tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74202142745554458792024-03-06T13:00:56.566+08:00Filipino Nursing HeraldProvides news and information to empower Filipino nurses anywhere in the world.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-44101672398341683262023-08-12T15:31:00.000+08:002023-08-12T15:31:49.016+08:00Time for revival, renewal, and rediscovery<p>"Life moves pretty fast", as Ferris Bueller once said, and this blog got left behind as my life jumped, skidded, and warped into days, weeks, months, and years. With so much going on, I admit I had ignored it and then eventually forgot this little space. It's a little over a decade now since I last wrote anything on this blog, and I was only reminded about it when I got an email, saying my Web page was becoming obsolete and had to change settings and code to keep it alive.</p><p>Quite interesting though, despite ignoring this blog for over ten years, I was astounded to discover that people were still reading some of my content. Yesterday, for example, my blog had over 100 page views. Last month, it got over 200 page views, and in the past year, there were close to 30,000 page views. These are obviously pretty modest numbers but for content that's over 10 years old, there's something there that some people still find relevant.</p><p>The Filipino Nursing Herald blog started out as a coping mechanism for me. It was a bridge to my former life as a journalist and my career as a nurse. When I created this blog, I was transitioning to a new life--uprooting myself not just to a new country, or to a new culture, but more so to a new self identity. My journalism days are but a distant memory now and I've fully transformed into a new me--one that no longer looks at people as potential feature stories but one that looks at people's arms to imagine where a pretty big intravenous line can go (nursing joke)!</p><p>So, if you happen to land on this page by accident or if you've been here before and was a little curious of what else is hiding in these pages, let me tell you that I've started to rebuild this blog and bring it up to current times. So much has changed in 10 years--not just around technology and social media, but more importantly, the information laid out in these pages need to be updated.</p><p>My hope is that in another ten years or more, I would have written and created something that some people could still appreciate, even after my pen's digital ink has dried. </p>Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-21547407395307869162013-01-31T09:17:00.001+08:002013-01-31T09:17:28.752+08:00Over 16,000 Pass Dec 2012 Philippine Nurse exam Some 16,908 nurse applicants passed the Nurse Licensure Examination held last December 2012 by the Board of Nursing of the government regulatory commission. A total of 49,066 applicants took the test conducted by the Philippine Regulatory Commission, for a passing rate of a little over 34%.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-2253947764402105912013-01-12T14:53:00.003+08:002013-01-12T14:53:38.969+08:00Petiks TimeHere's a little ad, which I hope you don't mind. Here's a great site if you want to score on great deals. Head on over to <a href="http://petiks.ecrater.com/" target="_blank">All Things Petiks</a> (petiks.ecrater.com). They've got tons of amazing discounts on popular products.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-65286839746605539092013-01-12T14:46:00.000+08:002013-01-12T14:46:45.656+08:00// News // Canadian regulators to implement NCLEX-RN Exam in 2015 Nursing registration applicants to Canada will begin taking the NCLEX-RN examination starting Jan 2015, says the Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators.<br />
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A one day educational conference in April this year is planned to allow educators and regulators to learn more about the NCLEX-RN program, which will be used as the basis for entry to practice in the nation.<br />
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Volunteers are also being called upon to help develop the NCLEX exam bank.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-78305789184824013962013-01-11T14:09:00.001+08:002013-01-11T14:09:25.234+08:00// Opinion // Choosing PrudenceWith so much economic turmoil in the US, many wonder if internationally educated nurses could still reach their dream of working in the US. While it isn't impossible, it's extremely difficult to find work and get an appropriate visa to be able to work there at this time.<br />
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Applying for a US RN license is very costly and the uncertainty of landing a US job makes the gamble doubly risky.<br />
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My personal advice would be to choose prudence in light of these current circumstances. Rather than throwing money in the wind, focus on building up on experience, nursing knowledge and improve communication skills. Get a graduate degree (a Masters, would suffice) and specialize in either Critical Care or Emergency Nursing--just these two. If you do these, doors will eventually open up to you.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-59635139021930739782013-01-11T13:45:00.000+08:002013-01-11T13:45:54.944+08:00// How to // Getting an RN license in IllinoisA lot of people continue to read our blog because of our comprehensive overview of the application process for nursing license registration in the state of Illinois. But many wonder if the information is still the accurate.<br />
