Accelerated BSN - eligible to work in the UK?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 19, 2008

I think you will find a lot has to do with hours both theory and practical. I know in the overseas handbook it does state hours

yellowbox · Jul 14, 2009

I have been in touch with the NMC (nursing authority in the UK) - I just want to let those of you know who may also be researching this that at the moment the UK DOES NOT accept graduates of a BSN course. They consider the program too short. However, the people I spoke with say this may change in the future.

elkpark · Jul 15, 2009

There has been some previous discussion of this same question on other threads. The UK is not the only country that will accept traditional US BSNs, but won't accept accelerated BSNs because they don't involve enough time/hours.

yellowbox · Jul 15, 2009

Thank you for your reply. Do you know which other countries don't accept the accelerated degree? I was hoping to work in Australia, New Zealand, and maybe Canada at some point....

K+MgSO4, BSN · Aug 27, 2009

Australia is the same I had to show proof of clinical/theory hours when getting registered here. Good luck!

yellowbox · Nov 29, 2009

Hi All,

Just incase anybody ends up searching for info about this -- I now have the official answer from the UK. At the moment they will not accept RNs from accelerated degree programs. They did however mention that this may change in the future depending on nursing shortages.

Thanks

ayla2004, ASN, RN · Nov 30, 2009

It has been disscused before at present for most general nurisng jobs the UK donot have a shortage and may in fact have a glut of nurses the way the NHS is to be affected by goverment budget decisons in the near future.

The NMC registering non uk/eu trained nurses is based on treating those applicants similar to a uk/eu trained nurse which requires a total of 4600 hours spent in a nursing progam 50/50 theroy/practice.

We do have shortened programs for 2nd degree student theses are 2.5 years long and the first degree was a science . Or 2 years for student ina program leading to a foundation degree in healthcare which had a theory/practice mix. Both these exceptions to traditonal course lenghts have previous studies/practice examined and counted towards the require hours and any possible gaps adjusted both in theroy and in practice to that they met the registrion critea.

Its the practical hours that are the stubmling blocks from reading this site to cram all the academic side of nursing into one year and be ready to pass the nclex it just means you can't spend the equal time in practice.

elkpark · Nov 30, 2009

Its the practial hours that are the stubmling blocks from reading this site to cram all the academic side of nursing into one year and be ready to pass the nclex it jsut means you cant spend the equal time in practice.

Actually, the US accelerated BSN programs include the same minimum number of clinical hours as our traditional BSN or ADN programs -- otherwise, the state BONs wouldn't approve them or license their graduates. They just cram the (same number of) clinical hours into a shorter, more intense span of time.

I'm not offering any opinion about whether or not other countries should accept accelerated BSNs -- that's entirely up to them. I just wanted to clarify the misconception.

tryhard09 · Nov 30, 2009

Thanks for all of this information.

ayla2004, ASN, RN · Nov 30, 2009

Oh i didnt remeber the OP was a UK citizen so the visa isn't the problem.

yellowbox · Feb 8, 2010

I have been in touch with the NMC (nursing authority in the UK) - I just want to let those of you know who may also be researching this that at the moment the UK DOES NOT accept graduates of a BSN course. They consider the program too short. However, the people I spoke with say this may change in the future.

sorry I should have said "accelerated BSN course"...