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F N S
GLOBAL
RELEVANCE
Annual Report 2006
VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials
Assessment Program
e Federally mandated, leading
healthcare worker certication program for
immigration and obtaining an occupational
visa in the United States for internationally
born: audiologists, medical technicians,
medical technologists, occupational
therapists, physician assistants, physical
therapists, practical nurses, registered
nurses, and speech language pathologists.
VisaScreen® is administered by the
International Commission on Healthcare
Professions, a division of CGFNS.
Certification Program
A program of credentials evaluation,
qualifying exam, and English prociency
for rst-level general nurses (RNs),
oen a requirement for state licensure,
predicts success for the NCLEX-RN®
exam and satises the immigration
exam requirement.
Credentials Evaluation Service
A service that provides course-
by-course comparisons of an applicant’s
education to United States standards
for licensure, further education,
and employment.
Credential Verification Service
for New York State
A service providing the verication of
documents required of internationally
educated registered nurses, licensed practical
nurses, physical therapists, physical therapy
assistants, occupational therapists, and
occupational therapy assistants seeking
licensure in New York State.
International Consultants of Delaware
A service providing credentials
evaluations for licensure, employment,
and education for physical therapists
and various other professions.
Global Relevance on a Personal Scale
The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International)
is the internationally recognized authority on credentials evaluation and verication
pertaining to the education, registration and licensure of nurses and healthcare
professionals worldwide. CGFNS will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2007.
The organization has certied the credentials of more than 450,000 internationally
educated nurses and other healthcare professionals since 1977.
President’s Letter
Facing a Visionary Future
For 30 years, CGFNS has served as a
valuable resource by reviewing and
validating the credentials of migrating
healthcare professionals, primarily nurses,
who seek employment in the United
States. We have vigorously fullled our
mandate from the federal and various state
governments to uphold the educational
and professional standards they created
to protect the well-being of patients
throughout our healthcare system. More
recently, CGFNS has begun evolving into
a similar resource for other governments,
professional organizations, educational
institutions, and related bodies around the
world. Our experience, contacts, systems,
and knowledge set us apart from any other
group professing to serve as an “expert”
in this capacity.
Migration Realities
e international healthcare worker
shortage is a recurring phenomenon.
Today, demand continues to outstrip
need around the globe—in some regions
such as sub-Saharan Africa at an
alarming pace.
Shortages exist for various reasons.
Healthcare systems in developed nations
have an insatiable thirst for nurses and
other healthcare workers to ll a broad
range of roles. Healthcare workers in some
nations are pushed to migrate because
of inadequate compensation and poor
working conditions, lack of professional
and educational opportunities, absence
of professional autonomy, gender-based
oppression, daily exposure to violence,
HIV/AIDS and other communicable
diseases, and the whim of politics. At the
same time, the promise of more equitable
compensation, career opportunity, personal
freedom, and the opportunity to improve
the family’s well-being at home provide a
magnetic pull.
ese factors have created noteworthy
realities. Eighty-ve percent of Filipino
nurses, for example, work abroad even
though the shortage at home has reached
crisis proportions. Ireland, once a major
source country, now recruits heavily
for importation. e U.S., reputed for
its voracious consumption, neither
consumes nor imports the most nurses.
New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and
the United Kingdom outstrip its nurse/
population ratio. As a result, active
recruitment has become an expeditious
solution to workforce shortages all
around the globe as well as in the
United States.
CGFNS Responds
In serving markets around the world,
CGFNS has developed a strong sense of
the values of various cultures and how
those values aect healthcare standards,
systems, and practice. We remain
respectful of the need to stay cautious
about future global strategies and of the
need to observe and listen before moving
forward. We know that each local and
regional entity creates controls and
standards appropriate to its culture and
realities. We consider CGFNS unique in
having a sta and colleagues well-versed
in taking this kind of “internal” view of
the global market. We will continue to
Lucille A. Joel
EdD, RN, FAAN
CGFNS President
Professor,
Rutgers University,
College of Nursing
learn about and respond to each market,
how it functions and what it needs.
In addition to developing market-driven
strategies and tactics, CGFNS will continue
to invest in infrastructure and other
improvements that maximize our ability
to deliver services. However, eciency will
never trump our mandate to safeguard the
public well-being. Protection against fraud
requires judiciousness and care in securing
the original-source proof necessary to
validate credentials. We will always remain
true to the time and depth necessary to
ensure the integrity of our processes.
A Visionary Future
CGFNS has earned worldwide recognition
as the preeminent expert on developing
systems and processes for reviewing and
validating educational and professional
credentials. e future holds great
potential, but where this will take us
remains visionary.
Whatever course we take, the framework of
the vision remains clear. We will continue
to fulll our original mandate while
evolving to broaden our reach into the
global marketplace. We will continue to
focus on developing deep understanding
of and responding to national and
regional cultures and standards. We
will continue to encourage migrating
healthcare professionals to develop
cultural competency as well as professional
competency. We will continue to promote
the development of the highest standards
possible within the global context.
