Travel Nursing to London and/or Africa

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I would like to know if anyone has any information on how to become a travel nurse who works in London. I have met a large number of travel nurses in the hospital I currently work in and would like to know the steps to go about doing that. Are there any American based travel agencies that exist that will transport nurses to England? If not, how would I reach out to a London based company? I would like to pursue London first because I think it'd be a easier process and it's very diverse and big city like which is what I am used to. I have my BSN and roughly 3 years experience. I own a visa but I am aware that you would have to get a work permit and go though all that jazz with paperwork. I am aware that this process may take several months to a year and would like to do this sometime next year as I have an opportunity to move up to ICU in my current hospital (Currently telemetry). Anybody out there that has done it before? I hear the pay is horrible, but are you able to negotiate like the states? Are hospital's there union or non-union. Anyone know of ratios? Level of responsibilities? How to get sponsored? I'd probably feel more comfortable in a large teaching hospital.

I would also love an information on how to nurse abroad in Africa and particularly Nigeria or South Africa. Is it possible to work in Africa from the states without it being a "volunteer/aid" kind of job? Simply wondering what my first step would be.

Thanks

Sadly, no, I wasn't joking. It makes no sense why the government and the NMC both seem to be actively trying to discourage people from entering the nursing profession in the UK, but the end result is pretty clear.

Be very careful if you're thinking about doing any sort of work, even remotely, while in the UK as a tourist. It's illegal -- you must have a visa to work, full stop -- and could impact your ability to stay and to return in the future if they find you out. Private duty nursing, legitimately, obviously requires that you be registered with the NMC; going under the table, unlicensed, if you're able to find such an arrangement, is still illegal, and comes with a new host of problems if you're found to be nursing without registration.

I had a look at a few NP programs today. Most explicitly require current registration with the NMC; those that didn't, required that students be working concurrently, which by extension would mean NMC registration again. At any rate, the general wisdom in nursing is to get your education where you intend to work; if you don't plan to stay in the UK long-term, going through an NP program there just seems to be throwing good money after bad.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to shoot down all your ideas. I love the UK dearly and I am sad and bitter that I felt I had to leave. I also know, though, that I was extremely lucky in the circumstances that were in place when I happened to go over. People who came over with Continental even a year after me were left twisting when the NMC changed the registration process; I think some were placed temporarily as HCAs, and were denied agency housing because they weren't bringing RN pay into the company. It is not a government or a registering body that is welcoming to immigrants, and I feel somewhat duty-bound to offer as much insight as I can, even if it is pretty grim.

It is true that the UK has no hard-and-fast rule about length of stay beyond the 6-month limit on tourist visitors; however, border agents have a fair amount of discretion to consider someone's history and pattern of travelling in and out of the country, and to refuse entry if they suspect someone playing games like your Costa Rican friends. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673351/Visit-guidance-v7.0EXT.PDF)

If I am understanding you correctly it's illegal to do work even remotely from the UK? So if I had a business and traveled to the UK and worked online on a (web-site for example) for my business while physically in the UK then that's illegal? Interesting.

And no problem, appreciate your candor! Funny, my current manager just casually mentioned that she worked in England for 5 years! What a coincidence! Said she worked in the ICU and that it's a 1:1 ratio there but she did everything such as the RT's job. That's pretty amazing experience if you ask me. I'm in no rush to leave, but I will continue to research to see if it's still possible at all.

I just wanted to put my 2 cents into this discussion as well. I tried diligently to pursue the insane process that is NMC registration and gave up when I realized how extensive and expensive it was. Especially with the ROI not being especially favorable and not being able to afford to live alone on this salary. However, I was hoping to ask those posters who frequent this portion of allnurses, is it the same for foreign trained PAs and MDs to apply for UK licensure? Is it just as difficult and cumbersome? I was looking at the GMC and all it mentioned (For PAs (US trained) that all they needed to do was apply for licensure and bing bam boom done. No additional testing. Once they got licensure they could apply for jobs and the visa. Why isn't it like that for RNs and NPs in the uK? Especially when they need us?

Specializes in NICU.

