Skip to content Skip to footer

Whitetulip Nurse Division;

  • Aims to increase awareness about nursing profession
  • Provides information to people who want to be a nurse and help them to get into the system
  • Provides information for foreign educated nurses to practice their profession in the United States
  • Assigns mentors to provide individualized guidance throughout the nursing process
  • Guides how to proceed in the system for foreign educated nurses
  • Increase networking among nurses and other similar healthcare professionals living in all states of US
  • There are some differences in the healthcare system and nursing boards throughout the states. Whitetulip Nursing Division aims to provide information in a sharing platform.

Thank you for your interest! We appreciate it if you forward your questions and suggestions to:

Whitetulip Health Foundation
Together, we care better.

Nurse Department
nurse@whitetulip.org

Steps to Becoming a Nurse in US for Foreign-trained Non-US citizens

Foreign educated and trained nurses there are couple of steps to becoming a Nurse in US.

  1. Education Requirement (that you completed in your country)
    • Graduating from accredited nursing Registered Nursing program.
    • Getting licensed as Registered Nurse
    • Practicing as a RN for two years
    • Finishing a FEN (Foreign Educated Nurses) refresher course in US which consists of 120 hours of classroom and 120 hours of clinical practice with a RN. (required by most of the states- make sure to learn if your state does it or not)
  2. Language Requirement
    • Unless the language of education you took was English or you came from a country where English is the first language, passing either TOEFL or IELTS is a requirement. (83 for TOEFL ibt/6.5 for IELTS)
  3. Passing National Council Licensing Examination-Registered Nurse(NCLEX-RN)
    • A foreign educated Nurse should pass NCLEX-RN which is 6 hours, consists 4 topics (with additional subtopics) and costs $200 without international fees.

    • The difference between the pass rates of US trained (90.34%) and foreign trained nurses (36.59%) is significant. Primary reason for this problem is language barrier.

  4. Finding a nursing recruiting agency/US-based employer and getting an RN immigrant visa/green card
    • Requirement for an application of RN immigrant visa
      • Evidence of a US-based employer (can be an RN recruiter)
      • A Visa Screen Certificate (VSC) issued by The International Commission on Healthcare Professionals (ICHP).
  5. Getting an RN visa interview and medical examination.
    • After going to visa interview you will be need to pass the medical examination given by your employing hospital.
  6. Getting an RN Resuscitation Certification
    • Depending on area of practice and hospital policies the last step is taking one of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course, a Basic Life Support (BLS) course, or a Pediatric Advanced Life Support Course (PALS).

*Please note that all of the information above is subject to change. Refer to the official website of National Council of State Boards of Nursing for the most up-to-date information.

Steps to Becoming a Nurse in US for US Graduates

  1. Complete an accredited registered nurse program such as nursing diploma, associate degree or bachelor’s degree.
  2. Pass the NCLEX-RN examination.
  3. Get licensed.
  4. (optional) Additional training or education such as a master’s degree. After this education registered nurses can apply for certified nurse specialists and even later doctoral programs.
REFERENCES