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Much of the information is still correct. Some of the experiences may have changed like when you're getting fingerprints from the NBI or getting license verification from PRC. Perhaps phone numbers may have changed or even contact persons. But the requirements have stayed very much the same.<br />
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Click the following link to see the <a href="http://www.idfpr.com/Renewals/apply/FORMS/CGFNS_02.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Requirement for an Internationally Educated Nurse</a> seeking registration in Illinois.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-87271786228242402222013-01-10T04:25:00.000+08:002013-01-10T04:25:57.433+08:00Just updatingUpdates to this blog have been very, very erratic and obviously, questions sent have gone unanswered. I'm happy to see that a lot of people still visit and read our blog despite my abscences.<br />
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A note on Canada immigration:<br />
Canada Immigration has currently put on hold all applications. New rules are being developed, said to be more focused on experienced foreign workers and those with Canadian work experience. Until the new rules are in place, applications won't be processed.<br />
<br />Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-58081956647881723332012-05-05T01:45:00.000+08:002012-05-05T01:45:44.646+08:00Immigrating to Canada as a nurseCanada continues to accept skilled workers who meet its stringent requirements. Since last year, the Canadian government introduced a cap system that limits the number of applicants every year. This limit, however, is not intended to deter qualified applicants but is aimed at reducing the application backlog and better manage the processing of applications.<br />
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Qualified nurses are still welcome to apply, although there is a cap of 500 applications per year. To learn more about the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and the changes that took effect on July 1, 2011, you may <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/immigrate/skilled/index.asp" target="_blank">follow this link</a>.<br />
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We are writing this guide to help anyone planning to immigrate to Canada as a federal skilled worker. It is targeted at nurses, in particular, who are hoping to immigrate to Canada but it may be used by anyone applying who want to apply as an immigrant under Canada's FSWprogram.<br />
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<b>Who is eligible</b><br />
First of all, who are eligible to apply under the Federal Skilled Worker program? There are 29 eligible occupations that are considered to have a proven need in Canada. For an application to be processed, the applicant must meet any of these three:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A valid offer of arranged employment, OR</li>
<li>Have at least one year of continuous full-time paid work experience in at least one of the 29 occupations, OR</li>
<li>Be an international student enrolled in a PhD program in Canada (or graduate from a Canadian PhD program within 12 months) and meet certain <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp" target="_blank">criteria</a>.</li>
</ul>
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Take note that the FSW program does not apply to the province of Quebec. Also worth noting is that the application cap mentioned earlier does not apply if you have an offer of arranged employment. Canadian employers rarely, if at all, will offer you employment if you don't have a valid Canadian nursing license, so arranged employment may be hard to come by. If you are joining a staffing agency, they may be able to provide proof of an employment offer, but there could be several complications if you choose this route. For our purposes, we will not touch on this topic in this article.<br />
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If you're a nurse in the Philippines and you have been working in a full-time nursing job for at least a year within the last ten years, then you meet the second eligibility listed above. Volunteer nursing work does not qualify you in this case. Here's a list of other eligible professional <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who-instructions.asp#list" target="_blank">occupations</a>.<br />
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After you meet the minimum requirement, your application will be processed based on six factors, namely:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Education</li>
<li>English or French language skills</li>
<li>Work experience</li>
<li>Age</li>
<li>Whether you have arranged employment</li>
<li>Adaptability</li>
</ul>
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<b>Points system</b><br />
Each factor will be assigned points. For example, a maximum 25 points is awarded in Education. If you have a master's or PhD, then you will be given 25 points. If you have two bachelor's degrees, you could be given up to 22 points. A bachelor's degree earned in at least 2 years of study in the bachelor's level can be given 20 points. The minimum score that will qualify you to continue with your application is 67 points. You have to meet this minimum score otherwise your application will be returned to you.<br />