CGFNS 2004-2006 Strategic Plan Update
A number of initiatives supporting the four goals of
the 2004-2006 Strategic Plan are now in operation,
including the establishment of an ocial liaison
relationship with United States Citizenship and
Immigration Service (USCIS) Oce of Adjudication on
interpretation of regulation on select applicants and
a schedule of meetings regarding fraud; the launch
of the International Centre on Nurse Migration in
partnership with the International Council of Nurses
(ICN); the publication of Building Global Alliance III:
The Impact of Global Nurse Migration on Heath Service
Delivery; the implementation of an organizational
re-structure to increase eectiveness in programs
and services; and the development of a test blue print
draft that restructures the CGFNS Qualifying Exam,
allowing the exam to be used as an international test
of nursing knowledge and as a self-assessment tool.
3
Chief Executive Officer’s Letter
Moving into the Global Context
In 2006, CGFNS accelerated its
transformation into a world-class player
in the global healthcare area. For almost
three decades, we have gained experience,
knowledge, and momentum toward this
goal while helping 450,000 individuals
from all around the world migrate to the
United States. As we enter our 30th year,
CGFNS has taken miles of strides toward
the horizon.
Our history of service has enabled us to
develop a practical understanding of the
many and complex issues facing migrating
healthcare professionals, their home
countries, and the countries to which they
are drawn. Today, our work belongs to all
of our stakeholders, everyone who uses
our products and services, wherever they
live and work – whether a nurse seeking a
career opportunity in another country, a
state board seeking a means of validating
a physical therapist’s credentials, or an
educational institution in a developing
nation seeking knowledge about
international healthcare practice standards.
Our future belongs to each of them and to
the myriad individuals they touch.
National Sufficiency, International Opportunity
Today, as never before, we oer relevance
through our strategy of supporting
national suciency and international
opportunity. We have become part of policy
development nationally and internationally.
e departments of Homeland Security
and Health and Human Services sought
our advice about how to evaluate English-
language competence in 2006, and we
helped the World Health Organization
(WHO) develop its Region 5 nurse
migration ow policy.
We have maintained fruitful dialogue
with healthcare boards, nursing councils,
and other bodies throughout the world
about the scope and standard of practice.
To a working group of the Global Health
Workforce Alliance, which was created in
2006 to address the worldwide shortage
of nurses, doctors, midwives, and other
health workers, we stressed the need to
create policies that eliminate excessive
dependency on international sources for
healthcare workers.
rough our many products and services,
we continue to balance our obligation
to serve the public welfare in the United
States with our responsibility to assist
migrating professionals and others. We
also have enhanced our ability to adapt
and ne-tune our product and service
performance in ways that keep them
relevant. In 2006, for example, as demand
Barbara L. Nichols
DHL, MS, RN, FAAN
Chief Executive Ocer
2006 Inaugural Inductee
to the National Black
Nurses Association
Institute of Excellence
2007 Distinguished Scholar,
Howard University College
of Pharmacy, Nursing
and Allied Health Sciences,
Division of Nursing
The future for CGFNS
offers virtually
unlimited promise.
for the Credentials Evaluation Service
grew among state boards of nursing, we
rearmed our Certication Program as
a meaningful way for migrating nurses
to evaluate their likelihood of passing the
NCLEX-RN® exam.
Organizational Efficiency, Exceptional Results
As our vision for the future claries,
we have begun transforming our
organizational structure and processes
in concrete ways to produce exceptional
results. Our signicant reorganization
in 2006 created an internal structure
that mirrors our vision. It has enabled us
to focus on, measure, and improve our
products and services in meaningful and
immediate ways.
We combined all product and service lines
into a market-driven Global Assessment
Products and Services group that seeks to
anticipate and respond to local, regional,
and global market needs. We created a
Quality Assurance and Sta Development
function to ensure we continually improve
our performance. We integrated other
functions to maximize our eorts, such
as moving the International Consultants
of Delaware into our Philadelphia
headquarters premises.
ese changes have enhanced value for
our stakeholders. Our on-line portals now
provide greater and more secure access
and communication for applicants. A new
advocacy function ensures stakeholders’
concerns are heard and resolved.
Re-engineering of our customer service
functions has dramatically stepped up
our responsiveness.
In addition, partnering with others has
expanded our knowledge and our eect
on issues of concern. We have joined with
Academy Health to research migration
data and with the International Council
of Nurses to create the International
Centre on Nurse Migration. We want to
share and broaden the knowledge and
expertise generated from our long history
of helping organizations and individuals
around the world deal with migration,
standards and career development, and
cultural acclimation.
e future for CGFNS oers virtually
unlimited promise. As we grow, we remain
as committed to our mission as ever and
to keeping our work relevant for our global
sphere of stakeholders.
5
2006 Highlights
January
CGFNS begins emailing its monthly newsletter, Special Notices & Alerts.
February
CGFNS integrates all data entry and document imaging functions,
realizing immediate eciency and cost improvements.
March
CGFNS relocates the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD) to its
headquarters premises in Philadelphia.
April
CGFNS expands professional and educational development for sta.
May
CGFNS opens its Online Store for the purchase of study aids and other materials,
allowing for product orders to be placed online for faster delivery.
June
The Governor of Illinois signed into law the restoration of the Certication
Program as an alternative prerequisite for initial licensure of internationally
educated nurses in the state of Illinois
July
CGFNS begins oering pre-set appointments for applicants visiting
its Philadelphia, Pennsylvania headquarters.
