Make this year the Year of Your American Dream, Nurses in the USA enjoy great pay, and a high degree of responsibility and are protected at work from mistreatment from co-workers, doctors, and patients. They are given a fair caseload of patients and are paid a higher wage if they work extra hours. If this sounds like a career path that suits you, then America awaits you, and here are the steps for getting started.
- Make a
decision
- Meet
the educational requirements
- Take
and pass an English language proficiency test (IELTS)
- Find
an International US –Based Nursing Recruiting Agency or employer
- Contact
the specific State Board of Nursing for Licensure Information
- Obtain
credential evaluation with the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
(CGFNS)
- Authorization
to Test ATT from the State Board of Nursing
- Pass
your National Council Licensing Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX – RN)
- Receive
State Registered Nursing License
- Apply
and obtain an RN immigrant visa/green card
- Apply
for the job
- Relocate
to The State
Make a Decision
First and foremost, you have to decide whether you are
already in your greener pasture in Kenya or you need to check for one in the US.
Flying to the States for work, is not an easy decision as most people might
think, it is a life decision. It involves a lot of restructuring your life in
totality especially those Kenya Nurses with families as they will need to
include those family members in the process from the start.
The process itself is also expensive in terms of finances
and time; however, there are some US-based Nursing Recruiting Agencies that can
cater for those expenses but you will get bonded to them for a minimum of two
years.
You have to consider all the cons and pros and these are to
be based on your personal situation. The situations might be totally different,
so you do not make a decision of moving due to peer influence. You also need to
seek for more information from Kenyan Nurses who are already working in the
States as they provide first-hand information on the status of nursing
employment and life in general. In the long run, is it worth it?
Education
Most Kenyan nursing programs (KRN, KRCHN, Higher Diplomas,
BScN, and MScN) if not all are recognized worldwide. For one to qualify you must
have graduated from a recognized institution offering an accredited Nursing
program, get licensed by the Nursing Council of Kenya and finally gain an
experience of 2 years before starting the process, unlike in The UK where you
do not need years of post-licensure experience.
In addition to your professional education; you must be in
possession of a Kenyan Passport which you are encouraged to process at the earliest,
you also need to be in possession of a Kenyan Driving License. One can organize
to do the driving lessons at any time during the process.
English Language Proficiency Tests
After meeting the basic education requirements, all Kenyan
Nurses must take and pass the International English Language Testing System
(IELTS), unless you are trained in English-speaking countries like the UK, Ireland,
Canada, New Zealand Australia, etc.
In Kenya, IELTS exams are
organized and offered at the British Council Nairobi, Upper Hill Road. They now
have two exam centres, Nairobi and Eldoret.
The required IELTS score will vary depending on the State
Board of Nursing that you will be applying to register but on average most of
them require a total score of 6.5 with a score of 6.0 in the following
areas; listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Please ensure you confirm
with the specific state you are registering to ascertain its required IELTS
score. Most recruitment agencies prefer applicants who have already passed
IELTS before engaging with them.
Get an International US –Based nursing recruiting
agency or employer
If you want to live and work in America as a licensed
Registered Nurse, you’ll likely need to find an International US –Based nursing
recruiting agency or employer to assist you. It is easier for Kenyan nurses to
work with an independent staffing recruiter or agency then directly with a
hospital.
Agencies are well versed in helping nurses work in the U.S.
and have systems in place in order to ensure all information and paperwork is
completed accurately.
There are several reputable agencies out there that might
have your best interests in mind as a Kenyan Nurse. Unfortunately, there are
also individuals out there who prey on stranded nurses who are eager to improve
their lives and careers in the USA. The rule of thumb is; choose an agency that
does not charge. If you’re asked for upfront money, you need to look elsewhere.
That’s just the tip of an enormous iceberg.
Currently, the recommended are Avant Healthcare
Professional, O’
Grady Peyton International , Westways
International, and Adevia.
You can get more information about their processes from their websites.
Contact the State Board of Nursing for Licensure
Information
Your agency will help you in contacting the specific State
Board of Nursing for more information and submitting your application for
registration.
Nursing
in the US is regulated at a state level, meaning that Kenyan nurses will
need to be licensed by the relevant State's Board of Nursing, which may be more
limiting than other countries where you are able to seek national registration.
However, the Nurse Licensure Compact means that there are now a number
of states that offer and recognize a 'multi-state license' if you are looking
for a more flexible option.
