American RN with no experience moving to the UK

[h_bates23]

Hey all,

I am an American RN who just graduated with a BSN in May, and passed my NCLEX in June. My husband and I recently found out that we will be moving to England in a few weeks. I have discovered that I have to have a year of experience in order to gain registration with the NMC. As I don't have that, nor do I have time to get that, I am looking for alternative options. I have been in contact with the Head of Nurse Education with the Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust, who has asked me to find out if it is possible to work as a Band 2 nurse in order to gain experience and become a Band 5 nurse. Does anyone have any insight into this situation, or know of how I might be able to gain experience in the UK ro become a band 5 nurse?

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Nurses start at band 5 working as a care worker on band 2 will not result in nursing experience. You could try contacting NMC as discussing this with them re not able to obtain experience before you moved to the UK

[GrumpyRN, NP]

Worked with an American student who told me she was an RN in America - no reason to disbelieve her. She said she had to become a student again to get an NMC PIN number. May have been the best option for her but it is one option for OP. Sorry, do not have any details about student so please don't ask me any questions about her.

[gen88]

Unless you go back to university in the UK to study nursing, I'm not so sure you'll be able to register as an RN there. Because student/HCA jobs you might pick up won't count as RN experience.

[h_bates23]

That is what I figured. I have been in contact with someone from a university about the APL program, which appears to be able to bridge any gaps in experience or education. However, the university just put me in contact with the nurse educator with the Lincolnshire NHS trust, who wanted me to figure out if I was possible to work as a band 2 to get experience. I haven't heard back from him or the NMC yet, so I'm not quite sure where to go from here. An acquaintance of mine was in the same situation and volunteered the entire time she was there. That might be what I end up doing in order to keep myself marketable when I get back to the US.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I honestly can not see you being allowed to volunteer as a nurse without a PIN number and a band 2 will not give you nurse experience so I am not sure what they are trying to sell you

[Daisy2206]

Dear h_bates 23,

This is a difficult place to find yourself in...the NMC insist on 1 full year (or part time equivalent) consolidated experience as an RN in the country where you trained. This cannot be achieved in the UK unfortunately.

My suggestions would be:

* Contact a university which delivers the BSc in Nursing and ask them to APL (accredit your prior learning). This will reduce the required study and practice time to gain a UK BSc.

* In terms of the work that you can do, I would suggest an Assistant practitioner role. This is similar to what you will know as a LPN, but the role is not currently registered. This role will enable you to exercise much of your knowledge and skill gained in your nursing degree, under the indirect supervision of a Registered Practitioner. It may be worthwhile having NARIC assess your qualification for equivalency as employers rely on the NMC looking at the content of educational programmes and in this case they won't have done so.

Happy to advise if you have any further questions

[skylark, BSN, RN]

Is it possible for you to stay in the US for a year and gain experience?

That would seem the most sensible option, and many couple do the long distance thing in situation like this.

[TravelRNdreaming]

Is it possible for you to stay in the US for a year and gain experience?

That would seem the most sensible option, and many couple do the long distance thing in situation like this.

i was gonna say the same. A co-worker of mine met her hubby while she did a semester abroad in UK. She stayed here in Miami for a year and a half before moving to uk & testing there for a job.