How Russian Americans get a nurse license in the US

The learning process in Сoncord Rusam. Photo: from the personal archive of Concord Rusam

ForumDaily continues to talk about students and teachers of the School of Medical Professions Concord rusam. All students who have completed the program for training certified nurses remember with gratitude Grigory Zilberman, a teacher who manages to work in a hospital, teach classes at the School, answer endless letters from students, volunteer, and at the same time he himself continues to study and improve his qualifications. We talked with Gregory about his favorite job - and at the same time we learned a lot about American medicine.

About Me

I came to the United States 30 years ago from Kyiv. There I managed to study for 3 years at a medical university; I had a secondary medical education - a paramedic-obstetrician. I consciously chose a profession and knew for sure that I wanted to continue practicing medicine, so I studied at different colleges and completed credits (credits), and worked as a supervisor in a clinical laboratory.

In 2005, my father saw a school announcement in a newspaper Concord rusam and showed it to me. At first, I was skeptical about this idea, but still I came, I studied at the retraining program for medical workers, I passed all the exams and in 2007 I got a license as a nurse / nurse (Registered Nurse). Of course, this has changed my life: many career opportunities have opened up.

I stayed to teach: first I led short programs, taught students the techniques of electrocardiogram removal and blood sampling, taught classes Nurse Assistantand in recent years I have been teaching only on the nursing education program. I am used to this work and I do not agree to the proposals to teach in other places: I love the atmosphere of the school and I know that our whole team happily returns to work after the summer break.

This is not my only job. In the surgical department Montefiore Medical Center I analyze the operations performed, work with data on the effectiveness of surgical interventions, risk factors. Sometimes it’s hard to combine, every Saturday I have 8 school hours, besides, I continue to learn from PhD-program and try to have enough time and energy for volunteering.

This is what a lab looks like with a simulator in Concord Rusam. Photo by Denis Cheredov

About students

A variety of people study at the school - students from the former Soviet Union, China, India, Holland, Hungary and other countries. Some of them have experience in medicine, others only have education. The main thing we expect from them is a very basic command of the English language. Usually, during teaching, the language is improved, I encourage questions and discussions in class, and if someone needs explanations in Russian, I give them during the break.

In addition, I give students my email address, respond to their letters, even when I go on vacation, and we keep in touch with some people after they finish their studies. I am proud of all my students. Many of them were selected from difficult life circumstances and achieved serious success. For example, among the students there was a single mother from Belarus, who didn’t even have anyone to leave her child with for the time of classes. Thanks to her ambition and perseverance, she now occupies one of the leading nursing posts in the largest home care agency.

Once I went into surgery myself, and when I woke up after anesthesia, I heard “Good morning, Grisha.” The nurse said she was my student, but to this day I don’t know who it was - she didn’t take off her mask in the room.

About American Medicine

Students who come from different post-Soviet republics are shocked at first. In some republics, the patient’s sexual orientation, their HIV status, the fact that they use drugs or belong to one or another social stratum can affect the attitude of medical personnel to the patient. Here the patient will never hear from the doctor or nurse that he himself is to blame for his illness, will help everyone and will respect everyone. Students are not used to this, but in my experience, they are all open to a free society and its values.

There are also practical aspects: many students are amazed by the equipment of American hospitals, all sorts of parts provided for the patient's convenience, for example, scales built into the bed that allow you to weigh the patient without lifting him from the bed. At school Concord rusam we recreated a hospital ward with hospital beds, equipment and means of moving patients, so that nurses and care professionals mastered all the manipulations before they went to practice in the hospital. We teach students to feed patients and do rehabilitation exercises with them - all these skills will be needed at work. In class, I talk about different situations from my own experience in an American hospital - students are usually very interested in this.

At the very beginning of the retraining course for medical workers and preparing for the license exam Registered Nurse we dedicate several hours to the cultural diversity of patients - nurses must be culturally sensitive to the patient in order to provide good care. For example, if a patient is Hindu and does not eat beef, then the nurse is the person who will create a menu for him so that his body gets enough protein. Of course, a nutritionist will also come to the patient, but there are few nutritionists; 2-3 days may pass until this moment, and during this time the problem is solved by a nurse.

Concord Rusam Photos

On the prospects of students

Of course, those who worked as doctors in their homeland sometimes cannot comprehend that they, with all their education and experience, now have to study in order to work as a nurse. You have to talk to such students, explain to them what the role of a nurse is in American medicine - here such a specialist must have deep knowledge, he has the right to discuss the prescribed treatment with the doctor and, if necessary, defend the interests of the patient.

Yes, nurses sometimes have to change patients’ diapers - this is sometimes necessary in order to better understand the patient’s condition. If students from among former doctors begin to show disgust in practice in the hospital, I simply put on gloves and a gown and go into the ward with them to show by example that there is nothing scary in these duties. In 10 years, I saw only two students who quit medicine, unable to withstand such a blow to their pride.

Having a license Registered NurseIf you wish, you can get specialization in various areas of nursing - in pediatrics, obstetrics and anesthesiology, and others. You can continue education and get a master's degree and even the highest degree in nursing - Nurse practitioner.

Registered Nurse - a prestigious, respected and highly paid profession in the USA, and I sincerely wish our immigrants to achieve success in this profession!

Read also on ForumDaily:

How one medical school in New York changed the lives of thousands of students

Life first: how to emigrate and succeed

School in New York helps immigrant nurses obtain US licenses

5 professions for men that can be quickly mastered in the USA

8 professions that can be mastered in the US in six months

How to quickly and guaranteed to get the medical profession in the US

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