Just to follow up on this topic, I received an email from Continental recently looking for past nurses to come back and work for them, saying they have a new owner. Their website has finally been updated and now it appears they're reimbursing a good chunk of the visa/registration/testing fees for new hires provided you agree to work a year for them. I'm not sure how they're getting around the Home Office's prohibition of sponsoring people to hire out to other employers. They've been less than fully transparent with their employees in the past and I'd be very sure to nail down every detail on paper before signing anything with them, but they may be a better option now than they were before.

ETA: Oh, I see, they appear to be flogging travel jobs for people who wouldn't need tier 2 visas -- those with UK/EU ancestry or Commonwealth citizens under age 31 -- and recruiting others into permanent staff positions. They may still not be useful to you.

@kaitfinder Your posts are so helpful for this process!! Thank you!

I'm a US trained nurse hoping to move to London this Fall. I'm taking my CBT this week and have my first interview with HCA hospitals for oncology/hematology next week. Do you know what the reputation of HCA is in the UK? I know it's not great in the US. I'm torn between going with HCA if I get an offer or trying to apply to NHS or other private hospital positions on my own. Do you have any insight into this? It's also a bit more complicated with covid b/c I have to have a job offer in order to come to the UK right now d/t border restrictions. Also any tips for the CBT?!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing in USA and UK.
On 7/19/2020 at 7:24 PM, nursepring said:

@kaitfinder Your posts are so helpful for this process!! Thank you!

I'm a US trained nurse hoping to move to London this Fall. I'm taking my CBT this week and have my first interview with HCA hospitals for oncology/hematology next week. Do you know what the reputation of HCA is in the UK? I know it's not great in the US. I'm torn between going with HCA if I get an offer or trying to apply to NHS or other private hospital positions on my own. Do you have any insight into this? It's also a bit more complicated with covid b/c I have to have a job offer in order to come to the UK right now d/t border restrictions. Also any tips for the CBT?!

Hey!

Actually I don't know really anything about HCA, so I can't speak for it, and it looks like they're primarily based in London, and I work in Oxford. In general, private healthcare is an acceptable alternative if you can afford it, and can at times cut down wait times for certain procedures including surgeries etc. I know patients prefer it because it is faster and several have reported feeling like they get that "personal touch", likely since the private hospitals will have significantly less patients and nurses will have a smaller patient load. I don't know any nurses who have worked or are planning on working in the private sector, but from what I can tell, they get paid more and likely have less stress as a result of lower patient loads. Unfortunately, my specialty is ED and there are no private EDs.

It all comes down to your preferred specialty, and definitely be sure to ask them for the details of employment. How many shifts per week, nurse to patient ratios, base pay and possibility for overtime (no overtime in NHS, have to work extra shifts which pay more base rate per shift), how much time off (I currently get 7 weeks paid time off), etc. I know this is coming over a month after you posted, but maybe you'll have more information now. Also be aware that many hospitals will want to lock you into a contract, so you can't switch jobs part way through without incurring penalties. Also note that with the NHS, they paid for my visa, OSCE fees, flight, and 3 months housing on arrival, so see if they offer you the same at a private hospital.

CBT is annoying, read the Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures (I used student version) which is mildly helpful for CBT and majorly helpful for OSCE. Brush up on med calculations and learn how to calculate drip rate which I never had to do in USA. Also learn how ot do calculations without a calculator. Questions are weighted based on your ability to prioritize patient dignity and safety, so make that a must. You will have an excess of time to take the test, so don't rush.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Specializes in Adult Nursing.

Hi, 

I am a travel nurse myself, and lived and worked around England and I am looking to disappear.

Funny how I am looking to run out and you want to come in.

Everything said on here from registration process, to pay and cost of living is spot on, however the requirements have been updated and made a lot easier since October of last year. 

If you are still considering the move, you can ask me any questions, as I am considering work in CA, +_ election outcome. 

Regarding jobs in Nigeria / SA: It's best to work with an oil servicing company (Nigeria), but you may need to know someone that knows someone etc etc.

I don't know much about nursing jobs in SA, so id leave it at that. 

I am looking forward to hearing from you. All the best.

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