August
CGFNS holds Strategic Planning Retreat with international experts in healthcare
to chart the organization’s course for the next three years.
September
The New Jersey Board of Nursing announces requirement of the Credentials
Evaluation Service Full Education Course-by-Course Report for initial licensure for
registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVNs). The
Board also requires proof that the applicant has achieved a passing score on the
English prociency examinations. CGFNS responds with the development of an
English prociency report to augment the Credentials Evaluation Service.
October
CGFNS begins sending all VisaScreen® and Certication Program (CP) Certicates
to applicants using traceable mail.
November
CGFNS launches new website. The new design and content make it easier for web
visitors to browse and more convenient for web visitors to nd information.
December
CVS Connect, an online portal for the Credential Verication Service, goes live.
CGFNS continued its evolution toward
an international entity doing global work
in 2006. Our ongoing transformation
demands that we fulll our mission while
creating, implementing, and improving
meaningful services for governments,
organizations, institutions, and individuals
around the world.
To be truly relevant in the global context,
we must understand and operate within
our stakeholders’ local and regional
realities. Our 30 years of experience in the
international arena uniquely qualies us to
do so, operating as a global company while
providing relevance on a personal scale.
Beginning in late 2005 and throughout
2006, CGFNS undertook a signicant
reorganization of its core programs,
creating the Global Assessment and
Professional Services Department to
strengthen management of our assessment
products and services:
• e VisaScreen® Program (VS)
• e Certication Program (CP)
• e Credentials Evaluation Service (CES)
• e Credential Verication Service for
New York State (CVS)
• e International Consultants of
Delaware (ICD)
is new structure, focused on team-based
management, will strengthen visibility,
capability, and capacity for credentialing
work and related services; improve
accountability at all levels; enhance sta
development and professional growth; and
inspire leadership across the organization.
CGFNS Programs
Strong Assets Integrated to Provide
Stronger Service
56,621
total applications received for all programs from October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006
GLOBAL REALITIES
The average nurse-to-population
ratio in high income countries is
almost eight times greater than in
low-income countries.
The Global Shortage of Registered Nurses: “An Overview of Issues and Actions”
The International Council of Nurses
Certificates/Reports Issued by Program
October 1, 2005–September 30, 2006*
* Reporting year follows U.S. Government scal year
because of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
oversight of the VisaScreen®
17,4 66 VisaScreen® Certificates
9,252 Certification Program Certificates
7, 274 Credential Verification Service
4,726 Credentials Evaluation Service
38,718
Total Certicates/Reports Issued
7
Anticipated Trends
Educational Exchange Programs with U.S.
Representatives from Ukrainian nursing
schools have sought consultation in
modifying their education to parallel
that of U.S. nurses. Similar activities
are occurring in China, Indonesia and
Mexico. Korean recruiters and nursing
schools are pursuing educational exchange
programs with U.S. nursing schools.
Many are looking at English immersion
courses to ensure that the nurses can meet
English prociency requirements set by the
Department of Homeland Security and the
state boards of nursing.
Remittances Go Back to Home Countries
ese activities are being pursued because
of economics. It is well documented that
nurses who migrate to the U.S. and work,
send millions of dollars in remittances home
to their families to provide homes, clothing,
food, healthcare and education. Such
remittances improve quality of life and the
standard of living. In a number of countries
such as Nigeria and South Africa, nurse
unemployment ranks in the thousands.
Migration to the U.S. provides employment
for these unemployed professionals.
CGFNS anticipates that within ve years
the number of nurses migrating to the U.S.
to work from China, Nigeria and Mexico
will increase exponentially. Nurses from
Eastern Europe are being solicited by U.S.
hospitals in the Midwest.
Certification Program Qualifying Exam
e CP Qualifying Examination meets
federal requirements for an occupational
visa and continues to serve as a valuable
tool for internationally educated nurses to
predict their ability to pass the NCLEX-
RN® licensure exam. Our most recent
validity study, covering 2004-2005,
demonstrated that applicants passing the
CP Qualifying Exam on their rst attempt
had a 90 percent chance of passing the
NCLEX-RN® on their rst attempt, while
those who did not take the CP exam passed
the NCLEX-RN® only 49 percent of the
time on their rst attempt.
Credentials Evaluation Service
State boards now see CES as a means
of securing more detailed educational
information about internationally educated
healthcare workers. is preference led to
signicant growth for the program in 2006.
e number of applications received nearly
doubled from the number received in 2005
and the number of reports issued was up
30 percent from 2005.
e CES report includes an evaluation
of secondary school/high school and, for
some state boards of nursing, proof that
the applicant has achieved a passing score
on the English prociency examinations.
In response to inquiries and regulatory
mandates from the state boards of nursing,
CGFNS has incorporated English scores
into the CES reports going to the states
requiring the reporting of these scores.
In addition, CGFNS has developed
stand-alone English prociency report
to augment the Credentials Evaluation
Service. As other state boards begin to
rely on CES, signicant growth should
follow in the immediate future.
