Question:
Dear Donna,
I am a licensed RN midwife from Germany. I would like to know how I can use my skills to become a labor and delivery technician. I don’t know where to begin. Do I just have my certifications accredited or do I need to be completely retrained?
RN Army Wife
Dear Donna,
I am a licensed RN midwife from Germany. I would like to know how I can use my skills to become a labor and delivery technician. I don’t know where to begin. Do I just have my certifications accredited or do I need to be completely retrained?
RN Army Wife
Dear Donna replies:
Dear RN Army Wife,
Because of your background, you may be able to get hired by a hospital in the U.S. as a labor and delivery or OB/GYN technician, while you work on getting an RN license in the states. Make some phone calls, because every facility is different.
If you received your nursing education in Germany or anywhere outside of the U.S., you will have to get your credentials verified through the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (www.CGFNS.org). If you are planning to relocate to a particular U.S. state, check with that state’s board of nursing to see what they require from nurses educated outside of the U.S. in order to get an RN license. Find the U.S. State Boards of Nursing at www.ncsbn.org/contactbon.htm
Once you have an RN license in the U.S., you will have to check with your state board of nursing to see if you qualify to become a certified nurse midwife without additional coursework or training.
In the meantime, you should connect with the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (www.awhonn.org) for additional support and information.
Best wishes,
Donna
Dear RN Army Wife,
Because of your background, you may be able to get hired by a hospital in the U.S. as a labor and delivery or OB/GYN technician, while you work on getting an RN license in the states. Make some phone calls, because every facility is different.
If you received your nursing education in Germany or anywhere outside of the U.S., you will have to get your credentials verified through the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (www.CGFNS.org). If you are planning to relocate to a particular U.S. state, check with that state’s board of nursing to see what they require from nurses educated outside of the U.S. in order to get an RN license. Find the U.S. State Boards of Nursing at www.ncsbn.org/contactbon.htm
Once you have an RN license in the U.S., you will have to check with your state board of nursing to see if you qualify to become a certified nurse midwife without additional coursework or training.
In the meantime, you should connect with the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (www.awhonn.org) for additional support and information.
Best wishes,
Donna
Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nurse.com’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/Asktheexperts/Deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://Events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.
