Canada to Scotland...staff or bank nurse??

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Hi everyone!

I am wondering if anyone can help me out here. Hopefully around this time next year I will be on my way to my new life in Scotland. I am a RN working on a medical floor in BC, Canada. I have dual citizenship and understand the overseas process to register and work in the UK. However I am wondering about RN job vacancies within the NHS. I have reviewed their vacancies but have heard many times that nursing jobs are hard to get in the UK...is this true? I would be considered a Band 5 (new grad). Are there any other websites that anyone can give that list RN job vacancies outside the NHS? Are these "outside" jobs on a lower pay rate? Also what is the difference between a "staff nurse" and "bank nurse?" ...staff nurse being a position on a certain ward, given a set of hours and a bank nurse being on call for a certain floor(s)??? I'm unsure!?!

Thanks for your help!:D

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A bank staff nurse is like per diem. You work when it suits you. You might find you have to be in full time employment for 6 months before you can bank. Check out different trusts, as they may be different.

Check out the link for jobs in Scotland.

Good luck

http://www.jobs.scot.nhs.uk/version2/byRegion.aspx

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Thanks for your reply! I have been looking at the jobs available on that web link you provided. It's hard to imagine that nursing jobs are hard to come by when you see the openings. Is it harder to find a job as a new graduate?

Thanks again!

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Carluke it will depend on where you want to work, in my area jobs are very scarce and our new grads struggle to find work. We have recently had some ward closures and have staff then need to be redeployed so there is a jobs freeze until places can be found for exsisting staff.

There are some areas that do need qualified nurses, you will be competing with UK qualfied new grads, the private sector would advertise in newspapers and jobs centres rather than on the website.

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I dont necessary think its harder to find a job as a new grad in my trust. It depends on where you are looking to work, and you need to be realistic with your experience. Do you know where you will be living to narrow down your search?

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Thank you for your reply pami75! I want to get at least 1 year experience before I move over, I'm currently working on a medical ward (stroke - peritoneal dialysis - ARF - alcohol withdrawl and everything in between!). I would be living in Lanarkshire. Also what do you mean by "trust?" I'm not sure if that is the same sort of thing here in BC where we have a "health authority" for different areas of the province.

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In the UK if you work for the NHS it is broken down into health authorities called "trusts" which cover different areas. If living in Lanarkshire the trust is NHS Lanarkshire. The biggest hospital being Hairmyers.

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Thank you for the information. I'll probably have more questions as the time goes on!

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