Credential Verification Service
e Credential Verication Service for
New York State (CVS) continues to grow.
is service enables internationally-
educated registered nurses, licensed
practical nurses, physical therapists,
physical therapy assistants, occupational
therapists, and occupational therapy
assistants to obtain independent
verication of the authenticity of their
educational and licensure/registration
credentials. Once veried, the credentials are
forwarded to the New York State Education
Department to be evaluated as part of the
applicant's licensure application.
e new CVS online reporting service
for New York State, CVS Connect, is
modeled aer CES Connect™, the online
electronic reporting service for state boards
of nursing, which went live in 2005. New
York State can now review Credential
Verication Service reports for applicants
through the internet instead of waiting for
the printed reports to be delivered through
the mail.
International Consultants of Delaware
Building on the International Consultants
of Delaware’s (ICD) core focus on
credentials evaluation for physical therapy,
CGFNS worked diligently throughout 2006
to forge new relationships with state boards
of physical therapy. ICD participated in
the annual conference of the Federation of
State Boards of Physical erapy (FSBPT)
and distributed program materials to the
chief administrators of state boards of
physical therapists. In 2006, the Virginia
and Washington boards of physical therapy
added ICD to their lists of approved
agencies for performing credentialing work
for internationally educated applicants.
Presently, the majority of foreign educated nurses in the United States come from
the Philippines. Nurses educated in India have become the second largest immigrant
group. This occurred as a result of CGFNS administering its Certication Program (CP)
Qualifying Exam in several sites in India four times a year, beginning in 2002.
CGFNS has seen an increased interest regarding its CP Qualifying Exam and requests
for in country test sites from countries such as the Ukraine, Nigeria, Korea, Indonesia,
China, Nepal and Mexico. Recruiters from the Ukraine are working with United States
hospitals in Georgia and South Carolina. They have set up exam preparation courses
for nursing and English prociency. The Certication Program is a prerequisite for
licensure by a majority of U.S. state boards of nursing.
Remittance income from nurses
is a major source of hard currency
for developing countries and has motivated the
Philippines to train nurses for export and other
countries to try to follow their example.
“Trends in International Nurse Migration,” Aiken, Buchan, Sochalski, Nichols, and Powel Health Affairs,
Volume 23, Number 3, 2004
GLOBAL REALITIES
65,267 Total Test Takers
24,440 Total Test Takers Passed
17,733 First-Time Test
Takers Passed
6,707 Repeat Test
Takers Passed
CP Qualifying Exam Results (2004-2006)
The majority of nurses (88-92%)
who pass the CGFNS Qualifying
Examination on the first attempt
also pass the NCLEX-RN® U.S.
licensure examination on the
first attempt.
9
CGFNS Knowledge
Promoting Understanding to Create Progress
Migration Patterns of VisaScreen®
Certificate Holders
e Department of Global Research and
Test Administration initiated a 2006 study
on the migration patterns of its VisaScreen®
Certicate holders. e survey focused
on patterns of migration into the United
States, including the countries healthcare
professionals tend to migrate through on
their way to the United States, their nal
destination, their educational and licensure
preparation, and how they experienced the
recruitment process. e study sought to
dene a broad understanding of migrating
healthcare professionals: who they are, why
they have le their home countries, why
they chose the United States, the clinical
settings they work in, how they interact
with those at home once they migrate,
whether they return home and when,
how their education aects their choices,
and other characteristics. Data analysis
is currently underway and the results are
expected to be published early in 2007.
Collaborative Relationships
roughout the year, we enhanced
our collaborative relationships with
immigration advocates and ethnic nursing
organizations. We conducted several
educational teleconferences with ILW.com,
an immigration portal for immigrants,
employers, and lawyers. CGFNS’
Department of Governmental Aairs and
Professional Standards also participated in
liaison teleconferences with the American
Immigration Lawyers Association
(AILA), providing information about
the certication issues facing healthcare
professionals as they seek occupational visas.
rough our liaison eorts with the
International Bilingual Nurses Alliance
and the American Board of Nurse
Specialties, we provided educational
sessions on immigration, licensure and U.S.
healthcare systems and issues.
Monitoring Immigration Reform
CGFNS monitored the debates on
immigration at the federal legislative and
regulatory arenas to ensure that the policies
that address the protection of the public’s
health and safety are maintained and
are not diluted in misguided eorts to
cure the nation’s immigration dilemma.
Joint Research Study of Clinical Preparedness
of Internationally Educated Nurses
CGF NS and Excelsior College jointly
published an article titled, “Internationally
Educated Nurses’ Perception of their
Clinical competence” in the November/
December 2006 issue of the Journal
of Continuing Education in Nursing.
e article described the results of a
joint research study assessing the self
perceptions of clinical preparedness of
internationally educated nurses.
Overall, we continue to work to ensure
that our research and data are included in
national and international forums, virtual
and otherwise, that address the healthcare
workforce. is includes consulting with
the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and the Department of Homeland
Security in 2006 to provide input, at the
departments’ requests, on score setting
for a competence-based English language
examination from ETS. Our participation
ensured that score-setting procedures
reect the English prociency needed for
various healthcare professions.
