Registered Nurse — Hospitals and Health Systems

US hospitals and health systems recruit registered nurses continuously across ICU, emergency, medical-surgical, labour and delivery, theatre and community roles, alongside travel assignments that fill short-term gaps. Hospital posts are the most common route for both newly qualified and experienced nurses, and they carry the most structured orientation for staff arriving from abroad.

Licensing comes before the job, and it is per state

There is no national US nursing licence. You are licensed by a state Board of Nursing, each with its own requirements, and the job you accept has to be in a state you are licensed in. Every route requires the NCLEX-RN examination. Internationally trained nurses also need a credentials evaluation and, for the visa, a VisaScreen certificate from CGFNS, which itself requires an English test unless you are exempt.

Requirements

• A nursing qualification evaluated as equivalent by an approved credentials service
• A passing NCLEX-RN result and a licence from the state you will work in
• English proficiency — IELTS Academic, OET or TOEFL, at the score your board and CGFNS require
• VisaScreen certification from CGFNS for the visa application
• BLS certification, and ACLS or PALS for many acute specialties

What is on offer

• Structured orientation and preceptorship, longer for internationally educated nurses
• Shift differentials for nights and weekends, on top of base pay
• Health cover, retirement contributions and tuition support at most large systems
• Specialty progression into ICU, emergency, theatre or advanced practice

Before you sign anything

Read the contract term and the exit clause. International nurse recruitment commonly uses multi-year contracts with a substantial sum payable if you leave early. Ask what the figure is, what triggers it, and whether it reduces over time. Ask separately who pays for NCLEX, VisaScreen, licensure and travel, and whether any of it is recoverable from you. Charging a worker a recruitment fee is prohibited by most reputable employers and by law in several jurisdictions.

Note: licensure requirements, visa timelines and pay are set by state boards, the US government and each employer — not by JobGader. Verify current requirements with the state Board of Nursing and CGFNS before paying any fee.