<p>One of the biggest crises facing the Healthcare industry today is the shortage of skilled professionals for an aging and ever-growing population. While this is true for many countries, the US is expected to experience a particular rise in the demand for qualified nurses as a result of <a href="https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/nursing-shortage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">various economic factors</a>. So let’s talk about how to get hired in USA as a foreign-educated nurse.</p>
<p>Currently, around <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-professions-us-noncitizens/u-s-relies-heavily-on-foreign-born-healthcare-workers-idUSKBN1O32FR" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">16% of registered nurses</a> in the United States originate from overseas. Aside from the pull-factor due to the shortage of healthcare workers in the US, many qualified nursing professionals are keen to move to the United States because of the abundance of career opportunities, modern working environments, and the improved standards of living that it offers. </p>
<p>For many Healthcare professionals, the issue of paperwork and the misconceptions around gaining a working visa for the USA can be off-putting. However, by following the steps outlined below, a successful nursing career in the USA is well within your reach!</p>
<h2> How to secure a nursing job in the USA </h2>
<h4>1. Ensure you meet the educational requirements</h4>
<p>You must be classified as a Registered Nurse in your home country and have gained your nursing degree from an Accredited University. If you’re not sure if your qualifications are eligible, check with the <a href="http://www.cgfns.org/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)</a>. </p>
<h4>2. Pass the English language proficiency test</h4>
<p>If your nursing education program was conducted outside of the United States (excluding places such as Australia, Ireland, the UK, New Zealand and the majority of Canada) then applicants may be required to pass an English proficiency test. </p>
<p>The chosen test can be either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (<a href="http://www.ets.org/toefl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TOEFL</a>) or the International English Language Testing System (<a href="https://www.ielts.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IELTS</a>). </p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-1024x576.jpg" alt="Nursing Job US" class="wp-image-10326" title="Nursing Job US" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-300x169.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-768x432.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_206335177.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
<h4>3. Have your credentials verified</h4>
<p>To safeguard public protection, nurses who have been educated overseas are required to have their professional documents such as nursing license, educational degree and university transcript verified by an independent third party. While each state in the US requires different levels of credentialing, securing <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a verification from TrueProfile.io</a> can help to accelerate your application. </p>
<h4>4. Pass the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses NCLEX-RN</h4>
<p>Once you’ve decided where in the US you’d like to work, you can then apply to that specific state’s board of nursing and take the test that will secure your Registered Nurse license – the <a href="https://www.ncsbn.org/nclex.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NCLEX-RN</a>. </p>
<p>The National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses is a standardized test which allows you to demonstrate that you have the required training and knowledge to work as a nurse in the USA. </p>
<h4>5. Sourcing employment</h4>
<p>Once you’re ready to apply, candidates can either send their applications off to a Regulator, nursing recruitment agency or USA employer. To help your applications to stand out from the crowd, ensure you’ve done your homework on the facility and the supporting documents you submit such as details around relevant experience, education certificates, and professional profiles are per their requirements and verified. </p>
<h4>6. Get approved for a work visa/green card</h4>
<p>In order to secure your work visa for working as a nurse in the USA, you must have sponsorship from a staffing agency, of which there are a few options.</p>
<p>For some specialized roles, it’s possible to gain a temporary work visa (H-1B visa) and then apply for a permanent work visa known as a ‘green card’ once in the USA. Alternatively, the option more commonly used with foreign-trained nurses is to obtain a green card prior to traveling to the USA. </p>
<h4>7. Accept the offer of employment </h4>
<p>With all the paperwork in hand, you can accept your offer of nursing employment within the USA! </p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417-1024x683.jpg" alt="Nursing Job US" class="wp-image-10329" title="Nursing Job US" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/03/AdobeStock_157321417.jpg 1400w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
<h3> Exclusive advice for professionals keen to build a nursing career in the USA!</h3>
<p>We sought advice from one of our USA clients, the highly-regarded <a href="https://pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Missouri State Board of Nursing</a> (MSBN), who provided some valuable guidance for overseas nurses keen to live and work in the USA: </p>
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“We are always keen to hear from talented graduates around the world. International nurses offer a number of benefits to our hospitals including adaptability, drive and of course being bilingual or even trilingual. For overseas nurses, the USA can offer a number of benefits in terms of pay, expanded skills, infrastructure and benefits. </p></blockquote>
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Here in the state of Missouri, we have a current vacancy rate of 13.3% for registered nursing positions. This has resulted in around 500 vacancies per year, so for registered nurses looking to make the move to the US, Missouri has an abundance of opportunities.” </p><cite>Lori Scheidt, Executive Director of MSBN </cite></blockquote>
<p>MSBN utilize TrueProfile.io’s services to ensure they’re hiring the best, qualified, and highly-skilled nurses from around the globe. </p>
<p>If you want to be their next hire, browse <a href="https://pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MSBN</a>’s current career opportunities and apply directly using the code MSBN-NURSE-BUNDLE2.</p>
<h3>Ready to get started? </h3>
<p>Get ahead in the application process today and have your professional documents verified by TrueProfile.io. </p>
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