In 2006, CGFNS worked to build and
communicate impressive data regarding
internationally educated healthcare
professionals. e CGFNS re-designed
web site now includes a specic section
under Tools & Information that provides
up-to-date statistics from CGFNS
Programs and identies the research
initiatives of the Global Research and
Test Administration Department.
Standards Setting
CGFNS has nine Professional Standards
Committees that review the professional
education standards annually to ensure that
the evaluation standards that determine
comparability of education are current
and relevant to the practice of each of the
represented professions in the U.S. e
Committee members are representatives
of each profession in education, clinical
practice and regulatory oversight. ese
members serve in a consultative role for
addressing applicant cases that are unusual.
In 2006, we continued to share knowledge derived from our research and to promote
understanding of healthcare practice and practitioners globally throughout 2006, either
alone or by partnering with other key players. As co-sponsor of the International Centre
on Nurse Migration, for example, we worked with the Commonwealth Secretariat
and the Royal College of Nursing to hold a two-day conference in February, 2006, in
London to explore ways to integrate international nurses into new workplaces. We
presented information about the use of study guides during the National Organization
for Competence Assurance’s annual conference in Florida in November, 2006.
GLOBAL REALITIES
By 2010, demand for nurses in the U.S. will
begin to exceed supply at an accelerated rate
so that by 2015 the shortage will have almost
quadrupled to 20 percent.
The Health Resources and Service Administration, Bureau of Health Professions,
National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
84,464 Total Applicants
64,491 Certifications Issued
VisaScreen ® Analysis (1998-2005)
Primary Countries of Education
Philippines, India, The United States, Canada, Korea
States of Intended Practice
California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas
GLOBAL REALITIES
Fifty-seven countries, 36 of
which are in sub-Saharan
Africa, have severe shortages
of health workers.
The World Health Organization
CGFNS VisaScreen ® Certification By Profession (1998-2005)
Profession Applicants Certifications
12
CGFNS Service
New Approaches to Ensure Relevance
One-Stop Shopping for
Healthcare Professionals
CGFNS’ vision is to be the one-stop
shopping for healthcare professionals who
migrate anywhere throughout the world.
Based on its 30 years of experience, CGFNS
is uniquely qualied to be a trustworthy
resource to those seeking opportunities
outside of their home countries. CGFNS
created a new department called Business
Development, Planning and Marketing.
is department focuses on applicants
and other stakeholders to drive business
strategies and approaches that serve
stakeholders’ broad needs. Such strategies
include, for example, moving beyond the
application process to develop services that
support applicants and their families as
they migrate. e re-engineered CGFNS
web site reects this new perspective. A
Marketing Advisory Committee also has
been established that utilizes the volunteer
expertise of business and marketing
professionals from highly respected
corporations and academic institutions.
Because our stakeholders’ origins and
destinations are varied, CGFNS wants to
oer programs and services that create
competitive advantages for our applicants
that enable them to succeed in their goals.
Advocacy and Quality Assurance
Initiatives Now in Place
CGFNS enhanced its commitment
to better meeting the needs of its
stakeholders. e Advocacy, Quality
Assurance and Sta Development (AQA)
Department was restructured to serve
three major functions. First, it serves as
an advocate for stakeholders, addressing
their issues by facilitating resolutions on
their behalf. Second, AQA performs risk
management functions by proactively
identifying system, procedural and
personnel issues and recommends and
facilitates process improvements. ird,
AQA creates and coordinates training and
sta development within the organization.
Continuous Improvement
for Customer Service
e CGFNS Call Center enables applicants
to check the status of their applications 24
hours a day/ seven days a week through
our Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
System or the CGFNS website. During
2006, the Call Center signicantly
increased the use of the IVR system,
and the number of calls handled by each
service representative. We continue to
strengthen performance measurement
for the Call Center, including report
measures, data and trend analysis, and
benchmarking.
In 2006, CGFNS also transformed the
Correspondence Unit into the Customer
Service Center. e Center provides a
broad range of customer-service functions.
e Center is committed to providing a
friendly, accessible, and ecient customer-
service contact for our stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement
for Document Processing
e CGFNS Information Technology
(IT) Department undertook a number
of signicant initiatives in 2006. Chief
among these was the integration of
document processing. is action resulted
in signicantly improved document
processing time. Other IT systems
improvements during the year included:
• Complete overhaul of production
servers for better performance and
cost-eectiveness
• Integration of a case management system
• Systems improvements to improve
program performance
175,000
CGFNS receives over primary source school transcripts and license verifications each year.
In 2006, through its signicant reorganization, CGFNS energized its commitment to
create new service strategies and improve on those services currently being oered.
Whether a state board of nursing in the United States, an educational institution in
Europe, or a nurse applicant in India, each stakeholder has unique, valid needs and
deserves unique meaningful service.
Whether a state board
of nursing in the United
States, an educational
institution in Europe,
or a nurse applicant in
India, each stakeholder
has unique, valid needs
and deserves unique
meaningful service.
