2008 News

May 21, 2008

Kaplan and CGFNS announce plans to provide online and offline nursing education and test preparation products and services

Kaplan, a leading international provider of educational and career services, and CGFNS International, a leading provider of nursing certification and professional development, have signed a definitive agreement to form a strategic alliance to develop online and offline nursing education and test preparation products and services. The planned Kaplan/CGFNS Advantage Program, Knowledge for Nursing, will provide nursing education and test preparation products and services to hospital organizations, international schools of nursing and individual international nurses. Rollout of the co-branded test preparation product is scheduled for fourth quarter 2008.

The strategic alliance combines the strengths of two flagship organizations in nursing education, credentials evaluation and certification. Besides the English language training programs for non-native English speakers, Kaplan will contribute its expertise in test preparation for the U.S. nursing licensure exam known as the NCLEX-RN^® (National Council Licensure Examination), as well as the CGFNS Qualifying Exam^®, a test of basic nursing knowledge for first-level, foreign educated nurses. CGFNS will contribute its expertise as an internationally recognized authority on credentials evaluation and verification for nurses and health care professionals worldwide, and as administrator of the CGFNS Qualifying Exam^SM.

“The Kaplan/CGFNS Advantage Program, Knowledge for Nursing, will provide quality educational materials online and offline to prepare nurses worldwide to have career mobility and increased nursing knowledge,” said Judith A. Burckhardt, PhD, R.N. Executive Director, Nursing for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. “We are excited about working with CGFNS on this initiative. Providing nurses in their country of origin with what they need to prepare for and pass the CGFNS and NCLEX exams without the constraints of location,” she continued, “will be a catalyst for education in the nursing community.”

“Education and training that can be qualified and quantified is the currency for mobility of health care professionals and the standards upon which health care institutions employ and sustain their workforce,” said Barbara Nichols, DHL, MS, RN, FAAN, and Chief Executive Officer of CGFNS. “The Kaplan/ CGFNS initiative for delivering a leading, robust, web-based, educational and testing product for nurses worldwide will broaden nursing knowledge and improve the delivery of health care service universally.”