Health Professional Resources

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U.S. Salary Information for Health Professionals
Professional Associations and Organizations for Health Professionals
National Unions with Health Professional Membership
Certification and Licensing
Legal Education Resources
Legal Services
Embassies and Consulates
Immigration
Books and Publications

U.S. Salary Information for Health Professionals

U.S. Department of Labor

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information on wages and other employment information by profession. They have specific information on:

Professional Associations and Organizations

Professional associations are groups of individuals in specific occupations who support efforts to advance the interests of their profession and improve the quality of their field.

NURSES:
OCCUPATIONAL/PHYSICAL THERAPISTS:
OTHER PROFESSIONS:

National Unions with Health Professional Membership

Labor unions are organizations that represent and advocate for the equal rights of workers. They help to negotiate better wages, good benefits, and a fair and safe work environment. As a professional working in the U.S., it is your legal right to join a union. The following unions include members in health professions.

  • AFL-CIO
    The umbrella federation for U.S. unions, with 57 unions representing more than 12 million working men and women.
  • AFT Healthcare
    Members include registered nurses, LPNs, technicians, technologists, therapists, medical researchers, dieticians, aides, psychologists, clerical personnel, service and maintenance workers, pharmacists, and doctors.
  • American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
    Members include nurses, corrections officers, child care providers, EMTs, and sanitation workers.
  • National Federation of Nurses
    Members include only registered nurses.
  • National League for Nursing
    Members include nurse faculty, schools of nursing, and leaders in nursing education.
  • National Nurses United
    Members include only registered nurses.
  • SEIU Healthcare
    Members include nurses, LPNs, doctors, lab technicians, nursing home workers, and home care workers.

Certification and Licensing

  • CGFNS International, Inc. (CGFNS)
    CGFNS is an internationally recognized authority that provides credential evaluation and verification pertaining to the education, registration, and licensure of nurses and health care professionals across the world.
  • National Association for Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
    The NACES is an association of private foreign educational credential evaluation services dedicated to promoting excellence and committed to setting the standard for their profession. Click here for a list of credential agencies.
  • Nursing License Map
    Use this map to navigate to the nursing licensure requirements in your selected state. You will find links to all necessary nursing license requirements, applications, and exams.
  • The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)
    The FSBPT seeks to achieve a high level of public protection through a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in physical therapy, effective tools and systems to assess entry-level and continuing competence, and public and professional awareness of resources for public protection.
  • The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) 
    The NCSBN provides comprehensive information on the nursing profession in the United States and provides Web links for nurse licensing in all 50 states.

Legal Education Resources

  • Federal Department of Labor
    The Federal Department of Labor provides information on local and regional Department of Labor programs and services around the country.
  • FindLaw
    FindLaw provides provide legal information, lawyer profiles, and community resources to help you make informed legal decisions. The site offers easy to understand explanations of basic legal concepts across a range of topics. They offer overviews for Immigration and Employee Rights.
  • State Attorneys General Offices 
    An excellent source of information is your state’s Attorneys General office. The National Association of Attorneys General provides a comprehensive list of contact information for each state. The Web site for each state office can provide specific information about how to file a complaint or ask a question about a specific area of the law.
  • State Departments of Health
    In the majority of states, the official Web site for state level Departments of Health can provide information on how hospitals are licensed and regulated, answer questions about nurse-to-patient ratio requirements, and direct you to information concerning any topic related to patient care and safety and health care facility management.

Legal Services

  • American Civil Liberties Union Immigrant Rights Project (IRP)
    The IRP works to ensure that federal employment, labor, and anti-discrimination laws provide meaningful protection to non-citizens, legal residents, and U.S. citizens alike. Any person perceived to be foreign born is highly vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and abuse in the workplace.
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
    AILA is a national association of over 11,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. AILA Member attorneys represent individuals, families, and businesses in all aspects of immigration law. Although primarily a resource for lawyers, AILA provides referral services for individuals seeking immigration counsel. To request a referral, visit their Web site or call 1-800-954-0254.
  • Bar Associations
    If you believe you require legal representation you will need to locate an attorney licensed to practice law in the state where you live or work. Each state has its own bar association with state-specific resources and attorney referral services that are free to the public. Many major cities also have their own bar associations as well.
  • Immigrant Legal Resource Center
    The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national non-profit resource center that provides legal trainings, educational materials, and advocacy to advance immigrant rights. The mission of the ILRC is to work with and educate immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. ILRC is committed to engaging immigrants and developing their leadership in the democratic process.
  • Legal Services Corporation (LSC)
    The mission of the LSC is to promote equal access to justice in the United States and to provide high quality civil legal assistance to low-income persons. The LSC provides funding for hundreds of legal service organizations in the United States. In addition, the LSC Web site provides a comprehensive database of free and low cost legal services across the United States.
  • National Alliance for Filipino Concerns
    A U.S.-based advocacy organization that protects and advances the rights and welfare of the Filipino community in the United States. For more information visit their Web site or call 201-921-6385.
  • The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA)
    TAANA is a professional organization for attorneys who are also trained nurses. They also have a lawyer referral service.
  • The American Bar Association (ABA)
    The ABA is a national legal organization with a range of free information and resources for the public. The ABA Web site has a database of legal resources organized by state, and also provides a nationwide lawyer referral service.

Embassies and Consulates

The Embassy or Consulate for your home country can provide information on a range of immigration issues and can provide information and advocacy for certain situations. For a comprehensive list of embassies located in Washington, D.C. with links provided to each Embassy’s official Web site click here. The official Web site for each country provides a list of the Consulate offices located throughout the United States.

Immigration

  • Department of Homeland Security
    The Department is responsible for providing immigration-related services and benefits such as naturalization and work authorization as well as investigative and enforcement responsibilities of federal immigration laws, customs laws, and air security laws
  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States.
  • Immihelp
    Provides comprehensive information about U.S. immigration, including detailed information about visas and greencards.

Books and Publications

  • Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
    Author: U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services
    Description: A comprehensive guide, available in 14 languages, containing practical information to help immigrants settle into everyday life in the United States, as well as basic civics information that introduces new immigrants to the U.S. system of government.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition
    Author: United States Department of Labor
    Description: Internet-based report on the field of Registered Nursing, with detailed information on earnings, advancement and employment environments.
  • The Official Guide for Foreign-Educated Nurses: What You Need to Know about Nursing and Health Care in the United States
    Authors: Barbara Nichols, MS, DHL, RN, FA; Catherine Davis, RN, PhD
    Description: Compiled by Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), this book is the only guide to the United States health care system for nurses immigrating to this country as well as foreign-educated nurses who are already here.
  • Nurses on the Move: Migration and the Global Health Care Economy
    Author: Mireille Kingma
    Description: This book explores the various complexities of nurse migration, documenting first hand experiences and contemplating the benefits and drawbacks for migrating nurses, the source countries from which they are drawn, and the impact on the new workplaces and communities where foreign educated nurses live.