540
530
580
501
570
510
550
520
915
920
928
927
910
815
802
843
840
821
841
805
807
812
819
826
831
860
904
9
926
925
Internationally Educated Registered Nurses Served by CGFNS
October 1, 2005–September 30, 2006 by program
VisaScreen® Certicates Issued to
Certication Program Certicates Issued to
Credential Verication Service Reports Issued for
Credentials Evaluation Service Reports Issued for
9,252
6,940
15,837
36,644
Total Certicates/Reports Issued
4,615
560
929
902
909
908
836
9
18
919
813
822
905
852
850
853
851
912
837
828
810
827
801
816
817
823
907
911
Australia
Canada
Ethiopia
Gambia
Ghana
Guyana
Haiti
India
Iran
Israel
Jamaica
Kenya
Nigeria
Pakistan
People’s
Republic
of China
Philippines
Poland
Russia
South Korea
Taiwan
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Top Countries of Education
for Applicants
Global Impact at a Glance
The CGFNS Certication Program (CP) Qualifying Exam is oered four times a year in March, July, September* and November,
at more than 50 locations around the world. The qualifying exam measures an applicant's knowledge and is based on what
nurses must know and do when they practice nursing in the United States.
501.......Chicago, Illinois, USA
510 ......Houston, Texas, USA
520 ......Los Angeles, California, USA
530.......Miami, Florida, USA
540 ......New York, New York, USA
550.......Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
560.......Agana, Guam, USA
580 ......Detroit, Michigan, USA
570......Atlanta, Georgia, USA
801.......Beijing, China
802.......Bridgetown, Barbados
805.......Paris, France
807.......Frankfurt, Germany
810.......Hong Kong, China
812.......Dublin, Ireland
813.......Tel Aviv, Israel
815.......Kingston, Jamaica
816.......Tokyo, Japan
817.......Seoul, Korea
819.......Copenhagen, Denmark
821.......Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
822.......Karachi, Pakistan
823.......Manila, Philippines
826.......Geneva, Switzerland
827.......Taipei, Taiwan
828.......Bangkok, Thailand
831.......London, United Kingdom
836.......Nairobi, Kenya
837.......Colombo, Sri Lanka
840 ......Buenos Aires, Argentina
841.......Natal, Brazil
843.......Lima, Peru
850.......Bangalore, India
851.......Cochin, India
852.......Delhi, India
853.......Mumbai, India
860 ......Goteborg, Sweden
902.......Wellington, New Zealand
904 ......Johannesburg, South Africa
905.......Kuwait City, Kuwait
907.......Cebu City, Philippines
908 ......Perth, Australia
909 ......Sydney, Australia
910.......Montreal, Canada
911 .......Cagayan de Oro City,
Philippines
912.......Jakarta, Indonesia
918.......Cairo, Egypt
919.......Amman, Jordan
915 ......Toronto, Canada
920.......Vancouver, Canada
925.......Abuja, Nigeria
926.......Accra, Ghana
927.......Mexico City, Mexico
928.......Monterrey, Mexico
929.......Moscow, Russian
* Select sites only.
15
CES Connect™
Celebrates One Year of Service to State Boards of Nursing
In 2003, more than 11,000 qualied students
were turned away from U.S. nursing schools
because of capacity limitations.
“Trends in International Nurse Migration,” Health Aairs, Volume 23, Number 3
GLOBAL REALITIES
On March 15, 2005, the Commission on
Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
(CGFNS) went “live” with the CES
Connect™, an online reporting service
available via CGFNS’ website, for use by
US and Territorial Boards of Nursing.
access to the completed CGFNS
Credential Evaluation Service (CES)
Reports of their applicants.
Summary
Users of CES Connect™ now total 46
are as follows, with those underlined
requiring CES as a prerequisite to obtaining
initial licensure or licensure endorsement:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
State Board of Nursing users, in response to
a survey, found CES Connect™ to be easy to
access and navigate. CGFNS’ CES Report
content was rated “very good” with no need
to either add or delete information.
CES Connect™ also demonstrated its
ability to be a reliable and convenient
tool of very good quality. According
to the feedback received, the overall
opinion of the Boards of Nursing about
CES Connect™ has been and continues
to be very positive. Ease of accessibility
of the Reports, and an electronic format
over traditional mail are quoted as the
preeminent features of the system.
Positive experiences with CES Connect™
have generated an interest on the part
of the Boards of Nursing to ask CGFNS
to consider creating a similar system for
other services and products, such as,
VisaScreen® Program.
2006 Board of Trustees
. Bernard Ascher, MBA
Director of Service Industry
Aairs for the Oce of
the United States Trade
Representative (USTR)
(Retired)
; John Bielec, PhD
Vice President for
Information Resources
& Technology/CIO
Drexel University
= Mary Lou Bond,
PhD, RN, FAAN
Samuel T. Hughes
Professor in Nursing, and
Director, Center for Hispanic
Studies in Nursing & Health,
The University of Texas at
Arlington, School of Nursing
> John Kaiser, MS
President, Keystone
Organization Consultants, Inc.
