UK nurse relocating to USA, is it worth it?!!

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Hi im a UK a and e nurse and have just started the emigration process to the US, Im really disheartened at how difficult it is and the hoops we appear to have to jump through!! ive just learnt that I have to sit an exam to see if im eligible to sit an exam!! the NCLEX, ive also found that although my lack of Mental Health clinical placement during my P2000 training was never an issue in the UK, it may be in the US, and all this before I even start the Green Card process and job applications :cry: no disrespect to the US, I understand that they must be sure we are suitable before employing us, but my friend has just applied to Australia and has had no issues at all!! I would love to hear from any UK nurse who is in the process at the moment or who has already moved to the US just to reasure me that it will be worth it!! and there is light at the end of what appears to be a very long dark tunnel xx

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi, I'm a UK nurse. I have lived in the USA for 7 yrs and worked here as a nurse for 2 1/2yrs. I graduated in 1982, one of the first intakes to study the nursing process, so fortunately I covered the requirements for mental health, peds, maternity etc. I can't see why you wouldn't have sufficent hrs of mental health since I did and you trained after me. It took a year for the California Board of Nursing to secure the transcripts of my nursing education. I trained at a College of Nursing attached to my hospital. The college is now obsolete but they still managed to get my transcripts. I then received the ATT, paid my money and had a yr to take the test. Unfortunately I had a bereavement and had to spend some time in the UK and when I checked on my status I found I only had 4 weeks left to take the test! Bought the best book around - Saunders NCLEX Review, stuck the disk in the computer and just answered questions every free moment I had. I passed in 75 questions and that was with an 18yr gap from nursing. If I can do it you certainly can!

You can apply for a working visa, submit all the paperwork for a greencard, and just keep renewing the visa until your greencard arrives. Ours took 3 yrs.

Schooling depends on the area. Whenever I move I always find the good schools first and then the hospital. Good website is greatschools.net I have 2 kids in a good college( very expensive) and a son about to enter high school. If your kids are good students they should do well in high school but you need to keep an eye on their grades as its easy to let things slip. The high schools are large and you won't know if your child is failing until you get the grade report. just keep your finger on the pulse. I love the 4yr college system here. Both my girls are at a great college and are getting a really good education with the opportunity to study abroad as well.

A heads up, nursing is well paid here but very frenetic and tough and stressful. You really earn your money. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Lots of things have changed since you came over. The main visa available for nurses is the GC and currently with the US under retrogression there is a long wait. There is no way that you can come to the US and expect to file there are no visas. Also a lot of UK training is more specialised and we have seen a few UK nurses post that they are short of hours or no hours at all in some areas.

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Training in the UK has changed considerably since you graduated. The programs are now 36 months with 18 months spent in general and then 18 months in the specialty; so not all are meeting the hours for the training that both the US and Canada require.

We also do not have working visas available any longer, and for the few that are around, they require that one has already passed the NCLEX exam and have a Visa Screen Certificate in hand, but they are extremely hard to get. And they also require the four year BSN for a start. The three year programs that they have in the UK now do not meet the requirements for any of these temporary visas any longer.

We have not been using the H1-B visa routinely for about four years since the green cards were fast-tracked.

The US is also under a retrogression, so there are no green cards being issued at this time.

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Specializes in Emergency Care.

Thanks jongag, thats certainly given me something to think about, i really want to move to the USA but im not sure my kids will still be as keen in 4 years!! as they will be 17 and 15. Glad it worked out for you and thanks for the book tip, im going to order from Amazon now x

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To bad you can't just do a trade...For each UK nurse that wants to come to the US, they need to find a USA nurse who wants to go to the UK.

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Hi AandE angel,

Just wanted to encourage you and not give up on your dreams.

It took me approx 14 months before I sat the NCLEX.

The most difficult part was actually getting to sit the exam for my CGFNS. That alone is another story and one I won't go into suffice to say I am glad I hung in there, even if it was traumatic and a lot of tears that flowed. It does get frustrating let me tell you.

