How to Become an International Nurse?
Dec 22, 2014 | 8:00 am
An international nurse is any nurse who practice nursing in a country other than the country where they earned their nursing degree. With a global demand for quality nursing care cause by a shortage of nurses, now is the best time if you’re thinking about going into international nursing. Let’s take a look at what it takes to become an international nurse.
Education and Certification Requirements
An international nurse is always a licensed nurse in their home country. In the United States this means if you want to go into international nursing, you must become a registered nurse first. This means you will have to complete an accredited nursing program and earn either the Associate of Science in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in nursing degree. Earning these degrees will take anywhere from two to four years and will include both classroom work as well as hands on work with patients. Some nurses will choose to earn their Master of Science in nursing degree before becoming an international nurse.
After completing an accredited nursing program, you must successfully pass the National Council of States Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination, which includes both written and practical tests. After passing this examination, you can begin working as a nurse, which is often a prerequisite for international nursing. After becoming a nurse, you can start exploring different countries and what they require for foreign nurses to practice within their country.
Nurses Wanting to Practice in the United States
If you would like to practice nursing in the United States, but completed your education outside of the United States, there are a few things you can do to start working as a nurse in the US. The biggest difference between the United States and most other countries is that most licenses are handled by the states, and not the federal government. In some ways, each state operates like its own miniature country.
What this means in a practical sense is that you don’t become licensed as a nurse in the United States, but rather you get licensed by the state where you live and work. The first thing you need to know is what state you will be practicing in and contact that state’s board of nursing to find out the specific requirements for taking and passing the National Council of States Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination in your state.
The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is a federally approved non-profit organization that can certify nurses who were educated outside of the United States. In order to pass the certification program, you must present your credentials from your home nation for review by the CGFNS. Then, you will need to pass the CGGNS qualifying examination, and finally, you must pass an English language proficiency examination.
Being an international nurse can be an exciting and rewarding career choice. It allows you to explore the world while at the same time helping people, which is the whole reason you became a nurse in the first place. The next step to international nursing is to start contacting the countries you wish to work in and finding out their specific requirements.