2 Eugene Ketchum, PhD
Program Coordinator,
Commonwealth of
Kentucky (Retired)
8 Mi Ja Kim, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor & Dean Emerita,
University of Illinois at
Chicago College of Nursing
9 Norma Lang, PhD, RN,
FAAN, FRCN
Wisconsin Regent
Distinguished Professor
University of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, College
of Nursing
* Beverly McElmurry, EdD,
RN, FAAN
Professor & Associate Dean,
University of Illinois at
Chicago, College of Nursing,
Chicago, IL
< Nilda Peragallo,
DrPH, RN, FAAN
Professor & Dean,
School of Nursing & Health
Studies, University of Miami
- Roy A. Swift, PhD
Program Director
Personnel Certication
Accreditation American
National Standards Institute
/ Antonia Villarruel, PhD,
RN, FAAN
Professor, Director
Center for Health
Promotion, School of
Nursing, University of
Michigan
Treasurer
Charles E Gessert,
MD, MPH
Senior Research
Scientist, SMDC
Health System
Duluth, MN
President
Lucille A. Joel,
EdD,RN,FAAN
Professor
Rutgers University
College of Nursing
Vice President
Marcia Rachel,
PhD, RN
Chief Nursing Ocer
University Hospitals
and Clinics
Jackson, MS
Secretary
Robert Watkins,
MA
Assistant Director
of Admissions
University of Texas
at Austin
Members
.;=>28
9* < -/
17
AD HOC Task Force
on CGFNS Institute
Eugene Ketchum, PhD (Chair)
Retired
C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN
CUNY Lehman College
Nilda Peragallo, DrPH, RN, FAAN
University of Miami
Antonia Villarruell, PhD, RN, FAAN
University of Michigan
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Appeals Committee
Mi Ja Kim, PhD, RN, FAAN (Chair)
University of Illinois at Chicago
Susan Caulk, MA, CRNA, RN
American Association of Nurse
Anesthetists
Leticia Hermosa, JD, EdD, RN
New England Baptist Hospital
M. Bridget Nettleton, PhD, RN
Excelsior College
Ernie Rosas, RN, BSN
Reliable Healthcare Services, Inc.
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Bylaws Committee
Robert Watkins, MA (Chair)
University of Texas at Austin
Bernard Ascher, MBA (Retired)
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Examination Committee
Mary Lou Bond, PhD, RN, FAAN (Chair)
The University of Texas at Arlington
Christopher L. Coleman, PhD, MPH,
APRN-BC
University of Pennsylvania
Anita D. Daus, PhD, MSN, BSN
Professor Emeritus Mott
Community College
Marlene S. Feldsher, MSN, RN
Sierra College
Karolyn Hanna, PhD, RN
Santa Barbara City College
Anunciacion Ho, MSN, RN (Nancy)
Fresno City College
Carole Howe, PhD, RN, CNM
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
Jo D. Kostka, RN, MSN, MT
Creighton University Medical Center
Susan Landon, MSN, RN
Thomas Jeerson University
Joan Melzer, MS, MN, RNC, ARNP-CNS
Newman University
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Executive Committee
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Chair & President)
Rutgers University
Marcia Rachel, PhD, RN
(Vice President)
University Hospitals and Clinics
Robert A. Watkins, MA
(Secretary)
University of Texas at Austin
Charles E. Gessert, MD, MPH
(Treasurer)
SMDC Health System, Duluth, MN
Finance Committee
Charles E. Gessert, MD, MPH (Chair)
SMDC Health System, Duluth, MN
C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN
CUNY Lehman College
Norma Lang, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN
Wisconsin Regent Distinguished
Professor,
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Sue Ellen Pinkerton, PhD, RN, FAAN
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Health Professions
Standards Committee
Roy A. Swift, PhD (Chair)
American National Standards Institute
Sharon Goldsmith, PhD, CCC-Speech
Goldsmith International SP
Laurita Hack, PhD
Temple University
Gregory T. Howard, LPN
Tuscaloosa, VA Medical Center
Richard D. Morrison, PhD
AARP
Margaret Simpson, MS, MT, ASCP
Alamance Community College
Sherry Stolberg, MGPGP, PA-C
Primary Care Associate Program,
Palo Alto, CA
Robert A. Watkins, MA
University of Texas at Austin
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Information Technology
Advisory Committee
Eugene Ketchum, PhD (Chair)
Retired
Janice Biros, EdD
Drexel University
David W. Chapman, PhD
University of Minnesota
John Kaiser, MS
Keystone Organization Consultants, Inc.
Donna C. Pope, MBA
Methodist Healthcare, Memphis, TN
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Licensed Practical Nurse
Standards Committee
Gregory T. Howard, LPN (Chair)
Tuscaloosa, VA Medical Center
Victor O. Frazer, Esq.
Melba Lee-Hosey, BS, AA, AAS, LVN
Stepping Stones Ed. Prog.
