be on your green card, and will need to go thru a separate process later on. And that can take about two years, so please make sure that everyone is on there.
If you have a baby, they can be added. But for others, there will be a wait involved. Once the DS-230 is received and verified, you will hear that your file is complete. Next step will the final step and that is the medical exam and the US Embassy interview. DS-230 is referred to as Packet 3, and the medical/interview is Packet 4. Length of time will be dependent on where you have to go to interview. the UK is currently about six weeks or so, Manila is on average about four to five months.

Anything that requires a notary, must be done at the US Embassy where you are. It does not need to be done in your home country, if you are not currently working there. If you are in the US, then a local notary is acceptable. There are some that have gotten by with local notaries in their home country, but many times they are not accepted and it is better to do things right the first time.

Reciprocity vs. Endorsement
The NCLEX exam has reciprocity, and is accepted in all fifty states. Once you pass it, you never have to take it again. Each state issues its own license, and you need to meet their requirements for it. Some have language requirements and some have additional courses required. Please check directly with the state that are seeking a license in.

Employment Contracts
These are binding legal documents and should be treated as such. If you were buying a home, you would not just sign it. Do the same with this. If it is not in the contract and written, it does not exist. Do not sign a letter of intent or employment, if you intend to look elsewhere and may break that contract. It makes it harder for others to get petitioned. Please be aware of this.

What to look for in a contract: Remember that you will be coming over to the US on a green card, all of you are college educated and with at least four year degrees. Do not sell yourself short.
You can request a specific state, or even city. If the agency doesn't have that one, then look other places. You can also do a direct hire with a hospital.
Make sure that length of orientation is included, this is extremely important. You should not be expected to be on your own in just a couple of days. Doesn't matter how much experience that you have in your country, things will be different in the US.

Never, ever sign a contract or letter of intent, etc., that has any blanks in it. It must be 100% complete; or your contract can be sold, and you are essentially sold to another company. Just like the slave contracts. And if you sign it, there is nothing that anyone can do to get you out of it. If something does not feel right to you about it, then do not sign it.

Canadian and Mexican RNs: You are covered under the NAFTA Free Trade Agreement and can be issued a TN Visa right at the border. You just need to present a Visa Screen Certificate and a job offer form an employer. This visa needs to be renewed every year. You can also go thru the same process as other foreign nurses to obtain the green card, if you wish. You mut actually hold a passport from that country, and not just have permanent residency there to qualify for this type of visa.

LPN/LVN:
This training is not accepted by US immigration for a green card. Statute states that the nurse must be a first level nurse in their country, and have RN after their name. There are no temporary work permits available for nurses.

The only way around the above is if you are married to a green card holder or an American, but you cannot get the green card on your own. It would have to be spousal only.

CGFNS:
Credentials Verification for NY is called the CVS. NY requires this, even if you are endorsing to there.
Regular Credentials Eval is called the CES.
Visa Screen Certificate is needed by all that are applying for a green card in their name.
Their website is
www.cgfns.org

Most states are now requiring the CES, and not the CGFNS exam. And this can be for endorsement as well. Please check the specifics with the state that you are applying to. Check out the initial licensure, as well as endorsement requirements.

English exams:
You have choice of either the TOEFL series, which includes TOEFL, TWE, and TSE. This is offered thru ETS, Educational Testing Services, and their website is
www.ETS.com or the IELTS, in the academic branch with the speaking section. This is available thru the British Council.

Consular Processing vs. Adjustment of Status (AOS)
Consular processing means that you follow the routine process and have all of your immigration details processed while you are still out of the US, and complete your interview at the US Embassy before you travel to the US.

AOS is done once you have been in the US for a period of 90 days, continuously. You are not permitted to leave during the processing time for any reason. It is actually in violation of US Immigration law to come to the US for the sole purpose of finding a job and staying however, it is done all of the time. But there are some things that you need to be aware of. You must make sure that you have about five months of funds available to you to live on while waiting. It is the 90 days before a petition can be submitted, plus about another 60 days before you are will receive the EAD, which permits you to work. Then you need to allow about one week for your SSN# to arrive after you apply for it. It is illegal to accept any type of work during this time, and if you are caught, you face deportation and not being permitted to return to the US for a period of at least ten years. EAD stands for Employment Authorization Document.