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This brings us to the first important step in the application process. You should accomplish a self-assessment tool online to see if you meet the minimum score. This online tool is fairly easy to use and free, so it puzzles me that agencies charge a large fee to do this simple assessment. <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/assess/index.asp" target="_blank">Here's a link to this online tool</a>. Remember that this tool is for your personal use only and results are not a guarantee of an approved application. Your qualifications will be assessed based on the official application documents that you send later on, not with the self-assessment tool.<br />
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If you are confident that you can meet the minimum score, go ahead and download all the application form, accomplish it and send the required fee. Accomplishing the application forms is fairly easy to do if you carefully review the Instruction Guide that comes with the application packet. Once you download the application forms, read the Instruction Guide first. A lot of questions and additional steps are explained in the guide. For example, the photo guidelines are very unique to Canadian immigration but you can see detailed instructions in the guide.<br />
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You can <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/skilled.asp" target="_blank">download the forms</a> from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web site.<br />
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<b>To be continued.</b><br />
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<br />Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-2096451945856205102012-05-04T22:46:00.001+08:002012-05-04T22:46:05.002+08:00Texas seeing more male nursesA growing number of men in a US state is going into nursing, according to a report.<br />
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Nationally in the US, 5.8% of licensed nurses are men. One nursing school in Texas has seen a jump in male enrollments from 8% to 14%.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kens5.com/news/health/More-men-choose-nursing-as-a-career-150056015.html" target="_blank">Read more</a>.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-81394061525805232452012-05-02T21:30:00.000+08:002012-05-02T21:30:10.097+08:00Australia faces shortage of nursesUnless actions are taken, Australia will have a shortage of 109,000 nurses and 2700 doctors by 2025, warned a top health advisory board in a 450-page report released in a meeting of the country's federal, state and territory health ministers.<br />
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The advisory body, Health Workforce Australia, is urging a coordinated national action and policy measures in hopes of improving the retention of nurses, the management of patient demand and productivity. It also warned that reducing the flow of internationally-educated doctors, even by 50%, would inflate the shortage from 2700 to 9300 by 2025.<br />
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<a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/nurse-shortfall-to-hit-100000/story-e6frg6nf-1226341179906" target="_blank">Read more from The Australian</a>.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-60035159109439826172012-05-01T10:42:00.001+08:002012-05-01T10:42:02.477+08:00Schedule of Philippine nursing board examThe Philippine Nursing Board exams will be held on June 30 and July 1, 2012. Deadline for first-time applicants is May 18, 2012 while the deadline for repeat exam-takers was last April 18, 2012.<br />
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<a href="http://www.prc.gov.ph/uploaded/documents/nurses%27%20application%20form.pdf" target="_blank">Download the Nurses' Application Form here</a>.<br />
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After accomplishing the form, go the PRC Web site for the rest of the work flow. <a href="http://www.prc.gov.ph/page.aspx?id=2" target="_blank">Click here go to the site</a>.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-62256186303298131702012-05-01T05:49:00.003+08:002012-05-01T05:49:57.313+08:00Small victory for this siteGoogle has responded to our request to take down a Web page that has infringed on the copyright of the Filipino Nursing Herald. The offending page has now been removed from the face of the Internet. Cheers to our small victory!Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-87176147982772375432012-04-28T23:40:00.000+08:002012-04-29T01:06:57.595+08:00Contact info of Pearson Vue testing center Manila updatedThe contact information for the Manila testing center of Pearson Vue has been updated. If you wish to reach them concerning the NCLEX-RN, you can contact them through this telephone number: +63 2 887 2198.<br />
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You can see and download a <a href="http://nursingherald.blogspot.com/2007/07/map-of-pearson-vue-test-center-in.html">map of the Pearson Vue Manila testing center here</a>.<br />
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Detailed instructions on how to get to the testing is <a href="http://nursingherald.blogspot.com/2007/08/getting-to-pearson-vue-manila-office.html">described here</a>.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-89696321283403647532012-04-26T23:27:00.000+08:002012-04-26T23:27:09.015+08:00Applying as an immigrant to CanadaRecruiters and agencies charge exorbitant fees to assist you with the filing of an immigrant application to Canada. Although the application process may seem complicated, it really isn't difficult at all and you can do it yourself for a quarter of what these recruiters are asking you to pay.<div>
