US RN Looking to Work in UK...With a Twist?

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Hey Ya'll,

I KNOW that this thead has been around FOREVER but hear it goes: I am currently a dialysis nurse and have been here since I graduated: after school I had no in- hospital experience and I could only work in a clinic/ elder care facility :'( Need less to say, I still can not work in a hospital ( a phenomenon know to new graduates as " How do you gain experience in a hospital if the hospital won' t hire me" Blues. Anyhoo, this circle of crazy is driving me to madness and I am ready for a new challenge. Yeah, nurses are not paid as much in the UK; somethings are just more important than money. My question is: can I break away from dialysis into another discipline ? I have other experiences elder care, emergent care, yet dialysis is my specialty.Thanks for reading my post ♡

PS: Continential Travel Nursing is the company that I have decided to work with to sponsor me in the UK...

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

The first thing before looking for answers is to get registered with the NMC. Only after being successful in gaining registration can you start thinking about branching out into a different speciality.

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I'll assume your registration is sorted...

Entry level is as a band 5 nurse and basically in this country you can work in any speciality once your registered. I started in critical care as a newly qualified nurse.

Check out

NHS Jobs

These are all nhs jobs (you'd have to put in your chosen location) and you could apply for any band 5 positions as long as registration is in order x

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Thanks Ms. Jenne,

I am so excited, I could implode!

I have been in dialysis because no one would hire me elsewhere. Anyway, it is nice to know that I could expand. Thank you for responding and I will look at the website attached...

:)

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Specializes in ER.
Yeah, nurses are not paid as much in the UK; somethings are just more important than money.

You are right that the hourly rate is lower. I work both UK and US and have to work a 12 hour shift in the UK to earn what I get for an 8 hour shift in the US.

BUT . . .

in the UK we get 7 weeks PAID vacation.

PAID sick leave, (within reason)

PAID maternity and paternity leave

FREE healthcare.

Often there is sponsorship / secondment for training, at employers expense.

Although I work mostly in the US at the moment, I can't help feeling it was better in the UK.

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Moved to International Nursing for more response.

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Thank you Skylark,

Can you tell me more about sponsorship or training hospital that would be able to hire me. I would like to get there with a work permit. I was told that it takes 8-9 months to get registered with the NMC. HELP.....

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Specializes in ER.

I was UK trained, so I'm probably not the best person to ask about sponsorship.

Hospitals do sponsor foreign nurse through the Overseas Nurses Programme (ONP), and I think that its a part time course over several months, and that you work as a HCA (CNA in he US) for the duration of the course, paid at a band 3 (?)

I have known several hospitals that are slow processing the completion of the course, and its my guess that they do this in order to continue employing a RN and pay them as an HCA.

DO you know where in the UK you will be?

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Anywhere around London. I would like to be near there to work yet live on the outskirts. I would like to get more info. The program sounds like a new graduate program in the US.Those are really hard to come by here..

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

London and surrounding areas are very very expensive to live and you do get a bit extra a year for living in these areas but not always enough to live on. Before employers will even consider you they usually need to know that NMC registration is sorted and usually indicates on job advert whether they are willing to sponsor for work permit.

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Specializes in ER.

Here is where you start.

NMC requirements for overseas nurses, and a list of colleges offering the Overseas Nursing Programme.

Trained outside Europe | Nursing and Midwifery Council

If you want to check out apartment rental prices, go to gumtree, that's a good place to start, its a bit like craigslist.

Gumtree.com

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You ROCK!!!!

Thank you. I am thinking about the visa/ permit route; the class is pricey but I need to look around. Thanks again!

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