And if you are going to come to the US with the idea that you are going to stay, make sure that you already have approval to sit for the NCLEX exam before you arrive here. Do not come with the idea that you will start everything once you are here. You are not going to be able to get things done in most cases, and will have to leave. You never want to apply for an extension after those 180 days are up, unless you have a very good reason. It must be done well in advance, not just a few days before it expires.

Foreign nursing students in the US
You can attend school on any of the visas that permit you to be in the US legally. The tourist visa will not alow you to carry a full load of classes.

CPT is available for you during school to get experience working in a hospital. The OPT is available for up to one year when you graduate, but yo umust apply for it before you actually finish your classes, or it will not be available to you. There are restrictions for both.

The only visa that you can apply for when you graduate is the green card, or permanent residency. H1 visas are not available to nurses, and have not been for over two years.


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Last edited by suzanne4 : Jan 20, 2007 at 12:14 PM.


Jun 10, 2006, 02:52 PM
NRSKarenRN
Co-Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2000

Re: A Primer For All That Wish To Work In The US permalink

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Copying edited info from lawrence01 here as helpful:


Reliable information websites to assist in immigration/working in US
There are a lot of inaccurate informations out here in the Philippines, whether its on the 'net or worse, from hearsays. Please do not depend on just these hearsays, and rumors. We need to check out all the information being given out. If you are already on the 'net, there is no reason that you should get inaccurate informations. We just have to go to reliable websites and forums like this.

Here are some links to reliable websites that I think all nurses should know.

For ALL State BON (and their respective requirements) and everything about NCLEX:
www.ncsbn.org


Allnurses: US states board of nursing websites
http://allnurses.com/forums/boards-of-nursing.php


For CES, CVS, CGFNS certifications and esp. VisaScreen Certification (everybody needs this): Go thru the whole website. Everything is in there.
www.cgfns.org

Immigration/legal websites:
(examples + informative, no endorsement by allnurses. Karen)
www.shusterman.com
www.murthy.com

For Official news realeases from USCIS pertinent to Schedule A nurses:
www.uscis.gov

Instructions for registration with Pearson-Vue:
www.pearsonvue.com and
www.ncsbn.org


Hospital websites for diff. States:
http://www.theagapecenter.com/Hospitals/


Nursing websites/e-magazines:
www.nursingspectrum.com

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/main.aspx

Texas service center processing dates for I-140 schedula A nurses:
https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/js...ceCenter=Texas

Nebraska service center processing dates for I-140 schedula A nurses:
https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/js...enter=Nebraska

Vermont service center processing dates for I-140 schedula A nurses:
https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/js...Center=Vermon t


Phillipines Local Licensing body:
www.prc.gov.ph


Of course, the Int'l and Filipino forums of
www.allnurses.com

With all these reliable websites, there are no reasons that nurses would get lacking or inaccurate informations. We just have to do our own research and do what is best for ourselves and most importantly let's network and help each other out. If we know any info. (bad or good) pls. share it. It has to be as much as possible accurate or if you received info. but not sure if it's accurate or not, pls. share it and ask about it in forums like this so that those who have gone thru the process or are more experienced or an authority could give their inputs and suggestions.

Lastly, to those posting on public forums (such as
www.allnurses.com ) be responsible, respectful and sensitive in your posts. These posts are monitored by not just RNs but everyone related in this industry (including prospective employers). We are all educated professionals here. Many may have differing opinions but we must always maintain respect with each other. We are the Captains of our own Ship and no one is forcing anyone to do something we don't want to.

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International Nurses - From NCSBN

Nurse Licensure & Certification

Licensure is the process by which an agency of state government grants permission to an individual to engage in a given profession upon finding that the applicant has attained the essential degree of competency necessary to perform a unique scope of practice. Licensing requirements define what is necessary for the majority of individuals to be able to practice the profession safely and validate that the applicant has met those requirements. This regulatory method is used when regulated activities are complex, require specialized knowledge and skill and independent decision-making. The licensure process includes the predetermination of qualifications necessary to perform a legally defined scope of practice safely and an evaluation of licensure applications to determine that the qualifications are met. Licensure provides that a specified scope of practice may only be performed legally by licensed individuals. Licensure provides title protection for those roles. It also provides authority to take disciplinary action should the licensee violate provision of the law or rules in order to assure that the public health, safety and welfare will be reasonably well protected.

A Minimal Data Set for the Evaluation of International Nurses was developed and approved by the Delegate Assembly in August 2004. The minimal data set represents the minimal level of data needed by boards of nursing to make informed licensure decisions regarding international nurses.


https://www.ncsbn.org/171.htm