Advice for British nurse wishing to emigrate.

[gavspad]

I am currently serving in the bristish forces as a nursing officer. After 17 yrs service i am looking at retiring before the end of this year, and my family and I are looking to emigrate.

My ideal role would be as a flight nurse and I have gained various qualifications to aid in this career path, but I am unsure if they meet the requirements overseas. I have laid out below a brief history of quals and experience, and would appreciate your time in looking at them and advising me on what else you would require to consider recruitment in the future.

Quals in last 7 years.

Bsc (Hons) First Class - Specialist Practice - Emergency Care

Diploma Higher Education Registered Nurse (Adult)

Independant Prescriber (NMC Certified)

Advanced Diploma Emergency & Acute care

Critical Care Transfer Module (Bsc Level)

Mentorship Quals & Business Leadership Quals

Battlefield ATLS (Faculty Instructor for HM Forces)

Defence medical Services Diploma in Immediate care

Member Royal college of Surgeons Faculty of Pre-hospital Care

Experience

HM Forces Nursing Officer - I/C Emergency Departments in field hospitals in Basra, Iraq & Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Light Role medical support to Royal Marines since 1993 including support to 40 commando royal marines for entry op in Iraq 2003.

Medical Support and training to Inshore Rescue boat service

Clinical shifts on London HEMS, Royal London Hosp, London, England

Since 1995 working in various civilian ED's whilst not deployed (no military hospitals left over here!!!)

2003 - 2005 Emergency Nurse England (throughput of 130,000 pts a year)

2005 - 2009 Emergency Nurse Practitioner/ Training Officer - (when not on operational service)

Current post - Staff Officer, Medical Command, England.

As you can see I have tried to focus my qualifications on the acute pre-hospital care of pt's with the critical care elements included for transfers. Due to the promotion pathway within my service I see myself moving into staff jobs which give me little clinical time. As a nurse who has worked hard over the years to gain practitioning and prescribing status I do not wish to throw that away to run a desk for the rest of my career.

If there is any course that you think would help me find employment in the future I would be gratefull for your advice. Also if you have any recruitment material regards your flight nurse roles I would again be gratefull if you could email to me.

I understand it is a strange request from a long way away, but i hope you can find time to consider my requests.

[GilaRRT]

No worries mate; unfortunately; aeromedicine is a mess in the United States and many companies are starting to tighten the belt and trim the fat so to speak. You may be hard pressed to find a company that will sponsor your visa.

You may want to consider looking at having a well established hospital sponsor you. Then, you can transition into flight after you are sorted.

[gavspad]

It's a shame GilaRN if the situation is as explained. I was hoping to make a big jump when i left the forces, and have the support of my family. I would not like to transfer to a system that could be potentially disorganised. I am happy with the autonomy my current roles give me, and want to keep my autonomy not end up back in a large department worrying about targets all the time and forgetting the pt. In the UK there are emergency care practitioners that respond in Rapid Response vehicle to cat A calls, and see and treat patients in their own homes when not responding to emergencies. If i stay in the uk this is the job i have been offered, but i really have a buzz for aeromed after the hems work i have done, but if there is no specific career path i can't take the risk with a family. Many thanks for your time and honest response.

[GilaRRT]

Yeah, with all the focus on many of our problems occurring even at the public level and a less than ideal economy, the industry is looking to be rather violate. If you are serious, I think you could look at working for a large centre that supports a flight program. Or, you could work for a relatively stable hospital and transition into a flight program after you establish permanent residency (green card).

Another option would be to look at another commonwealth country such as Canada. I suspect immigration would be a bit easier? Not to bash my own country; however, countries such as Canada and Australia have much to offer IMHO.

Good luck.

[nightmare, RN]

Moved to International for more input on emigration.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Which ever country you are looking to you wil need to meet their requirements for N and in some cases like the US and Canada take their exams and pass. Regarding jobs then currently the US will be hard as retrogression has been in effect since Oct 2006 and still ongoing. Anywhere else then will depend on what is available and would be a case of contacting and networking