Home Health Nursing in France

[marksi]

Hello,

I'm an Italian citizen (with an EU passport) but hold an american nursing diploma. I'm also a certified wound ostomy nurse in the US (CWOCN). I've applied to the local DDASS in Paris for recognition of my diploma. I realize that I will have to take an oral exam in french. I've actually applied via the UK since they already have a process in place for foreign educated (outside the EU) nurses. The DDASS tells me they will accept this recognition.

I'm mostly interested in working in home care (infirmier liberal). My question is, does anyone know if special requirements or experience are needed to find work as an infirmier liberal, and how easy it might be to find work.

Any help or comments are appreciated! Thanks

Marksi

[Guest805836]

Hey ! French nurse here, not libéral, though. I assume (maybe wrongly) that you will have the same requirements as French nurses, once your diploma is recognized. We have to work two years in a clinical setting (hospital or private clinic) before being allowed to work in home care as a infirmier libéral. However, if being your own boss isn't that important to you, but a home care setting is, there are quite a number of large hospitals who are creating home care hospitalisation units (hospitalisation à domicile or HAD for short), in which case you are an employee of the hospital/clinic, but work in the home of the patient. This is relatively new and I myself have no experience in this field of work, but maybe look into it ? Best of luck !

[Guest805836]

If you are ok with French language, I'd advise you to look for info on the site infirmiers.com, it is a goldmine :) Pré-requis et démarches administratives pour s'installer en toute sérénité dans l'exercice libéral infirmier.

[marksi]

Thank you for your comments jitomim. It's helpful. I'm familiar with infirmiers.com, and have looked at some of the information you have sent me. I have more than 2 years of hospital work here in the U.S., and they specifically say to work as an infirmier libéral, one has to have worked at a hospital in the EU.

Do you know where I would look for job advertisements for HAD? or even in public health clinics?

marksi

[Guest805836]

Do you have the 'validation du diplôme' which authorises you to work in France ? I'd start with that. I really don't know how or where to look for work in HAD, it's an area I've never really been interested in... :/ My best bet would be to search for job offers in HAD, same way you would for any other job : contact HR in whatever hospital or clinic which interests you, ask them if they have a HAD unit and find out how you could apply for a job. Best of luck !! :) What region are you / going to be in ?