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Watch this space as I will show you how it's done.</div>Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-80845938493932000942012-04-26T22:42:00.000+08:002012-04-26T22:42:23.676+08:00H-1B Cap CountHere's the latest update from USCIS on the H-1B cap count. As of April 20, 2012, there have been 25,000 regular petitions accepted from the 65,000 total cap for the fiscal year 2013. In the H-1B Master's Degree Exemption, 10,900 have been filed from the 20,000 total cap.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-77110260811792096782012-04-25T02:52:00.002+08:002012-04-25T02:52:34.133+08:00The Web does not have to be wildI discovered yesterday that some of my blog's original content has been copied verbatim without any prior permission, any link back to this site, or any effort to credit this Web site for the copyrighted content. What's worse is that an image was lifted from this site and was being passed off as the offending Web site's own creation. This has been going on apparently for years without my knowledge.<br />
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In today's highly-connected world where social media reigns, it's easy to forget that there are still rules that apply to publishing content. The world wide Web does not need to be wild.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-54253850917207226122012-04-24T02:44:00.000+08:002012-04-24T02:44:48.310+08:00List of US nursing boards that require CES or CPMost US nursing boards now require either a CES report or CP from CGFNS for RN license applications. Here's a list of US states and their requirements:<br />
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Alabama - CP and CES<br />
Alaska - CES or CP<br />
American Samoa - no CGFNS requirement<br />
Arizona - CES, VS or CP<br />
Arkansas - CES and English, CP or VS<br />
California - CES <i>may be accepted</i><br />
Colorado - CES and English or CP<br />
Connecticut - CP<br />
Delaware - CP<br />
Florida - CES<br />
Georgia - CES or CP<br />
Guam - CP, CES <i>may be accepted</i><br />
Hawaii - CES or CP<br />
Idaho - CES or CP<br />
Illinois - CES, VS or CP<br />
Indiana - CP<br />
Iowa - CES and English or CP<br />
Kansas - CES<br />
Kentucky - VS<br />
Louisiana - CP<br />
Maine - CES or CP<br />
Maryland - CES<br />
Massachusetts - CES, CP or VS<br />
Michigan - CES and English or CP<br />
Minnesota - CES or CP<br />
Mississippi - CP or CES<br />
Missouri - CES or CP<br />
Montana - CP<br />
Nebraska - CP<br />
Nevada - CES<br />
New Hampshire - CP or CES<br />
New Jersey - CES and English, or CP<br />
New Mexico - CES<br />
New York - CVS<br />
North Carolina - CES or VS<br />
North Dakota - CP, CES <i>may be accepted</i><br />
Northern Marianas Islands - No CGFNS requirement, CES <i>may be accepted</i><br />
Ohio - CES<br />
Oklahoma - CES, VS or CP and transcripts<br />
Oregon - CES, CP or VS<br />
Pennsylvania - CP and transcripts<br />
Puerto Rico - No CGFNS requirement<br />
Rhode Island - CP<br />
South Carolina - CES<br />
South Dakota - CP<br />
Tennessee - CP<br />
Texas - CES<br />
Utah - CP and CES<br />
Vermont - CES, CP <i>may also be required</i><br />
Virgin Islands - CP<br />
Virginia - CES and English, or CP<br />
Washington - CES or CP<br />
Washington DC - CP, CES <i>may be accepted</i><br />
West Virginia - CP<br />
Wisconsin - CP<br />
Wyoming - CP<br />
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* * *<br />
CP = Certificate Program<br />
VS = Visascreen<br />
CVS = Credential Verification Service for New York State<br />
CES = Credentials Evaluation Service<br />
English = language proficiency test report<br />
<br />Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-72582286624427907132012-04-24T01:36:00.000+08:002012-04-24T01:40:34.613+08:00Maryland nursing board now requiring applicants to show SSN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Maryland nursing board now requires applicants to show a Social Security Number or a Federal Tax ID number when you apply for a license. With this move, Maryland joins a number of US states that are effectively discouraging foreign nursing applicants who do not have an SSN. Unless you are a US citizen, immigrant or a legal resident with a visa or permit to work in the US, you cannot apply for an SSN.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The new Maryland requirement took effect January 27,2012. </span></div>Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-18082634260274241842012-04-24T00:14:00.002+08:002012-04-24T00:17:30.163+08:00Updated How-to apply for an Illinois nursing licenseAs promised, I'm reviewing previous posts and providing updates where they are necessary. I reviewed the steps to applying for a nursing license in Illinois and found that the IDFPR which regulates the profession made some changes sometime in 2011.<br />
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The How-to article is now updated and you read it by <a href="http://nursingherald.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-applying-for-nursing-license-in.html">following this link</a>.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-68210837299941453562012-04-22T12:29:00.001+08:002012-04-24T00:09:11.761+08:00Updates coming soonI've completely neglected this blog for quite a long time. I logged in again today and was happily surprised to see that it still gets a pretty decent number of page views. In the next few weeks, I'll be reviewing and updating hopefully all of this blog's content to ensure that the information is still accurate.
If you know of any changes in the licensure procedures, fees, or if you know of any new information that's worth sharing to other Filipino nurses, then please don't hesitate to contact me.
