For women and men in white

Updated on: Tuesday, June 02, 2009

The professional success of even the most competent specialist doctor often requires the support and assistance of skilled nurses and paramedical personnel. Nurses from India have made their mark at the global level in competence and dedication to duty.

There is a huge demand for good nurses in western countries, especially the U.S. The remuneration is handsome. However, those with a basic nursing qualification obtained in India cannot straightaway join the nursing service there.

In the U.S., you have to prove your competence by passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Then there is the CGFNS examination, modelled on the lines of NCLEX-RN. Both can now be taken in India.

An important factor is the need for proving your proficiency in the English language, through scores secured in globally accepted tests, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Though the medium of instruction in Indian nursing colleges and schools is English, many graduates cannot easily communicate in that language to people from countries such as the U.S. It is, therefore, imperative that nursing students who desire to practise in the West should plan ahead in developing their English language skills to meet the practical demands of working abroad.

CGFNS

The CGFNS International (formerly known as the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) is an authority on credentials evaluation pertaining to the education, registration and licensure of nurses and other health-care professionals worldwide. It conducts predictive testing and evaluation of nurses trained in various countries, for ensuring their competence and confirming their eligibility for licensure as registered nurses in the U.S.

The three elements for obtaining CGFNS certification are VisaScreen: Visa credentials assessment; certification programme; and credentials evaluation service.

Applicants must have completed Plus Two and passed a government-approved nursing programme of at least two years’ duration. The four-year B.Sc. nursing degree obtained through nursing colleges or the three-and-a-half-year GNM (general nursing and midwifery) diploma obtained through nursing schools and recognised hospitals in India is adequate nursing qualification for appearance in the CGFNS examination and the NCLEX-RN. Also, the candidates should have obtained registration from the nursing council.

The CGFNS requires the nursing diploma/certificate sent directly from the nursing college or school. So also, the registration details should go directly from the nursing council, and not through the candidate.

The qualifying examination measures an applicant’s nursing knowledge based on what nurses must know and do when they practise nursing in the U.S. The foundations of the qualifying examination are based on client (patient) needs. The traditional clinical areas of nursing practice — nursing care of the adult, nursing care of children, maternal and infant nursing, psychiatric and mental health nursing and community health nursing — are covered. The examination ensures that an applicant has the same level of understanding of nursing with various client groups, in various settings, as graduates of U.S. nursing schools have.

VisaScreen

The International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a CGFNS division, administers the Visa Credentials Assessment Programme for registered nurses who are not U.S. citizens. This certification is essential for applying for a nurse’s visa.

The process comprises four elements: an education analysis; licensure validation; an English language proficiency assessment; and an examination of nursing knowledge.

For confirming nursing knowledge, you must pass the CGFNS qualifying examination or the NCLEX-RN.

You can prove your English language proficiency by securing the required score in TOEFL Internet-based version (iBT) with at least a score of 83 or the IELTS with at least a score of 6.5 in the academic module.

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For women and men in white

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