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Training in CGFNS & NCLEX-RN Certification Program
The CGFNS Certification Program is designed specifically for first-level, general nurses educated and licensed outside the United States who wish to assess their chances of passing the U.S. registered nurse licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN® examination, and attaining licensure to practice as registered nurses within the United States.
The program is comprised of three parts: a credentials review of the nurse's education, registration and licensure; the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, a one-day qualifying exam testing nursing knowledge; and an English language proficiency exam. Upon successful completion of all three elements of the program, the applicant is awarded a CGFNS Certificate.
Why the Certification Program was created
The CGFNS Certification Program was created to serve as a predictor exam and evaluation process for foreign-educated nurses to more accurately forecast which nurses were likely to meet the requirements for licensure as registered nurses in the United States.
Eligibility
The CGFNS Certification Program is designed ONLY for first-level, general nurses educated and/or licensed outside the United States who wish to assess their chances of passing the NCLEX-RN® examination and attaining licensure to practice as registered nurses within the United States.
In order to be eligible for the program, a nurse must be educated and hold both initial and current registration/licensure as a first-level, general nurse as defined historically by the International Council of Nurses (ICN).
A first-level nurse is called a registered or professional nurse in most countries. A second-level nurse, often called an enrolled, vocational, practical nurse or nurse assistant, is not eligible to be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., and therefore, is not eligible for the Certification Program.
A general nurse must have obtained theoretical instruction and clinical practice in a variety of nursing areas. A nurse who specialized in one area without being educated and registered / licensed as a general nurse is not eligible for the Certification Program.
Contents of the Program
The Certification Program is a three-part program, comprised of a credentials review, a one-day qualifying exam of nursing knowledge, and an English language proficiency exam. Upon successful completion of all three elements of the program, the applicant is awarded a CGFNS Certificate.
Credentials Review
CGFNS evaluates an applicant's education and registration credentials to certify that the applicant is a first-level, general nurse and meets all of the registration requirements to be licensed as a professional in that field.
CGFNS Qualifying Exam
The CGFNS Qualifying Exam of nursing knowledge is offered three times a year at more than 40 locations spanning the globe. To date, more than 300,000 exams have been administered to over 175,00 applicants. The exam is divided into two parts with a total of 260 questions. Applicants are given two hours and 30 minutes for Part 1, which includes 150 questions. After breaking for lunch, applicants are given one hour and 50 minutes to complete Part 2, consisting of 110 questions.
The Qualifying Exam measures an applicant's nursing knowledge and is based on what nurses must know and do when they practice nursing in the United States. The foundations of the Qualifying Exam are based on client (patient) needs. The traditional clinical areas of nursing practice, nursing care of the adult, nursing care of children, maternal/infant nursing, psychiatric/mental health nursing and community health nursing are covered. The exam ensures that an applicant has the same level of understanding of nursing with various client groups, in various settings, as recent graduates of U.S. schools of nursing.
English Language Proficiency Exam
Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency as part of the Certification Program by submitting passing scores from an approved testing organization. Currently, applicants may take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS); the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), administered by the Chauncey Group; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), administered by Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia.
Applicants must successfully complete one of the English exams (TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS) and the Qualifying Exam within a two-year period in order for test scores to be considered valid. The English exam may be taken prior to or following the CGFNS Qualifying Exam.
Program Outcomes
First, the Certification Program identifies nurses with a high potential for achieving licensure in the United States. Since the introduction of the Certification Program, first time RN licensure pass scores of foreign-educated nurses holding a CGFNS Certificate have shown a marked improvement (up from 15-20% prior to the Certification Program in the 1970s to 88-92% today).** the opportunity to earn a CGFNS Certificate in their home country before traveling to the United States to take the NCLEX-RN® examination.
Program Benefits
Anyone with an interest in selecting candidates who have a high probability of success on the NCLEX-RN® examination will find the program highly beneficial. Nurse applicants, U.S. Boards of Registered Nurses, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, universities and employers all make use of the CGFNS Certification Program.
Attaining a CGFNS Certificate helps applicants in three ways. First, the certificate will help applicants meet state requirements for the registered nurse licensure exam. Most states require a CGFNS Certificate from nurse educated abroad before they can take the NCLEX-RN® examination.
Second, CGFNS Certificate holders consistently have a higher rate of success on the NCLEX-RN® examination than internationally-educated nurses who do not hold a CGFNS Certificate. Passing the CGFNS Qualifying Exam can help applicants to feel reasonably assured of success on the NCLEX-RN® examination.
Finally, the CGFNS Certificate helps applicants to qualify for an occupational visa. CGFNS was named in section 343 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 as an organization qualified to administer a screening program for healthcare professionals who are seeking an occupational visa. The International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS, developed Visa Screen TM: Visa Credentials Assessment to meet the requirements of section 343. For foreign-educated nurses who do not hold a U.S. license by examination, passing a predictor exam, such as the CGFNS Qualifying Exam, is a requirement of section 343.
KSS INFOTECH gives coaching for TOEFL also. Any individual can take up their TOEFL Tuition's. Everyday 1 hour coaching along with 4 months CGFNS coaching. The examination center will be arranged in Bangalore itself. |
