CBNC serves IENs who are legal residents or U.S. citizens, and not licensed in Illinois. While the consortium serves IENs from all countries, the majority of our nurses are Hispanic, from Mexico, Central and South America. These nurses are frequently under employed; their education and previous practice in nursing is not recognized. Integration of these nurses into the local workforce will help to address the shortage of bilingual, bicultural RNs in Illinois as well as address the needs of our growing multicultural patient population for culturally sensitive, quality healthcare. Our candidates have experience in nursing that is unique to their own country. However, they need specialized assistance and support throughout the process of becoming licensed RNs in Illinois as this process can take between 18 and 36 months to complete. CBNC provides programs and services to assist them in learning the cultural, social, political and professional issues of American nursing and preparing them for the licensure exam (NCLEX-RN). We also partner with other organizations to assist IENs with the licensing process.
Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) frequently need ESL courses and assistance in navigating the various official systems and completing the necessary paper work for the registered nurse licensure exam (NCLEX-RN). This advising and counseling is an intense, continuous process as IENs have frequently received differing or erroneous information and often do not have a clear understanding of the RN
licensure process in the United States and Illinois. Currently the Chicago Bilingual Nurse Consortium (CBNC) is the only centralized resource in Illinois that offers support services and programs to assist IENs complete the required paper work and prepare for the NCLEX (The registered nurse licensure exam).
We work collaboratively with other educational institutions and health care organizations in addressing the needs of students or staff who are IENs.
• Assists IENs in locating English as Second Language (ESL) programs in Chicago
and surrounding communities;
• Informs IENs of the various regulatory components for professional licensure as a
nurse in the State of Illinois;
• Provides necessary CGFNS application forms and/or contacts to initiate the
CGFNS evaluation process of academic documents from country of origin;
• Employs a continuous advisement process (follow-up) for each IEN through
successful completion of all requirements for professional licensure as a nurse
in the state;
• Identifies and seeks healthcare agencies willing to support IENs in the process of
becoming gainfully employed in the workforce;
• Advocates with local, state, and international government bodies and/or their
representatives on behalf of IENs
Requirements for Licensure of Internationally Educated Nurses in the State of Illinois
1. CES Report: The “Credential Evaluation Service” a Healthcare Profession and Science Course by Course Report must be obtained through the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). Contact CGFNS at (215) 349-8767 ext. 476 or at www.cgfns.org. Education Records Evaluation Service (ERES, Inc. ) is now also accepted as an evaluation provider by the State of Illinois. Contact ERES, Inc. at http://www.eres.com
2. TOEFL: The “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL) is the only English test accepted for professional licensure in Illinois. Effective January 1, 2006 a minimum passing score of 220 is required on the TOEFL computer based exam or a score of 83 on the internet based test (iBT). Contact TOEFL at www.toefl.com or further information. TOEFL is not required if you submit verification of the successful completion of a nursing education program conducted in English. TOEFL results must be sent directly to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional regulation in Springfield, IL.
3. NCLEX: Copies of the application can be printed off the IDFPR web site at www.idfpr.com or by calling (217) 782-8556. Request an “Application by Exam for RN”, and provide the name and address you would like the application sent to.
If you are an IEN and are licensed in another state the following are the requirements for licensure by endorsement:
A) a credentials evaluation report of the applicant's foreign nursing education from one of the following Division-approved credentialing services:
i) Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Credentials
Evaluation Service (CES);
ii) Educational Records Evaluation Service
B) if the applicant's first language is not English, certification of passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum passing score on the paper-based test is 560, computer-based test is 220, and internet-based test is 83. The Division may, upon recommendation from an approved credentials evaluation service, waive the requirement that the applicant pass the TOEFL examination if the applicant submits verification of the successful completion of a nursing education program conducted in English or the passage of an approved licensing examination given in English;
CBNC offers a variety of Educational Programs:
• English Conversations in Nursing
Students will enhance their knowledge of nursing in the United States by analyzing the use of the English language in this field. Students will examine interactions between nurse and patient as well as nurse and doctor over the telephone and in face to face situations. They will also explore idiomatic language used in the healthcare field. Students will interact with the materials in order to replicate an authentic office experience.
• TOEFL Workshops
CBNC offers a five-part series/workshops covering all sections of the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Students will practice with sample tests, learn strategies for each section and get answers to all TOEFL questions.
In order to enroll for the TOEFL Workshops candidates must have completed of an ESL course at level 5 or better and be an internationally educated nurse.
• Nursing Courses
CBNC offers a Nurse Practice Update and the NCLEX Preparation course on a regularly scheduled basis. CBNC also offers a NCLEX Preparation Course and partners with Health Care agencies to assist their employees who are IENs become licensed RNs. We also work with organizations to design special courses or programs to address a special need. The progress of candidates who are working on English competence, documentation, or personal issues in preparation for Illinois RN licensure is followed to see what assistance they need. It should be noted that the process for an IEN to become a RN in the State of Illinois takes an average of eighteen to twenty-four months. This is due to a variety of regulatory and personal reasons, e.g. difficulty in obtaining transcripts from country of origin, review of credentials by CGFNS, family and work responsibilities.
Currently the NCLEX pass rate for our candidates who have taken one or more CBNC course or been advised by CBNC ranges between 88 and 90 Per Cent.
NCLEX Preparation Course:
This sixteen week course is designed to assist nurses educated in foreign countries to succeed in meeting the requirements for nursing practice in the United States and the state of Illinois. Using the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Assessment-Driven Review program, students will identify their strengths and limitations, develop a study plan, work independently, and participate in collaborative dialogue to prepare for the NCLEX licensing exam.
In order to enroll in the course candidates must have completed the TOEFL exam with a score of 82 or greater or completed an ESL course at level or better; submitted an application to CGFNS for certificate of credentials. (Note: Completion of NCSBN learning extension course: "Acclimation of International Nurses into the U.S. Nursing Practice" is also helpful.)
Financial Assistance may be available to those who qualify.
