A brief history of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools: shaping policy through collaboration.

In the late 1960s many foreign nurses arriving in New York City were unable to pass the New York State Board licensing examination. In this article, the author explains how a group of leaders and organizations proceeded systematically to address this problem through effective policy development. The process is presented from the establishment of a local program to meet the needs of this group of nurses to the creation of a national commission to oversee issues encountered by professionals seeking employment in the United States. Today, the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is recognized worldwide as an authority on the education, registration, and licensure of nurses and other healthcare professionals.