Throughout the whole process I thought the NCLEX was the easiest LOL

Have been working in Hospice since receiving my RN here in the USA and absolutely love it.

Have you any ideas which part of the USA you would like to live and work?

Hope you are doing well in all of this. :yeah:

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To bad you can't just do a trade...For each UK nurse that wants to come to the US, they need to find a USA nurse who wants to go to the UK.

My son went to school in York, PA and they had a 1:1 agreement with York

St John, of course it was only college but that process worked well for years.

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I actually met a UK nurse on my orientation today. I only got to ask her how she got the job and she said she did a phone interview. My hospital gives the H1-c visa but tell you the truth, i don't think they do it too often. i know someone who was hired in february and started in april/may and this lady is just starting so i'm assuming she was probably hired recently cuz she just came into the country 2 weeks ago.

It really is hard to get visas these days and i know some people who sought the visa through the hospital weren't hired. i'm not sure if they give one every quarter or what...I really don't know their inclusion criteria but they sur don't give that h1-c to everyone. She'll be working on my unit so i figured i'll ask her about the H1-c once we hit the floor cuz i know someone who needs one.

If i find out any info about it, i'll let you know. There are a couple h1-c nurses on my floor but don't expect me to get the info anytime soon, i'm usually nozy but i'll have to settle in b4 asking stupid questions.

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Specializes in Emergency Care.

Hi proverb, thanks for the help, thats a bit of good news anyway, where abouts is your hospital? just interested, how much orientation time do new nurses get? does this differ from area to area? what floor are you working on- sorry about the questions, guess im a bit nosy too!! take care x

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Be aware though that the H1c visa expires in 2010 with no idea on it being granted again. Only I think 14 hospitals have the status and can use them

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Actually, scratch that.

I know most hospitals weren't offering them anymore and mercy was the only offering them but i just found out today that they have stopped the H1-c. The girl who's on it said the HR person told her yesterday that they aren't doing it anymore. Yeah, and i also found out it's a different office that recruits foreign nurses. I have to get some info from them for someone so i'll have to find out how to get to their office cuz it's in a different building.

I'm in orientation for the rest of this week and next week so i'll probably go talk to them next week or maybe tomorrow - I have to go get a booster in that same building so i may stop by if i have time.

If i find something else out i'll let y'all know but the news i heard today was they've stopped. I also heard there's a 500 person quota for the h1-c. I heard that from the filipino nurse and i think that's true but i'll verify it and if there's anything different, i'll come post so y'all will know.

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Specializes in ITU, Surg, District & School Nurse.

Hi A&E angel, I was worse case scenario as far as CES is concerned, I don't have transcripts as I trained in the 'old days' at a school of nursing not uni, too long ago for archives and had an absolute nightmare with CGFNS 'forgetting' to review my case and then to top it all my report wasn't good enough for BoN!!! Luckily the BoN reviewed my case on individual merit and awarded me ATT. I started CES March 2007 and sat my NCLEX on Thursday- 17 months total. The CGFNS now close your case if it is not complete in a year, which horrified me at first when they changed to this policy but to be honest it is probably ensures they complete the review rather than just letting it sit on a desk for months gathering dust...as happened to me! If you have any probs with transcripts then ask the NMC for a personalised copy of the EU directive outlining training hours requirements to practise as a RGN in the UK, it will list the hours in every speciality that you had to complete in order to register.

:tinkbll:That piece of paper was my saving grace!!

I also have children currently aged 17, 15 & 8 and all I can say is hold on tight it is one bumpy rollercoaster ride emigrating with teens :lol_hitti

Oh and as for my NCLEX 40 mins and 75 Q's ....I passed......time to celebrate yeahhhhhhhh*wine

Now to start filing for GC & go join the next queue!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Oh and as for my NCLEX 40 mins and 75 Q's ....I passed......time to celebrate yeahhhhhhhh*wine

Now to start filing for GC & go join the next queue!

:ancong!: now you can :onbch: whilst waiting for the next instalment :D

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