Italian nurses

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Any Italian nurses reading this forum?

Would like to know what the general pay/benefits are in Italy

Is it better there, do not see any italian nurses trying to come to the USA

I am a German nurse and I applied for a NY License one year ago. Because the process has taken such a long time and the job opportunities for nurses are very bad in Germany my husband and I moved to Italy in July. The salary is higher than in Germany, the working conditions are better (we live in the north of Italy). I as well think that the biggest problem of Italian nurses is the language. Italian people mostly don`t speak English and they even don`t want to learn it.

I agree. It's not that Italians are not smart enough to learn English, they just don't bother learning it. I know that English is the universal language but not many people prefer it. Many people in Europe love love the italian language and many people understand it. Not everybody wants to come to US, not because they hate but because they don't want to leave their country, business, family, friends etc.

Hello Everyone!

I just found this thread and I have a question for all of you. I was born and raised in Italy and I have been living in NYC for the past 12 years. I am currently a nursing student at NYU and I'm getting a little tired and frustrated to pay so much money for education! I really miss the fact that in Italy we have great university free of charge (you just pay taxes) so after searching different programs over the internet, I found a very good one at the University of Bologna. So now I'm thinking of transferring there and save some $$$. The reason is that when I will be completely done at NYU I will owe almost $100K in student loans!!!!

I wanted to ask you if any of you did this and how is the job market for someone who graduated outside the US. There is no doubt that I will come back to NYC as soon as I'm done. I'm married to an American and we have 2 small children. I'm not scared so much about the exam but more about the job overlook for foreign graduates. I speak fluent Italian, English, French and Spanish therefore language is definitely not a barrier for me!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Grazie e per favore fatemi sapere se siete Italiane e lavorate negli USA.

Kika

Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
Hello Everyone!

I just found this thread and I have a question for all of you. I was born and raised in Italy and I have been living in NYC for the past 12 years. I am currently a nursing student at NYU and I'm getting a little tired and frustrated to pay so much money for education! I really miss the fact that in Italy we have great university free of charge (you just pay taxes) so after searching different programs over the internet, I found a very good one at the University of Bologna. So now I'm thinking of transferring there and save some $$$. The reason is that when I will be completely done at NYU I will owe almost $100K in student loans!!!!

I wanted to ask you if any of you did this and how is the job market for someone who graduated outside the US. There is no doubt that I will come back to NYC as soon as I'm done. I'm married to an American and we have 2 small children. I'm not scared so much about the exam but more about the job overlook for foreign graduates. I speak fluent Italian, English, French and Spanish therefore language is definitely not a barrier for me!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Grazie e per favore fatemi sapere se siete Italiane e lavorate negli USA.

Kika

Wow your English is very good.

We have some nurses from European countries here in Australia and often their English is so-so.

I would think with your genuine fluency in English plus the other languages you will have a lot of opportunity ahead of you.

What about repatriation companies? They employ multi-lingual nurses

Hi Pedicurn,

Thank you for your reply. No I didn't know about this type of agencies but I will certainly look into it.

Best,

Kika

Hi there!

I'm an Italian nursing student and a EMT-A.

I don't know why the Italian people (nurses) don't "move" to USA or rest of the world.

Here we have Nurses university since 1999, before they just had a "regional or professional school".

Pur salary is too bad,we know...but we have a big issues with the english...So, italian nurse is scaried by other languages!

Personally,next year,I'll would like to move to Australia and work there,I hope....

I have worked with quite a few Italian nurses over the years. The biggest issue is language requirements, that is why you do not see too many trying to come over here. And it is also much harder for a foreign nurse to work there, as they would need to be fluent in Italian and be able to pass a language exam, as well as the Italian nursing boards.

Actually that is true after being in Italy twice many people do not want to speak English despite learning it in school and will turn their back and will not even look at you if you do not speak Italian. I spent 3 days my first time In Rome alone and I never felt so alone. I wanted to cry. Northern Italy is different but still many people are proud and do not wish to even attempt to communicate with you. It's more pride than anything. But it wasn't very welcoming to a person who saved up a bunch of money to not feel welcomed at all and snubbed. Yes I agree I'm in another country but when you go to other places in Europe you can meet half way and people speak English knowing their jobs depend on people on holiday.

Actually that is true after being in Italy twice many people do not want to speak English despite learning it in school and will turn their back and will not even look at you if you do not speak Italian. I spent 3 days my first time In Rome alone and I never felt so alone. I wanted to cry. Northern Italy is different but still many people are proud and do not wish to even attempt to communicate with you. It's more pride than anything. But it wasn't very welcoming to a person who saved up a bunch of money to not feel welcomed at all and snubbed. Yes I agree I'm in another country but when you go to other places in Europe you can meet half way and people speak English knowing their jobs depend on people on holiday. It's unrealistic to think Americans are going to be completely fluent in Italian when on holiday. First time in Italy I didn't want to go back.

Hey all,

I am an Italian Nurse currently working in London... I graduated from the old "Scuola Infermieri Professionali" just a couple of years before those type of programs were made redundant and the University Diploma started.

A dream of mine was to come and work in the US as a cardiac nurse (I worked in cardiology/ccu for over 10 years) but the biggest wall to climb was licensure. Yep, getting my italian school (now closed) to write a statement about my clinical/theory hours has proved to be impossible! So, sadly my biggest challenge has been... bureaucracy, not the language!

I have to admit, every single person I know from my hometown of Verona does not speak fluent English, a few word at the most! Italians are usually friendly people but if they don't understand you, it's hard to judge them!

On nursing in Italy:

1- Salary is not that good! As someone else already mentioned cost of living vs salary is rubbish! a rent in central Verona for a single bedroom flat averages 1000 euros if not more and the salary of a newly qualified nurse is take home approx 1600-1800 euros! So with 600-800 euros you have to pay: gas (heating), electricity, water, council taxes, car payments, parking, telephone, cell phone, and petrol. Oh I forgot! you gotta eat to! so... Not recommended you go to work in Italy!

2- Career: After you graduate in nursing you can now do a post graduate MSc and become a ward manager or specialised nurse, and it does not mean more money! So why the heck would you wanna do it!

3- A profession: we all know how hard it was to pass nursing school, work and study at the same time... well people (general public) still have one concept; you obey the doctor's order and that's as far as you are allowed to go! And the medical team is ensuring that is what happens! I left Italy because I was frustrated of being unable to use my knowledge and despite confronting several of the medical team decisions I was put aside! Hence why I work as a Nurse Practitioner and have completed the MSc program in the UK. I am finally independent in my decision making and I take full account for my clinical decisions!

I have to say, lifestyle in Italy is comparable to none! Reason why I have not given up my citizenship so that I will retire in Italy and live: "La dolce vita"! not to be confused with "la dolcevita" which is a turtleneck shirt!

I hope this long blubbering was helpful to someone!

I keep dreaming of the land of liberty... shame it's only a dream!

Best of luck to you all

Anton ;P

Hi Anton,

probably I'm very late in texting you, but I'm in serch for few tips, too.

I'm italian too, working in London too!!

Looking for any suggestions or advice for getting the licence and working in the US.

I work in a cardio thoracic ICU, and I would like to know if it's also possible to get universitary specialization in the US. I would be interested in becoming an anesthetic nurse in there, but still need to understand the all process (let's say burocracy problems...) in order to obtain my goals.

Any italian thatcan give me some advice?

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