Filipina Nurses in the UK, Kumusta Kayo?

suzanne4, RN · Jul 24, 2005

welcome to allnurses.com. you will find it much easier with immigration if you have your rn after your name.

since this is an international forum, we ask that you write 100% in english so that all threads can be monitored., and let me extend a big welcome to allnurses.com.

angel Ann · Jul 29, 2005

I want to know how you are, how you find life there in the UK? You see between the US and the UK, I'm really really keen on the UK. I'm still considering nursing, but it's all a matter of stepping on the right stones to get there.
Are there any LPNs/LVNs (just like in the US) over there? I think they're the ones who work under supervision by Registered Nurses (I heard, it's 1RN to 8LPNs in the US).
I would like to know about how much of your earnings go to living expenses... how much is left over to save.
Is it possible to bring along my two kids (8 & 2 yrs old right now)? How do mothers manage to work as nurses over there?
I've got loads of questions, but these should be quite enough for now.

hi yvettedq! a ukfilnurse here,welcome to allnurses.I hope you're alright there.I can understand how you really are keen to go abroad specially in the UK.It's really nice to work in this country,people are lovely and the salary is good .Better if you are single that you can at least save a considerable amount of money.You can bring your husband and kids over after 3-4 mos of completing and passing your adaptation period.If you've got two kids, I guess you've got to work harder because of extra expenses ofcourse, I mean if you have to leave them with the childminders while you're at work.We haven't got LPNs here,we've got experienced carers or what we call them support workers working with us on the ward every shift.Overtime is often available due to short staffing level.Anymore queries,just feel free to PM me.Hope this helps.goodluck! :)

yvettedq · Jul 30, 2005

I'm good thank you. August 8, I start classes in this school for Certified Practical Nursing (where I end up being a Licensed PN after when I pass the NCLEX). It's for 12 months only. The teaching is modular...one subject at a time (like Anatomy-Physiology is taken up straight for a good month before we move on to I think Nutrition or is it Pharmacology and so forth). I think it's a great teaching method. This way we can focus on one subject and comprehend things better than if all the subjects were piled-up one on top of the other. It's a night school (5-9pm) and a lot of us are working people, I think. We've got no time for dilly-dallying. Everything is direct to the point.

Um, you don't have LPNs I understand. So, what do the "experienced carers" or "support workers" have to study or get certified with in order to go in as such? Does this also mean that all nurses working in hospitals are RNs (Registered Nurses)? Would you mind if I ask how much support workers and RNs make?

My sister lives in New Jersey which would seem like the better choice, but my husband and I have always been partial to the UK. The culture and style appeals to us. Maybe we can find a "provincial" district where we won't have much to spend on and where the pace of life is not so fast. But, why, how much do I need to spend for childminders? But, doesn't everyone else have to do the same there?

I could considere leaving my kids here in Cebu with their grandparents for at least a year...hmmmm :crying2: til I save enough for them to be comfortable when I bring them over.

Angel Ann, what can I expect out of living there without my kids initially. What kind of living standard am I facing? When will I eventually be able to buy my own place or am I looking at a few years of working before I can get my own place? Will I be able to afford my own vehicle, for example, and how soon is that possible?

I know it seems material... but I just want to know if I can't get these conveniences anyway in a year's time of being away from my children, then I'd rather bring them over after my adaptation period, and go through it the harder and longer way, but at least we'll be together. :rolleyes:

Yup yup yup.

I hope you don't find me too meticulous...I'm just a little bit too old to waste any more time...well, I am 40 you know, and just about to start studying again. I'm an interior designer. But, I had two choices in high school, either to take up medicine or architecture. So archi it was. It's not too late though. Not interested in being a doctor, but do like the idea of caring for the sick as a nurse would...so Nursing.

Well, I hope you're ok too. What's your favorite Filipino food? What food do you miss?

Til next time...

angel Ann · Jul 30, 2005

hi, being a RN is the first requirement when you're aiming to go to UK for nursing job but it can be a bit longer process now that Phils has a limited recruitment agencies these days.You might end up applying for nursing homes as carer if you haven't met the requisites.Best to target a job in NHS hospitals considering the benefits you might enjoy in the future.Support workers dont have to take any clinical course, as long as they've gained bedside care experience which is mostly from working in a nursing home where I believe that a more than 6 mos experince could be admissible.Ofcourse, its far different how much support workers gets compared to nurses, but these support workers can possibly earn more depending upon their willingness to do extra's or overtime ( i dont encourage to get themselves overfatigue because of money,) About a nice house and car?.even the domestics can afford this.There are loads of mortgage co and car loan all around, payable for until the end of the world :rotfl: :rotfl: .just kidding to cheer you up, but hey, you will eventually get what you really want.It's just a matter of managing money matters.I dont worry too much about where i dig out our native food.You can eat them all here, except those variety of dried fish that I miss most on my meal at times.sorry I cant tell you exactly how much money i get and save in this forum, it will be awkward to as it might only suggest salary competition.Just Pm me if you like and see if it'll be more hepful.God bless!

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 30, 2005

Welcome to the site, hope you enjoy your stay and best wishes to you. :)

suzanne4, RN · Jul 30, 2005

Be aware that with the LPN program you are going to be extrememly limited as to where you can get a visa to work. It will not give a visa to work in the US when you complete the program. Please be very aware of that. For almost every country, you must have the RN to be able to meet requirements of immigration. So having the NCLEX-PN is not going to be of any use to you unless you are already a US citizen or have a spousal green card. You will not be permitted to work, once you finish the program and take your exam in the US. You will have immigration issues with the UK also. I highly recommend that you seriously check into this before starting your program if this is what you want to do.

Fonenurse · Jul 30, 2005

HI, to work as a nurse in the UK you need to be a registered nurse. The best place for information is here:

http://www.nmc-uk.org/nmc/main/registration/Reg_Overseas_and_EU/Overseas_and_EU

Hope this helps!

yvettedq · Jul 31, 2005

Fonenurse! The site you gave me was GREAT! Everything I needed to know, with links to actual employers currently in need of employees. Really a humongous help indeed. THANK YOU, thank you.

I recommend the site to everyone wanting to work in the UK. Do check it out.

God bless you Fonenurse :saint: !

yvettedq · Jul 31, 2005

angel Ann, thanks for the advice!

um, do you have kids?

yvettedq · Jul 31, 2005

Thanks for that Suazanne. I'll bring this up with my school.