According to the National
Council of State Boards of Nursing, all registered nurses and licensed
practical or vocational nurses are required to obtain a license from
the state where they plan to practice. All states require that nurses
pass the NCLEX, the nurse licensure exam developed by the council,
although several will allow the Canadian Nurses Association licensure
exam in place of it. Licenses are issued by state boards of nursing.
States in the Midwest
require nurses trained outside the United States to pass one or more
additional tests, which measure qualifications and English
proficiency, prior to licensing. The Commission on Graduates of
Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) offers certificates and proficiency
tests that many states require prior to issuing licenses. There are
three components to the CGFNS certificate: a review of credentials,
including education, course work and licenses; a qualifying exam; and
English-proficiency verification.
Michigan
and Wisconsin require foreign-trained nurses to obtain only a
CGFNS certificate. Indiana requires them to pass the CGFNS
exam. In Nebraska, they must pass either that exam or
the Canadian nurses exam, while North Dakota requires the CGFNS,
except for nurses educated in English-language programs in Canada.
In Iowa,
registered-nurse applicants are required to present a CGFNS
certificate to validate their credentials and must pass the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, unless their native
language is English or they were educated in certain English-speaking
countries.
Kansas
has similar guidelines, but allows applicants to take the TOEFL exam
and Test of Spoken English, the CGFNS-authorized English exam, or a
similar exam approved by the State Board of Nursing.
Minnesota
and South Dakota require internationally trained nurses to
submit proof of graduation from a program that the board or a
credential evaluation service finds acceptable. South Dakota then
authorizes licensing by examination for those who have met the other
criteria.
Illinois
expects foreign-trained nurses to have a Credential Evaluation Report
and pass the TOEFL. In Ohio, such nurses must also have all of
their course work reviewed by the CGFNS credential evaluation body and
prove that they have met the requirements of the commission’s
VisaScreen program (which includes English-language proficiency
evaluation) or passed the Test of Spoken English.
