RN from the USA seeking to move and work in the UK

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Hello! I am a nurse working in upstate NY, although I am originally from the greater metropolitan area of NY. I moved upstate when I was employed on a Surgical unit in a hospital. Now, after only 8 months of working here, I am worn out. I love my coworkers (for the most part) and I like the setting we live in, but it has gotten to be too much for me. Everything is too far (especially since I do not drive). So, my husband and I have been discussing where we would like to move, and we have come to the conclusion that we no longer want to reside in the U.S.

I recently came upon an agency called Continental Travelnurse which helps RN's go to various places in the UK. I'm not sure if that is the route that I will take, but I do know for sure that we want to move.

So the reason I am posting is to find out about nursing in the UK. Average salaries? Patient to nurse ratio? I am well aware that nurses are not seen in the same light in the UK as they are here in America - I've heard this many times and even encountered it when I was in my parent's homeland, Hungary. What would be the best route to take? I know living prices are high in London, but how are they in Edinburgh, Bristol, Oxford? How is The Royal Infirmary Edinburgh?

Any and all information is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you so much!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Do you have Hungarian citizenship? That may make things easier to live and work in the UK as it is part of the EU.

Things are tough in the UK for nurses in the same way tough in the US and the NMC requires a minimum of 1 year full time paid experience.

Ratio will vary from hospital to hospital and there has been a discussion here https://allnurses.com/nursing-united-kingdom/nurse-patient-ratio-832764.html

The cities you mention are expensive to live in especailly Edinburgh and London.

Pay scale starting point is band 5 on this scale Pay rates 2013/14 - RCN

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No I do not have Hungarian citizenship, although I would definitely be able to get it if necessary. I know London and Edinburgh are expensive, but what about Bristol or Oxford?

I will have a year of full time work under my belt in November.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.
No I do not have Hungarian citizenship, although I would definitely be able to get it if necessary. I know London and Edinburgh are expensive, but what about Bristol or Oxford?

I will have a year of full time work under my belt in November.

Oxford is very expensive, Bristol not so but still pricey because it's a city. How about looking at some of the rural areas, well be less expense cost of living.

Jobs market isn't great on the UK at the moment, unless have UK or European citizenship your going to struggle to get a Work visa.

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I was thinking of going over as a travel nurse at first and then doing my visa and such while there. Maybe I will try to gain Hungarian citizenship so that it won't be a bigger issue than it needs to be. The only problem then will be my husband.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I think as a spouse your husband can work if a member of the EU. Best check with someone who has experience in this area. May be something on the UK borders website

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.
I was thinking of going over as a travel nurse at first and then doing my visa and such while there. Maybe I will try to gain Hungarian citizenship so that it won't be a bigger issue than it needs to be. The only problem then will be my husband.

Even as a travel nurse you will need a work visa, and will be subject to the immigration law of the UK.

You'll need to register with the NMC and undertake a overseas nursing program as part of that registration. You will also need to sit the ILETS exam.

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Oh yes, I am well aware of those things as well XB9S. There is a agency that will help me with all of that.

How about Poole? Brighton? Cambridge? Gloucestershire? Weston-super-Mare?

Unfortunately my husband is not an EU national and really has no ties to Europe except from a great distance, since his great great grandparents were from England. This will be the difficult part, but nothing is impossible!

Sometimes I feel as though people are trying to discourage me from going...I'm not sure if this is true, but it seems like it.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

It is not true we are trying to discouragebut making sure you are informed. Like I said check the UK borders website as I am sure if you get your Hungarian citizenship sorted your husband can work. Having a passport from a country within the EU means you do not need a work permit.

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Specializes in NICU.

If you get Hungarian citizenship, you and your husband can move to the UK very quickly and he would have the right to work there, under an EEA family permit, which is free. He'll be able to work for whomever will hire him, except national security and some government jobs, as I understand it.

Pay rates for nursing is pretty low and you can find the salary rates here for NHS hospitals:

Agenda for change - pay rates - NHS Careers

Nurses are paid at band 5 unless they are APNs or other special roles. I believe the "points" you get are based on your experience, but I don't know if they count foreign experience or not. You get a differential if you live in the London area, which is listed on the bottom of the page.

But as you can see, nurses are paid very little. I'd be taking a 50% pay cut to work as a nurse there. I got my license last year and I don't know if we'll ever move over there, but I wanted the option as my husband is a natural born British citizen and it'd be nice for his parents to see grandkids (that currently don't exist lol) more easily at least for a few years.

Keep us posted on how things go; your info could help others! Plus I haven't read any experiences here on allnurses.com about American/Canadian nurses who actually started working once they got their license. I'm very curious!

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.
Oh yes, I am well aware of those things as well XB9S. There is a agency that will help me with all of that.

How about Poole? Brighton? Cambridge? Gloucestershire? Weston-super-Mare?

Unfortunately my husband is not an EU national and really has no ties to Europe except from a great distance, since his great great grandparents were from England. This will be the difficult part, but nothing is impossible!

Sometimes I feel as though people are trying to discourage me from going...I'm not sure if this is true, but it seems like it.

Not trying to discourage just giving you the facts

Gloucester is lovely, depending on which area reasonable cost of living,

The other locations again not as expensive as London but it will depend in which area you look at.

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The pay cut would definitely be problematic, although I am making $40,000/year which is significantly less than what I should be making in New York. Money isn't much of an issue for us, my husband and I do want to be able to live well but at the price of staying in the U.S...not really. Something has always draw me to the UK as well as my husband, and we figure before we have any children or settle in any one area, this would be a spectacular experience. I'm sorry for saying everyone is trying to discourage us...I have not been in a great mindset lately and my worries are getting the better of me.

I have a few friends in the UK, maybe I will enlist their help as well as to what I have to do. And I will definitely get my Hungarian citizenship - that one will be far easier since my mother and father are alive and nationals, as well as my grandmother who still lives there.

Any more information would be greatly appreciated! :nurse:

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