Anyone willing to provide me with some basic info on nursing in the UK?

allnurses Guide · Feb 4, 2008

I am doing some research on nursing in the UK would really appreciate if someone could take the time to answer some of my questions. I'd just prefer to talk to someone who has actually experienced working there.
Below are some questions I have.
1. Where do you find info. on a career in nursing? Is it more word of mouth through family and friends, or do the schools and websites promote it?
2. What types of nursing degrees in UK? Brief description of differences.
3. What are some of the best nursing schools in the UK?
4. Do they have financial aid or is it free?
5. What is it like working in a NHS facility vs a private facility?
6. Any other overall information on what it is like to work as a nurse in the UK. Much appreciated!

Hi Vesperk, firstly welcome to the site.

In answer to your questions I do think that as a non UK / European national you will find it quite difficult

1. You can find out information about nursing degrees via university websites and more general information about nursing via the nursing and midwifery website http://www.nmc-uk.org or the Royal college of nursing http://www.rcn.org.uk/nursing/becomenurse

2. Most universities will offer a degree program (again this is described in the RCN website) Once qualified there are further education options such as MSc or other specialised courses.

3. Not sure about best universities it would depend on where you wanted to work and I have only limited expereince within Wales

4. Funding is going to be difficult as an overseas student you are probably going to have to be quite high tuition fees and there is quite a waiting list for nurse training and I am unsure how likely they will be to consider you as a potential student. As a UK national there is a bursary, again details of this can be found on the RCN website.

5. The NHS is hard work and under great pressure at the moment with few jobs some areas do have some difficult working conditions. Can't speak about private as I have never worked in a private hospital.

Hope this has been of some help

nightmare, RN · Feb 4, 2008

I can only speak about private nursing homes.The pay for RN's is not as much as NHS generally,but there are probably exceptions.I can only talk about the company I work for in that there are no benifits,pensions etc.The staffing ratio is kept at the minimum requirement.There are chances to do courses if you so wish and we do SVQ training for carers.There is probably more chance of you getting a job in a nursing home than in the NHS at the moment.

RGN1 · Feb 5, 2008

As the rest of your questions have been well answered I just thought i'd add in more about the private hospital sector - where I work.

The pay is often a little less than the NHS but you tend to be better supported as far as training & general working environment go. I work on a very busy med/surg ward & that's another difference - rather than patients all being one speciality you get a real mix. we do everything from IVF to cosmetics, orthopaedics to gynae plus medical patietns in-between - most commonly renal colic, pyelonephritis type things.

We also have chemotherapy patients.

It's fast-paced & we have a great team - yes we moan at times & you can have the odd horrendous shift (or patient ) but I wouldn't go back to what I experienced in the NHS if you paid me double!!

vesperk · Feb 5, 2008

You said you wouldn't go back to working in public hospital if someone paid you. Can you explain a bit further? I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

vesperk · Feb 5, 2008

First off, thank you! It has been helpful. One other question, why is the NHS under great pressure at the moment? You said experiencing difficult working conditions. Could you explain a bit further?

RGN1 · Feb 5, 2008

You said you wouldn't go back to working in public hospital if someone paid you. Can you explain a bit further? I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

In the NHS hospital I worked we had too few nurses for the workload - not uncommon for me to have responsibility for 16 patients - all acute medical with only a health care assistant or 2 to help. It was streesful & unsafe - when you bear in mind how ill they were - CVP's end stage liver/renals/cancer etc.

Also it was hard to get even mandatory study days -anything else & you have to pay yourself. Now I don't fight for any training - mandatory or otherwise.

This was just what happened to me - some places are no doubt better - but not many these days I don't think.

RGN1 · Feb 5, 2008

First off, thank you! It has been helpful. One other question, why is the NHS under great pressure at the moment? You said experiencing difficult working conditions. Could you explain a bit further?

Too many Chiefs & not enough Indians, in a nutshell.

Also there are too many people taking from the system without putting in. In a tax-based health service you need the majority of users paying their taxes in but with the huge influx of immigrants, assylum seekers & our own brand of benefit malingerers more is being taken out than is being paid in.

Add to that the fact that it is soooo badly managed that tons of money is being thrown away everyday on glossy publicity brochures, management junketing, poor cost checking of suppliers, poor prescribing of drugs etc etc etc etc - I really could go on forever!!:angryfire

vesperk · Feb 6, 2008

Thank you again! This is valuable information for me and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Have a good one.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 17, 2008

Since second thread started on same topic by op, will close this thread. Merging them will throw it out of context for some of the posts.

Thanks for your understanding on this.