2000 News

Appearance of CGFNS Certificate Changes

PHILADELPHIA, PA — MAY 1, 2000 — The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) has announced that it will change the appearance of the CGFNS Certificate it issues to nurses who successfully complete the CGFNS Certification Program — a three-part program including a credentials review, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the CGFNS Qualifying Exam. The newly designed certificates will be issued for the first time upon release of the results of the Commission’s March 15, 2000 Qualifying Exam.

The changes in the design of the CGFNS Certificate do not represent any modifications in the Certification Program itself. Nurses who hold an earlier version of the CGFNS Certificate should not be concerned — both old and new versions will continue to be honored as proof of successful completion of the Certification Program. Since both versions will remain valid, the newly designed certificates will not be reissued as replacements for older certificates. However, agencies which require the CGFNS Certificate should be aware that all certificates issued after the March 2000 Qualifying Exam will be of the new design.

The new certificate design features the title, CGFNS Certificate, and the logo stamped in gold foil and teal ink at the top of the certificate. The certificate text is printed in Old English in black on a cream linen paper. The certificate will carry the embossed seal of CGFNS in the lower left-hand corner.

While the new CGFNS Certificate will be easily recognizable, in order to ensure maximum security, CGFNS continues to recommend that agencies take the further precaution of requiring Official Verification of Certificate Status. Under this service, which is requested by the certificate holder, CGFNS provides official verification of a nurse’s status as a certificate holder directly to a designated agency. The fee for this service is $25.00 and is generally borne by the certificate holder.

CGFNS is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, PA, USA, and is an internationally recognized authority on education, registration and licensure of nurses worldwide. CGFNS’s mission is to provide responsible leadership in the delivery of relevant services to the global nursing and health care community. The organization was founded in 1977 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor; Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services); the Immigration and Naturalization Service; and representation from nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing.