Elective Placement - U.S.

Nursing Students General Students

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Please can anyone offer any advice/guidance please.

I am a 2nd year student currently studying for a 3 year Diploma in Nursing - Adult Branch, at University of Hertfordshire.

At the end of our second year, July/August 06, we have a 4 week elective placement which i would love to undertake in America, but at present am finding it difficult to establish whether this is feasible.

My aim, once qualified, is to study for and sit the U.S. exams, and i would use the placement to not only broaden my skills, but to gain a greater understanding of the U.S. health care system.

I have got loads of ?'s i need answers to, but am hoping someone on this forum would be able to offer guidance on some of the more pressing ones. So here goes:-

1. Is it feasible, i.e. are you aware of it happening previously.

2. If so, is it common for overseas student to undertake placements or is it done on a state by state or even city by city basis.

3. Who should my initial approach be made to. Is there a specific dept. that handles training issues.

4. What would be the best approach - email, letter, telephone call

5. would it be better to approach private hospitals or teaching hospitals associated with Universities

6. Would approaching Universities in the first instance be my best option

I've got loads more ?'s but if your still awake thus far I'm sure the above is more than enough to going on with lol.

There is no cost to the hospital in relation to the placement as i am responsible for my travel, accommodation and living costs.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Must dash as need to bury my head back into my books as have essays and lab reports to complete.

Have also posted this thread in the nursing forum.

Best regards,

Nicki

0 Votes
Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

I think that your best bet would be to try to arrange something through a U.S. university. Do any of the faculty members in your program know nursing instructors in the States? Perhaps they could work something out for you.

Good luck :)

0 Votes
Specializes in ob, med surg.

Nicki:

Maybe you should take the previous advice and also look up the State Board of Nursing in the state you would like to visit. Write a letter, but get a name first which may take a phone call and be sure to state that if you do not hear back by a certain date, that you would like to follow up with a phone call. I used to live in Cumbria and though this is awhile ago, I tried to do what you are doing in reverse and it seemed to me that the separate departments/schools that regulate nursing between the US and UK don't communicate alot. So you may have to work at it awhile. Take names and numbers and dates and keep plugging away!! Good Luck-Audrey:)

0 Votes
Specializes in ob, med surg.

Nicki:

Maybe you should take the previous advice and also look up the State Board of Nursing in the state you would like to visit. Write a letter, but get a name first which may take a phone call and be sure to state that if you do not hear back by a certain date, that you would like to follow up with a phone call. I used to live in Cumbria and though this is awhile ago, I tried to do what you are doing in reverse and it seemed to me that the separate departments/schools that regulate nursing between the US and UK don't communicate alot. So you may have to work at it awhile. Take names and numbers and dates and keep plugging away!! Good Luck-Audrey:)

PS Bring you own tea! The stuff here is awful. And if this advice works, you gotta bring me a box too-Typhoo please!!:rotfl:

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