Betty H. Hunt, LPN
Randolph Hospital Inc., Asheboro, NC
Eric A. Lampe, ABD, PhD
Annitta Love, MSN
H. Councill Trenholm State
Technical College
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Marketing Advisory Committee
John Bielec (Chair)
Drexel University
Mary Lou Burdick, CEO
Lou Burdick & Associates
Carolyn Choh Fleming
Saint Joseph’s University
Timothy Knettler
Federation of State Medical Boards
David J. Reibstein
The Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania
Heide I. Rowan
DuPont Corporate Marketing
Medical Technology Professional
Standards Committee
Margaret Simpson, MS, MT, ASCP
(Chair)
Alamance Community College
Harriet B. Rolen-Mark, MA, MT (ASCP)
SUNY Upstate Medical University
JoAnn P. Fenn, MS, MT (ASCP)
Univ. of Utah School of Medicine
Timothy S. Thompson, MA
University of Pittsburgh
Kathleen McEnerney, DA,
MT(ASCP), NM
Tennessee State University
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Nominations Committee
Nilda Peragallo, DrPH, RN, FAAN
(Chair)
University of Miami
John Bielec, PhD
Drexel University
C. Alicia Georges, EdD, RN, FAAN
CUNY Lehman College
Occupational Therapy Professional
Standards Committee
Scott McPhee, DrPH, OT, FAOTA (Chair)
School of Occupational Therapy
Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Diane Harlowe, MS, OTR, FAOTA
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Joan C. Rogers, PhD, OT, R/L
University of Pittsburgh
Paul T. Skiem, MBA
Timothy S. Thompson, MA
University of Pittsburgh
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Physical Therapy Professional
Standards Committee
Laurita Hack, PhD (Chair)
Temple University
Sue Ellen Bowersock, PT
South Carolina Department
of Mental Health
David D. Gale, PhD
Eastern Kentucky University
Leonie (Lee) B. Nelson, DPT, MA
University of Vermont
2006 Committees
Robert Watkins, MA
University of Texas at Austin
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Physician Assistant Professional
Standards Committee
Sherry Stolberg, MGPGP, PA-C (Chair)
Primary Care Associate Program,
Palo Alto, CA
Geraldine A. Buck, MHS, PA-C
Drexel University
Christine Greb
Philadelphia University
Dawn Morton-Rias, PD, RPA-C
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Laura J. Stuetzer, MS, PA-C
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Professional Nurse Credentials
& Standards Committee
Robert Watkins, MA (Chair)
University of Texas at Austin
Yvonne K. Moody, RN, MSN
(Vice Chair)
Nettie Birnbach, EdD, RN, FAAN
Judith Edwin, EdD
Savannah State University
Dede (Edyth) Pahl, MBA
Consultant
Gabriel Juno Sapalaran, Jr, RN, CNIII
Duke University Hospital System
Joyce E. Thompson, DrPH, CNM,
FAAN, FACNM, RN
Western Michigan University
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Research & Evaluation Committee
Nilda Peragallo, DrPH, RN, FAAN
(Chair)
University of Miami
Huey Jen Chen, PhD, ARNP
Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing,
Atlanta, GA
Chris R. Esperat, PhD, RN,
APRN, BCN, MAN
Texas Tech University
Keville C. Frederickson, EdD, RN, FAAN
CUNY Lehman College
Phyllis B. Kritek, PhD, RN, FAAN
(Consultant)
Beverly J. McElmurry, EdD, RN, FAAN
University of Illinois at Chicago
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Speech Language Pathology
Standards Committee
Sharon Goldsmith, PhD, CCC-Speech
(Chair)
Goldsmith International SP
Carolyn Wiles Higdon
University of Mississippi
George O Purvis, PhD
VA Medical Center
Peter J. Watson, PhD
Case Western Reserve University
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
Strategic Planning Committee
Marcia Rachel, PhD, RN (Chair)
University Hospitals and Clinics,
Jackson, MS
Carol Bradley, MSN, RN
Tenet California
Pauline G. Johnson, JD
Attorney/International Consultant
David Keepnews, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN
Adelphi University School of Nursing
Daniel J. Pesut, PhD, APRN, BC, FAAN
Indiana University
Roy A. Swift, PhD
American National Standards Institute
Antonia Villaruel, PhD, RN, FAAN
University of Michigan
Lucille A. Joel, EdD, RN, FAAN
(Ex-Ocio)
Rutgers University
19
Senior Management Team
Barbara L. Nichols,
DHL, MS, RN, FAAN
Chief Executive Ocer
Leo Clayboss , CPA
Interim Chief Financial Ocer
Daisy Alford-Smith, PhD, RN, FAAN
Chief Operating Ocer
January–June, 2006
Catherine R. Davis, PhD, RN
Director of Global Research
and Test Administration
Julia Yuen-Heung To Dutka, EdD
Director of Global Assessment
and Professional Services
Andrew C. Hamilton
Director of Information Technology
Donna Rae Richardson, JD, RN
Director of Governmental Aairs
and Professional Standards
Petula L. Wilson, PHR
Director of Human Resources
Brittany Grimes Zaehringer, JD, MSSA
Director of Advocacy,
Quality Assurance and Sta Development
Peter Zaehringer
Director of Business Development,
Planning and Marketing
3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-2651 U.S.A. • Phone: 215.222.8454 • Web: www.cgfns.org
©2/07
Our Mission
CGFNS protects the public by
assuring the integrity of health
professional credentials in the
context of global migration and by
fostering the equitable treatment
of healthcare professionals as they
expand their horizons.
We do this by focusing on four
key objectives:
• We develop and administer a
predictive testing and evaluation
program for internationally-
educated nurses;
• We provide a credentials evaluation
service for internationally-educated
and/or internationally-born
healthcare professionals;
• We serve as a clearinghouse for
information on international
nursing education and licensure;
and
• We conduct and publish
studies relevant to internationally-
educated nurses.
C on G of
F N S