Happy to be back blogging!Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-11074283585505250702009-02-23T23:17:00.003+08:002009-02-23T23:56:08.049+08:00Getting backAfter an extended period of time, I am finally able to write again on this blog. To those who've been generously clicking their way to this site from time to time, I offer you my gratitude and also, my apologies for not living up to your expectations and updating more often. Even after being on hiatus, this site still gets a couple of messages, mostly from people needing information about NCLEX test applications and job opportunities, and also from a few people who've stopped by just to say, they appreciate this site. To everyone, thank you for viewing this blog.<br /><br />I would say that I have been overwhelmed by work, whether online or offline, in these recent times. These are difficult times so we all have to our own share of work. The fun part about work though, is it ends everyday. Of course you start work again the next day, but it doesn't consume you 24 hours a day. I should have spent part of that free time writing here, but I have been having so much fun "having fun outside the Internet world" that I've completely neglected this blog.<br /><br />I have fun keeping this blog up, too. So, I will try to upload more information here when I can. I seek your patience if I am too slow at times in answering questions but I will try my best to get the information needed. <br /><br />*****Personal Note******<br /><br />Times are bleak, but things are getting done everyday. I realize that I sound so cryptic, I just don't want to come off as too negative. Opportunities still abound for nurses, whether at home or abroad. But like all else, it takes a certain waiting period. While waiting, some people turn to different jobs or take training programs to hone their skills and buff up their resumes. <br /><br />Legislation in the US continues to move and opportunities abound for nurses in Canada, Middle East and other parts of the world. Although, it takes a little bit of time for you to realize that goal, don't stop aspiring for it.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-83255512965536291132008-08-03T22:44:00.004+08:002008-08-03T22:51:30.742+08:00Nurses' immigration bill, HR 5924, moves up to full committee votingThe proposed immigration bill for nurses and physical therapist, or HR 5924, has been reported to be out of the subcommittee level in the US House of Representatives' Judicial Subcommittee. The bill is now up for full Judicial committee voting, likely in August, experts claim.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-18213601896169430102008-05-19T02:46:00.003+08:002008-05-19T03:06:03.832+08:00New immigrant visas for nurses proposedA new proposed legislation in the US. House of Representatives seeks to give up to 20,000 visas per year to nurses and physical therapists up to September 2011.<br /><br />The proposal, HR 5924 or the Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act, would waive the quota for these two occupations, also known as Schedule A jobs, up to 2011 but a maximum of 20,000 visas can only be approved every year. Immediate family members of primary visa beneficiaries, however, would not be counted against the 20,000 yearly cap.<br /><br />Based on the new proposal, the US immigration department must make a decision on I-140 petitions within 30 days of receipt. <br /><br />Also being proposed is the allocation of a Grant Fee, where beneficiaries of the new visa allocations must pay $1,500 which will go to a fund to help US nursing schools. Visa applicants must also provide legal proof that they do not owe money that was used to finance their education in their home country, such as student loans, for example.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-5924">Click here to see the full text</a> of this proposed legislation.<br /><br />** Personal note:<br />We're almost back. We've been unable to post new entries for quite sometime because we've had to relocate to a new place. We'll talk about that pretty soon. Although we're not yet quite settled, we'll try to post here from time, albeit not as much as we used to before. In the meantime, let me thank everyone who've been sending their messages and visiting this blog regularly even though we haven't been able to post new entries.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-67598984663142168742008-03-12T03:45:00.002+08:002008-03-12T03:46:57.994+08:00Bear with meI recently moved so please bear with me for a while. I'll answer questions posted here as soon as I can and post new information as well pretty soon.<br /><br />Thanks.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7420214274555445879.post-39115548664697106872008-03-02T10:56:00.005+08:002008-03-02T11:20:07.879+08:00US immigration updatesThe quest for new nurse visas continues to be a steep uphill climb, while the U.S. is struggling out of a quagmire of a possible recession, brought about by the credit and housing crisis. Add to the mix the heated race for the presidency and you've got a very tough environment for legislators espousing immigration-related laws. We remain hopeful that something will be done this year before the presidential elections consume the entire US political landscape.<br /><br />Some of the good news that have come out recently include the advancement of the EB3 Visa to Jan. 1, 2005. We <a href="http://nursingherald.blogspot.com/2008/02/eb3-visa-priority-date-jumps-to-2005.html">blogged about this</a> a while back. Another good news coming in is a proposal from Sen. Kent Conrad to extend the J-1 waiver program for physicians serving in underserved areas. Aside from an extension, the bill also seeks a cap exemption for doctors. If this bill moves forward, many are hoping that an equivalent provision for nurse visas are included in the final version. <br /><br />At this time, we can only hope that efforts to enact this bill will be fruitful.Geoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09079167084271020827noreply@blogger.com1