Each State Board has specific instructions on how foreign
graduates must complete the licensure process. For example, State Boards may
provide a list of their preferred credential evaluation services provider and
the type of evaluation they require.
Additionally, the State Board may require a set passing
score on a specific English proficiency exam. Before applying for licensure,
Kenyan nurses are encouraged to contact the specific State Board of Nursing for
information and guidance.
Credentials Evaluation And Reports
Equipped with information on the requirements from the State
Board of Nursing, you then send all your academic and professional documents to
be verified and evaluated by the Commission
on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). A report has to be
generated. This report provides the basic information about you for the
specific State Board of Nursing on the following:
English Requirement
Secondary School Documents
Nursing Education Documents from your training institution
Licensure Documents from the Nursing Council of Kenya
Clinical experience information from your employer/s
Authorization to Test ATT from State
Board of Nursing
Submit an application for registration to the State Board of
Nursing where you wish to be registered. With the CGFNS reports, the State
Board of Nursing will then confirm your eligibility for registration and issue
you with Authority to Take a Test through Pearson VUE where you will register
with a Kenyan Code, and wait to until you receive Acknowledgement of Receipt of
Registration and Authorization
to Test (ATT) from Pearson
VUE. At this point, you are now ready to apply for the NCLEX-RN exam. Each ATT
is valid for a period of time specified by the State Board of Nursing (the
average length of an ATT is 90 days)
The NCLEX-RN Examination
All Kenyan Nurses registering to work in the states must
pass National Council Licensure Examinations for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
The agency will obviously guide you with registration and
exam preparation. One needs enough time for preparations. It is a challenging
test that requires you to apply Nursing knowledge to practice and critical
thinking skills. It is recommended to take at least 1-2 months to review for
the test.
Being a computerized adaptive test (CAT) exam, the computer
selects questions based on your ability and competence as demonstrated on your
answer to the previous question. Most of the questions on the NCLEX-RN are
written at the application and analysis level. Test questions integrate the
nursing process and the four client needs. Questions will be presented in a
variety of formats such as multiple choice, multiple response or Select All
That Apply (SATA), fill-in-the-blank, calculation, drag and drop, and/or hot
spot. Questions may include multimedia such as charts, tables, graphics, sound
and video.
It is important that you follow a realistic study plan that
takes into account personal learning needs, style and personal life. It can be
overwhelming to prepare for the NCLEX-RN alone; thus, it is suggested that you
sign up with an agency, as some of them have already developed for a
comprehensive NCLEX-RN review program to help you with your preparation.
NCLEX-RN is presently administered by Pearson VUE in their
network of Pearson Professional Centers (PPC). Most Kenyan Nurses are taking
their NCLEX-RN
in India under the support of the recruiting agencies like Avant Healthcare
Kenya, O’ Grady Peyton International and Adevia Health Kenya.
Receive State Registered Nursing License
Just like Nursing Council Exams, NCLEX system is
synchronized with that of the State Board of Nursing and work hand in hand
enabling the State Board of Nursing to automatically issue you with the License
to practice in that State as a Registered Nurse. But this do not warrant you to
work there, you need to now meet the immigration requirements for Visa purpose,
however, congratulations.
Obtain Employment Visa “Work Visa”
The next step is to obtain an employment visa. There are
several options for these nurses but nurses must have sponsorship from a
staffing agency. As a Kenyan nurse you will need to obtain a permanent work
visa, otherwise known as a green card. You need to make an application to the US embassy, in Kenya, and be aware of the Visa Interview. This
application needs to be completed prior to travel to the United States and the
visa must be obtained before immigrating legally
Apply for the Job
The agency will also come handy at this stage, as most of
them have already established connections with various employers in that State.
In most cases the agency would have already secured various potential employers
for you. You will be set for a series of Skype interviews and finally you will
have your job with one. The employer might give you enough time to relocate and
there are some who might even support in relocation, nevertheless, most
agencies have their own relocation programs.
Relocate to The State
Some of the agency will fly their representative down to the the airport to meet you at the International arrivals terminal. Some have gone ahead to establish International Community Programs for their applicants. Furthermore, they help arrivals with numerous tasks, like:
Housing
Setting up a bank account
Getting a social security card
Taking candidates to the grocery store
Getting candidates a car
Providing cash to buy items needed for initial housing
purchases like bedding, linens, and kitchen items, and more
Meet and greet with your co-workers prior to your first day
on the job
Best of luck as you start your dream journey!!!!
Nursing is caring and sharing is caring.......