Hey folks,
First of all, my last post was Jul 2010. I've dealt with my issues in nursing but heck, I maintain my stance.
Anyway, congratulations to the new RNs out there. I'm dedicating this post to my best bud's lil bro who recently made it to becoming a bonafide RN.
It's OK, you guys are still in cloud nine but let me give you a head-start on how things work after passing the NLE.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
You might be wondering, 'what now?' Yes, what's the next step a new RN should take after passing the board exam. A lot comes into mind: NCLEX, IELTS, EXPERIENCE, take BREAK. Well, it's up to you and whoever are calling the shots in your life, but I'll give you a brief overview of just some of the possibilities.
Scenario 1: J dela Cruz was told by his parents to take up nursing as it will lead to a fulfilled life abroad and possibly the chance of migrating permanently with some of their relatives. J has no idea of what just happened, all he knew is he took up nursing and pass the board exams.
Well, if you're like J in scenario 1, I would advise you to have a serious talk with your parents on what your next move should be. If MIGRATION is what they had in mind then you should next determine -- where? If it's NZ and AU for you well, you're in for a very expensive ordeal and sucks for you since NZ and AU are promoting their education system. In short, you cannot cross from PH to NZ or AU being an RN because they do not recognize our licensure nor do they acknowledge our BSN program. They have this so-called 'bridging program' (IRON in AU) which trains an Filipino RN to be compatible with their system. Take note that not because you took the bridging program means you can stay there. You may want to refer to their websites and study the option on your own. Some consultancy firms would suggest the student pathway (which doesn't require you to be an RN in the first place) -- so far, after having read a lot, I find this pathway to be the safest as well. And Canada? Well, they have a CAP now, 1000 nurses from all over the world each year. Good luck to that.
Hey wait, what about the US? Oh yeah, there's the United States. Good for us since their system is very compatible with the Philippines. All you need to do is take the NCLEX and find an employer. Surprised? Yes, just the NCLEX. You see, the NCLEX provides the evidence needed that you passed the American standard and is safe to practice as a nurse in their country. Take note of the following however:
1. If you take the NCLEX with California, they do not issue a license unless you have an AMERICAN SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. You can't have that while you're here in PH. If you pass the NCLEX with them and can't get to the US soon, you might be in for some head-ache since you'll have to coordinate to transfer your score.
2. I-140 visas (the one issued for nurses) are hit hard by the retrogression. If your employer files for a petition say now (Feb 2011) chances are, you leave for the US in 2016. Good thing is, it's an IMMIGRANT visa; again, providing that the employer is still active until then.
3. Each state in the US has different requirements. In my case, Illinois, I was required to undergo CES thru CGFNS before I was granted eligibility to sit the exam. some states may require you to go through CGFNS for Credentials Evaluation while some may not. Also note that not all states issue a license.
** Licenses maybe renewed but not having one means that even if you pass the NCLEX, your score will expire.
Wait, what about that so-called CGFNS?
Least to say that CGFNS exam is almost unnecessary these days. An agency even told me that the most useful portion of the CGFNS would be the Credentials Evaluation, something that you could have without taking the exam. And yes, not all states require CGFNS or CES to qualify for NCLEX.
Scenario 2: I don't want to immigrate, I just want to be an OFW.
OK, if that suits you well here's what I know so far:
Singapore requires 3 years of experience and I mean full time experience as paid nurses. For most middle eastern countries, most require a minimum of 2 years. Female nurses have an advantage over male nurses since most employers in the Arabian peninsula are seeking female nurses. Being of Islamic affiliation is also a help so for our Muslim friends out there, the process (I think) maybe expedited for you.
Some notes
Regardless of your plan, this period (the time you are waiting for your physical license) is the best time for you to map out your plans and have serious talks with your parents or whoever it is that sent you to nursing. If someone sent you to nursing school without knowledge of how to go abroad, now is the time for you to do your research.
I would advise you guys to gain hospital experience as soon as possible. The competition is tough but that's how it is. Life being an RN is not easy, you get far less than what you bargained for but that's the one you have; making it this far, it's too late for regrets. Having hospital experience gives you an uncanny edge regardless of your credentials.
At this point, I would not advise you to take the IELTS. Why is that? You don't need it now. IELTS is needed if you plan to push through with NZ/AU/UK/Canada. IELTS usually have a validity of 2 years but for those countries (except Canada), they're only considering it for 1 year I heard somewhere so you need to do your research well. You don't need it for the Visa Screen. You have an alternative, TOEFL iBT. But if you have no concrete plans for now, don't take this exam, you don't need it and it expires very quickly.
For now, work on your plans and as soon as you get your physical license, work on getting an ANSAP IV therapy certification, this is a must for most hospitals along with BLS.
Volunteering? Yes but study your chances first. I had training and volunteering for almost a total of 5 months before I was hired as a staff and that was thanks to persistence. It maybe wise to prepare for the NCLEX while applying for hospitals. If you can't work yet because there aren't vacancies then you should work on the NCLEX because preparing for the NCLEX (or any exam for that matter) while being engaged in the hospital is very difficult.
I wouldn't advise you to deviate from nursing if the thought has crossed your mind. I've been an RN for 4 or 5 years now, I have only been lucky to have been hired shortly after I applied and experience wise I'm a little short of 2 years from training. I spent 2 years doing nothing, 1 year to prepare for the NCLEX. Somehow, I cannot shake the feeling that I would be abroad now had I taken on hospital experience as soon as I got my license. But like I said, too late for regrets now.
Well, what's next for you?
Clock's ticking.
- Josh
