The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Entrance Exam

About Nursing

Nursing is among the most important professions in the world. Nurses save lives and help in the speedy recovery of the sick and the injured all over the world. Qualified nurses are a major requirement of each and every country as they play a major and most prominent role in treating and taking care of patients. Their job also calls for them to provide comfort and succor to the latter.

About Nursing in the United States of America (USA)

Like any other country, the United States of America (USA) too requires doctors, nurses and other medical staff in large numbers to serve in her many hospitals, nursing homes and medical care institutions. Many nurses from all around the world move to the U.S. of A. to work there as the job opportunities for the same there are a-plenty. It is also considered to be a much respected profession in the US and nurses are looked upon as life-givers.

About the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)

As every year, nurses from all parts of the world move to the United State of America in large numbers, a commission was set up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1977 with the aim to evaluate the credentials of the nurses that wish to serve in the US of A. It was named the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). It is a non-profit organization which is neutral in nature and has also been given the status of an internationally recognized authority.

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) also works towards verifying the claims on educational qualifications made by those applying for nursing in the US. Apart from this, it also has various extensive processes that check the validity of the licenses held by the nurses as well as that which help them acquire new ones to render them eligible to carry on their profession in the United States. It also helps them register as nurses to work in any medical organization or institution of the USA.

The mission of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) is “to serve the global community through programs and services that verify and promote the knowledge-based practice competency of health care professionals.”

The Different Programs That It Offers

• The Certification Program (CP):

This essentially, is a two-segment exam, meant to test the knowledge of first-level nursing as well as the English Language of the applicant.

• The International Standards for Professional Nurses (ISPN) Program:

This program validates first-level nurses aspiring to serve in the US of A.

The Different Services That It Offers

• The Visa Screen-Visa Credentials Assessment (VS)

The Clinical Laboratory Technicians/Scientists, Speech Language Pathologists, Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurses, Audiologists, Occupational Therapists, Registered Nurses, Physical Assistants and Physical Therapists who are not citizens of the US and have applied for an occupational visa to work there have to undergo this assessment.

• The Credentials Evaluation Service (CS)

This is an advisory service report that assesses the credentials of any multi-specialty nurse that has pursued their education from outside the USA and wishes to apply for a license to work in the United States.

• The Credential Verification Service for New York State (CVS)

The various Health Care Professionals like Registered Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Practical Nurses, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physical Therapists who have completed outside the US and have applied for permission to practice in the State of New York need to undergo this procedure.