[nathan04]

When it comes to becoming an RN in the US, I guess their nursing system is fair enough, compared to their counterpart in the UK, wherein a nurse from overseas, have to undergo an ONP ( Overseas Nurses Programme) for 20 days from the uni and a supervised adaptation programme for 3-6 months in a hospital or audited nursing home supervised by a UK nurse/ mentor, which amounts roughly to 5,000US$ in total spending. In the USA meanwhile, a nurse will just have to take the NCLEX/ CGFNS exam, regardless of which country he/she graduated from or which nationality he/she came from. Isn't this a lot cheaper and not as time consumming as in the UK.
My concern is which country has the better RN quality, the one who took the NCLEX RN exam or the other one who went back to university for 20 days and was supervised for 3-6 months in the hospital setting to become an RN?

[caroladybelle]

Please.....

I would say that the UK nurse is "better" when practicing in the UK And the US nurse is better when practicing in the US.

Why ask better?

[Silverdragon102]

To be a RN in the UK from abroad you need a local license which is not always the case for the US. Regardless on country you have to meet their requirements as a RN and if it means sitting local exam, country exam or bridging program then you have to do it. Regardless on country the RN will have their own experiences and both will be the same qualified

You need to decide where you want to live, if you look at other countries ie Canada you have to sit their exam CRNE and that is only done in Canada three times a year.

Be aware that now is very hard to get a work permit for either EU or US due to immigration

[suzanne4]

The UK also has a hiring freeze in place so it is impossible for you to be able to get a visa to work there.

Why don't you compare Canada to the US which has a more similar program? If you meet their training requirments as well as experience, then you do not need to do their bridge program.

We expect the US to be heading in that direction and requiring the local license as they once did when the CGFNS exam was required before you could even sit for the NCLEX exam.

UK also has specialist training which is not accepted in the US or Canada unless the required courses are completed.

Moving thread to the International Forum since it is specific to foreign nurses and countries with their licensing requirements. Also be aware that with the increase in numbers of nurses wishing to work in the US, we are expecting that work experience will also be required before visa will be issued in the future.

By the time that you get thru the licensing and immigration process for the US, you are looking at about the same expense. But that should not be the reason that you are selecting a country to work in.

[nathan04]

Suzanne and SilverDragon, thanks for the input.

I'm a permanent resident of the UK right now. All my papers have been assessed by NMC, I have no problem with working permit. all I have to do is produce the whooping 3,500 sterling, roughly 5,000US$ to study 20 days in uni plus 3-6 months adaptation course, which I don't think is worth it at all.
Now, I have serious doubts about these, as it looks like, it's just a money making machine..while if I register in the USA as an RN, I would not have to spend this much, all I have to do is to study and pass the NCLEX-RN test. Besides, a lot of UK nurses now who relocated to USA, can compare the difference that US RN's are far better competent as compared to the UK nurses.

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by nathan04

Suzanne and SilverDragon, thanks for the input.

I'm a permanent resident of the UK right now. All my papers have been assessed by NMC, I have no problem with working permit. all I have to do is produce the whooping 3,500 sterling, roughly 5,000US$ to study 20 days in uni plus 3-6 months adaptation course, which I don't think is worth it at all.
Now, I have serious doubts about these, as it looks like, it's just a money making machine..while if I register in the USA as an RN, I would not have to spend this much, all I have to do is to study and pass the NCLEX-RN test. Besides, a lot of UK nurses now who relocated to USA, can compare the difference that US RN's are far better competent as compared to the UK nurses.

The thing you need to be aware of is there is a retrogression in progress and looking at several years before you can move to the US and work. I am sorry that you do not feel the adaptation program is worth it but I do as it prepares you to the UK way of working. It is not a money making machine but ensuring measures to protect patients and staff. Many countries have requirements and we often see newly qualified nurses talking about having to do bridging programs

I also disagree that US RN's are more competent compared to UK nurses. Each has their own way of working and what they can/can't do

[starbin]

In my opinion, there is no such grading like "this country has better qualified RNs than the other country". Every country (and each state in fact) has it's own standards that determine what are the minimum qualifications to practice as an RN. And anybody who meets the requirements are likely to be considered equally or better qualified than those who do not meet the requirements. Requirements /qualifications are set based on the need of that particular geographical location, health-care system/policies etc. Something more important for certain group of people may not be important at all for another group of people. It is all relative. No one country produces better or less qualified Nurses than the other. Their curriculum/course requirements are based on what is the demand of their health care system, their people's health.

Originally Posted by nathan04

When it comes to becoming an RN in the US, I guess their nursing system is fair enough, compared to their counterpart in the UK, wherein a nurse from overseas, have to undergo an ONP ( Overseas Nurses Programme) for 20 days from the uni and a supervised adaptation programme for 3-6 months in a hospital or audited nursing home supervised by a UK nurse/ mentor, which amounts roughly to 5,000US$ in total spending. In the USA meanwhile, a nurse will just have to take the NCLEX/ CGFNS exam, regardless of which country he/she graduated from or which nationality he/she came from. Isn't this a lot cheaper and not as time consumming as in the UK.
My concern is which country has the better RN quality, the one who took the NCLEX RN exam or the other one who went back to university for 20 days and was supervised for 3-6 months in the hospital setting to become an RN?

[starbin]

If you look at yourself and so many other people, we all are fueling our money making machine. Why do you want to come to USA?
Each country/state has responsibility to make sure that the health-care professional that is taking care of it's people is competent enough to provide quality care to the people. I am sure, your nursing school did not train you for free. And, if you are expected to pay certain fee for the training, I guess it is fair enough.
And, don't forget the fee you will be paying for the visa, licensing fees, Visa Screen Certificates, Credential evaluation, Lawyers, and NCLEX, TOEFL exams etc. etc.... You are not going to spend anything less than $5000 for all this. And, with retrogression in progress, there is no assurance that you will be starting to make dollars any time soon.

Originally Posted by nathan04

Suzanne and SilverDragon, thanks for the input.

I'm a permanent resident of the UK right now. All my papers have been assessed by NMC, I have no problem with working permit. all I have to do is produce the whooping 3,500 sterling, roughly 5,000US$ to study 20 days in uni plus 3-6 months adaptation course, which I don't think is worth it at all.
Now, I have serious doubts about these, as it looks like, it's just a money making machine..while if I register in the USA as an RN, I would not have to spend this much, all I have to do is to study and pass the NCLEX-RN test. Besides, a lot of UK nurses now who relocated to USA, can compare the difference that US RN's are far better competent as compared to the UK nurses.

[cariad]

Why compare training from nurses in each country as even different universities and colleges have different standards of trainig in the UK the same as each nursing school over here has different standards. It allcomes down to the nurse in the end. I have worked with both the good and the bad both sides of the atlantic. It hasnt made a bit of difference where they trained or which country they came from. Some nurses dont have even the most basic understanding of a patient's needs or their medical condition.
Money will always be a feature of working in each other's country.Either the state boards or the NMC or CGFNS which we are made to use, even although they give a very poor service.

[suzanne4]

And you are going to spend $5000 plus to get a visa for the US by the time you add up all expenses. And a wait of several years to be able to get one.

You cannot just add up exam costs, there is much more to it with immigration that will need to be paid for.

Each country can do as they please and set their own requirements. And just because someone is able to pass a licensing exam does not mean that they will survive at their work place, we have seen many that have not been able to cut it and have had their contracts cancelled and this happens all over the world.