DO INTERNATIONAL RNS NEED CGFNS BEFORE BECOMING AMERICAN NURSES?
International RNs need CGFNS for two reasons. Most people are still confused about the difference between Commission on graduates of foreign nursing schools (CGFNS)exam and national council licensure examination- registered nurses (NCLEX-RN). The CGFN certificate (even without NCLEX-RN) also qualifies you, and your family to benefit from occupational immigrant visa.The second purpose for the CGFNS certification is to serve as a screening examination for foreign trained RNs who intend to sit for the RN licensure exam, NCLEX-RN. There is a high likelihood for the foreign trained RN who was successful in the CGFNS exams to pass NCLEX-RN at first attempt. To the best of my knowledge, except 8 states (California, Utah, Arizona,New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Ohio and Maryland), all state boards of nursing request that foreign trained nurses must pass the CGFNS certificate exam before registering for NCLEX-RN. The CGFNS exam is a day’s test,and is divided into two parts: Part 1 comprises of 15
