American trained RN

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Hi there, I'll be soon graduating from a ADN program in the United States on May 2010. I'll also be able to obtain 2000 plus hours of work experience via OPT in America if I can get a job here. I was wondering if the NMC would accept my American credentials when I return to the UK. I hope that they will as I do feel that I will have the knowledge that is required to be an RN in the UK. Also, if they do not accept my credentials, how long would I need to go to college in Britain for to get what I need to work there. I do know that I would need to attend a ONP course, and would be required to take an "English exam" for some reason. I'm a British citizen, so I don't have any visa problems.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

You will need to take a look at the NMC requirements for overseas nurses. I don't think they accept the ADN but take a look your course will need to have met thier specific requirements.

http://Www.nmc-uk.org

if they don't then the only way to work as a nurse here is to undertake the UK training which is 3 years. Unless you can do the equivelent in the US to meet the requirements

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I was looking at the NMC website, and it mentioned that a foreign trained RN needs a minimum of 2000 hours of work experience in addition to their degree. I can work for one year after I graduate so I would have at least 2000 hours experience. However it did say that the UK degree is 3 years. American ADN is 2 years, but when you include the pre-reqs, and additional classes, it's more like a 3 year degree. There's no way I would start college from scratch back in the UK. I'll need to write to the NMC to find out for sure.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

I have a feelin the NMC doesn't accept the 2 year ADN as sufficient to meet the requirements.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

All goes on what your transcripts will state, hours of theory and clinical I doubt pre requisites are included on transcripts

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Thanks there, Pre-reqs are included in the final transcript and are part of the degree. I'll need to look into it more as my ADN degree is really like a 3 year degree as I will have over 80 credits of college level courses. Does the UK diploma include A&P, micro, nutrition, chemistry, psychology etc, as I had to take them, along with them over courses, prior to begining the RN program. I hope I would be able to get my BSN, and some extra work experience, before I move to the UK, but it might not be possible. I wouldn't be able to go back to college in the UK to start over with nursing school as I need to make money, and I will be too exhausted from nursing school here. I hope the NMC/NHS would accept my US training, and it would help them also as they won't be paying 50k or more to get me through school.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Thanks there, Pre-reqs are included in the final transcript and are part of the degree. I'll need to look into it more as my ADN degree is really like a 3 year degree as I will have over 80 credits of college level courses. Does the UK diploma include A&P, micro, nutrition, chemistry, psychology etc, as I had to take them, along with them over courses, prior to begining the RN program. I hope I would be able to get my BSN, and some extra work experience, before I move to the UK, but it might not be possible. I wouldn't be able to go back to college in the UK to start over with nursing school as I need to make money, and I will be too exhausted from nursing school here. I hope the NMC/NHS would accept my US training, and it would help them also as they won't be paying 50k or more to get me through school.

The only way to find out is with the NMC and whether they accept your application and transcripts. Each university has different requirements but they do not have the same prerequisites that the US have. Most just say

* 5 GCSEs at C grade or above to include English, Maths and preferably a science subject.

* NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care.

* Access Course that includes GCSE English and Maths at grade C or above, or equivalent.

* Other qualifications that we consider equivalent to those set out above.

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Hi,

I was actually reading the requirements for nursing registration on the NMC website. I read it tonight. They are asking for a three year degree. I think your best bet would be to do an RN to BSN course after graduation or OPT.

I am a British citizen as well starting nursing school this Jan and this is what I intend to do if I can't get a job after graduation incase I need to return to the UK.

Hope this helps

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Hi there,

Thanks for the info. I read also that the NMC required a 3 year degree, but I was thinking that the 2000+ hours of OPT that I would be able to complete would be taken into consideration also as I would be more prepared to work as a nurse back home in the UK than a new grad. I'll try to get my BSN after my ADN, and OPT, but it might not be possible as it costs a lot of money. Anyway, I hope I can stay in the States as the pay is a lot higher than the UK, but I just need to wait and see. Hope you do well in your studies, and it's nice to see another British person studying nursing in America.

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Hi,

Yes I know it's so expensive to get a BSN so hopefully during OPT we will try to scrimp and save.When do you finish your nursing program?

Unfortunately British citizens are not eligible for the DV visa lottery unless you can claim through your parents if they were born in a qualifying country or if you were born in a qualifying country that's another option.

Anyway, I definitely prefer to work here, starting salary in England is £20,700.00 or something like that, that is not a lot of money after taxes and NI.

Lets just hope for the best.

Cheers

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Hi there, I finish my program this May coming, and I hope to start my OPT on July after I pass my NCLEX. After I complete my OPT, I'm hoping that I will be able to stay here, or I might try Canada, but I think they require a BSN to practice there. I'll try and do what I can to get my BSN in the States, but it's an additional 18 months, and will cost at least $30k for tuition alone. I hope I can save some cash during my OPT, and maybe qualify for some sort of scholarships and student loans.

I know that we can't qualify for the green card DV as we are from the UK, and that doesn't help us too much either. Also, I wish the money was better in the UK for nurses. I don't understand why it is so low. New grad RNs in the part of the States where I am can start off at the equivalent of 27,000 gbp/year, and I know that in parts of California, a new grad would make more than twice as much as a British new grad. I don't think it's fair what they pay RNs in the UK. I hope I don't need to go back for a while.

All the best with nursing school, and keep in touch.

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