continental travel nurse

MuppetAus · Feb 20, 2012

I have been in discussions with this agency as well.

I would love to hear some feedback about them too. There is a bit of the 'sounds to good to be true' feeling about them.

I am looking at them because at present they are one of the few agencies that will sponsor me to work in the UK.

sarena33 · Feb 21, 2012

I've been in contact with them for a few months now and so far they are great. They're doing everything they can to assist me in the registration process for the NMC. I haven't been able to talk to anyone who has actually traveled and worked for them, but they do have a facebook and have many "friends" who I'm sure I could message one day and get some info on how things went for them once they made the move over. just search Continental Travelnurse.

ZeNursebro · Mar 2, 2012

I have a close friend (RN-BSN) who worked with this company. He said it was a great experience to work in another country and be embedded in the new life style. I am not sure where you are from, but my friend had a difficult time trying to pay for his condo and car payments because he was not making as much as in the US. He went from avg Texas pay ($35.00/hr) to $17.00/hr in England. So it would be wise to take that into consideration. Btw, you have to room in a flat with 3 other people, nurse as well, at a price of roughly 450 dollars a month, or rent a place by yourself with a 250 dollar a month bonus to cover living. What my friend did was for fill a 13 week contract and apply with a local traveling agency to get a pay near what he made in the states.

hilife_RN · Mar 7, 2012

Nurse Randy, I noticed your posting was from March 2011? Just curious, so did you end up working with continental travel nurse? If so, how was your experience? What about you muppetaus and sarena33? I started talking to them last week. We'll see how it goes. Did they talk about allowance, pay rates and, travel money? The cost of living in the UK is high; I just hope I can manage financially.

ericjameshealth · Mar 21, 2012

Hey would you be able to give me some more info about the continental travel nurse? i did not know you had to room with 3 other people :/. i also heard something about a 6month orientation, or something in the lines of you not being able to work on your own for 6months in the uk as a nurse :/

wasabirush · Mar 22, 2012

I went with Travel Continental because a girl I worked with was with the the entire time she was living in London. Because they do 3 month placements, you're not tossed around different hospitals (in case that's not your thing!). I haven't started working yet, just started the ONP course yesterday, but Travel Continental have been really efficient in helping setting me up. I went by their office the other week, which seems like a busy, noisy place :)

if you contact them, they'll send you a massive email with all the details.

The 250-300 (3000 pounds per year) allowance for living is true, in case you don't want to live in a shared accommodation with 2-3 other nurses! Other financial details as of last year (not sure if anything has changed...) - travel allowance of 175 pounds per 13 week contract = 700 pounds per year; they'll reimburse your RCN at 193; holiday pay (with 4 13 week contracts = 2430 pounds...)

ericjameshealth · Mar 22, 2012

Are you from the states? Obviously you are pretty close to getting to working. Is the ONP program a pass or fail? (i guess what im saying, once all is said and done, and you are in the UK, can they still decline you, or is the ONP program just a simple orientation of UK nursing style?, i just dont want to get all the way to the end, and than have to turn right around). I put in a inquire, and the nurse recruitor was very helpful, and gave me alot of info.She rekindled my hopes and dreams of traveling to another country. I heard alot about the economy over there, and saw some post about after the ONP and everything is said in done, you may still have to wait in England for a position :/. (i hope thats not true, i hope they can get you working as soon as possible). But i have a 2 year contract to complete with a local hospital i work with. How much years of experience does the NMC require before they even consider excepting you. And another thing, do they help pay for living expensives while you are over their going through the ONP class? and i saw some post about most of the class being online? and have they told you about pay per hour? sorry for so many questions but as you can see im very interested in this! and i am willing to make this a lifetime career with this agency

allnurses Guide · Mar 23, 2012

There is no guarantee you will pass the ONP, its not just orientation its a university led course to prepare you to work in the UK

once passed there is no guarantee of a job, finding work in the UK is difficult at the moment due to the many financial constraints the NHS is experiencing.

It may be useful to look at the NMC website for what you need to do to register as a nurse.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council: Safeguarding health and wellbeing | Nursing and Midwifery Council

wasabirush · Mar 23, 2012

The ONP program is pass/fail. You get a workbook with readings & assignments which the final test of 50 questions is based on. You need 30/50 to pass, if I remember rightly. I'm referring to the Bournemouth course as I'm unsure if it is the same across the country, but I imagine it would be. The educator said by completing the workbook, you'll be ready for the test & generally people do pass. The ones who fail are the ones who make no or little attempt with the readings & assignments. So far the ONP is as you said, an introduction to UK nursing, laws & the health care here. Travel continental does not facilitate any expenses such as your accommodation or even the ONP course itself before you start working. It's a VERY good idea to have yourself financially covered before you arrive to the UK in case you get some unexpected delays & have rent, bills, etc. Or of course if you know someone who lives in the UK & may put you up! You also need internet access for the ONP course.

Of course there is no guarantee for work, but if you have a two year contract with your hospital, try to do some specialty nursing if it interests you, such as OR or Neonatal ICU which currently are both on the nursing shortage list here in the UK. I believe the NMC requires at least one year of nursing experience post your nursing schooling before application.

ericjameshealth · Mar 23, 2012

wow! hey thanks for the much needed info! means alot to me! Maan i knew i should of looked into the Neonatal ICU more, i honestly was trying to get into a specialty unit right out of school here, but the local hospital i have a contract with had a HUGE hiring freeze and would only hire the new nurses into MEd-surge :/. Yaa i think im gonna go for it, even with the expenses, i think all this would be alot cheaper than Nurse Practictioner school, which i really dont wanna do at all, but was previously looking into it, and it seems less of an idea to do it with the 2015 possible deadline of requiring a doctorate after that. but i will take all this info to heart, thanks again

MuppetAus · Mar 26, 2012

Nurse Randy, I noticed your posting was from March 2011? Just curious, so did you end up working with continental travel nurse? If so, how was your experience? What about you muppetaus and sarena33? I started talking to them last week. We'll see how it goes. Did they talk about allowance, pay rates and, travel money? The cost of living in the UK is high; I just hope I can manage financially.

Hi Nurse Randy, I have not starteed work with Continental Travelnurse yet. I'm starting my ONP in April and hope to be working with them in June. They did discuss allowances and pay rates with me but I too am a little concerned that it might be tight financially. The 12 hours shifts concern me too. I just don't see how you can be safe to practise over that period of time.

I really wanted to work in Scotland but they no longer have arrangement with the health service they were dealing with. I also wanted to work in Northern Ireland but apparently nurses were refusing to work there so they do not have any contracts over there.

My first job will be based in London which will be a huge adjustment for me because I'm not a fan of big cities but I will see how I go.

I will keep you all informed as I go because I have found hearing other people's experiences and suggestions very helpful. The whole NMC process was long drawn out and stressful but it was comforting to know that it is the same for everyone.