How to find a GOOD nursing job in London?!

[SrnaRN]

Anyways...

I've finally obtained my RN licence here in the U.K. It implies that my original licence as well as my nursing education was completed elsewhere, i.e. the USA, Florida. I've not been working for two years as a consequence of moving to another country (from the USA to the UK, London where I currently live) and being pregnant.

Now that I am finally registered with the NMC and my son is 6 months of age, I am ready to go back to work. The only problem is that I do not know how to go about looking for a job here in the UK and specifically in London.

Just to tell you a little about my career: I've been working in PCU/ Critical Coronary Care (telemetry + post open heart surgery unit) for at least 5 years (which is basically ever since I graduated and got my nursing licence) and for the last 2 years, as I said, I've taken time off. I do not think that it will be hard for me to go back to coronary care nursing, but the only thing is that I may want to change my career path a little bit...I've been thinking about maybe going to work for a plastic surgery office or some skincare clinic (i.e. on the famous Harley Street).

The question is:

1. Do I need some special qualifications in order to make this transition, or it won't be so hard to do?

2. How much does it pay? Mind you, how much would a job of my profile pay here in the UK (London) to begin with and then would a plastic surgery job pay more than for example an NHS job ?

3. NHS job vs. private sector job? Which one pays more and what are the benefits of one over the other?

As you can see, I am completely clueless and really do not have anybody in my current surrounding who is an RN to direct me a little bit!

Any contribution to my topic will be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance :-)

[SrnaRN]

I have been told that when I get to the US and work (although now stuck in retrogression and moving to Canada with husband's job)I to will go to the bottom and have to start all over again, in the same way as you may have to and although in some instances my experience will count there will no be seniority. Although we have seniority in the UK when it comes to holidays it is generally done on first come first served, also accepted when working in a hospital setting that holidays over Christmas and New year is not allowed (unless working in a mon-fri setting within in the hospital that usually closes over holidays) and only once the off duty has been done for that period and staffing levels sorted is anyone given the chance to request some time off over that period and of the 3 bank holidays over Christmas/New year you are only entitled to 1 off. That is how it has worked in the hospitals I have worked out, others may have a slightly different take.

Nursing in the UK many years ago used to be classed as for life not any more and have known some nurses loose their job due to restructure as NHS Trusts look at ways to save money, many newly qualified nurses struggle to find work and if you move due to say husband's job then very hard to find work.

I also disagree on more autonomy in the US as I have on many occasions spoke about nursing with a very dear close friend who is an experience US RN and she is amazed at the things I can do without getting orders from doctors. I think it is more of a case we work differently

"Although we have seniority in the UK when it comes to holidays it is generally done on first come first served, also accepted when working in a hospital setting that holidays over Christmas and New year is not allowed (unless working in a mon-fri setting within in the hospital that usually closes over holidays) and only once the off duty has been done for that period and staffing levels sorted is anyone given the chance to request some time off over that period and of the 3 bank holidays over Christmas/New year you are only entitled to 1 off. That is how it has worked in the hospitals I have worked out, others may have a slightly different take."

The above is the nature of nursing job and it is the same no matter where you are with a little differentiations. Sorry to hear about NHS problems though. It is really bad.

I had worked with a lot of UK nurses that came to work in the USA (mind you, now I see why , and in no way they were demoded or made to work something that they've not done before, not to say made to start from the bottom. They may not become a charge nurse at once, but they certainly won't work below their level. And certainly, they'll be paid the same according to their experience and degree level.

Anyways, good luck in Canada! :-)

It might still be different there due to them having a free health care just like UK. I hope it won't be as bad for you there as it is for me here.

If anybody has any more suggestions to the resolution of my problem or anything to say on that respect, please you are welcome to participate. We are all here to help and inform each other. I was doing the same back home when I trained UK nurses. It was only my pleasure:up:

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

There is nothing wrong with being "at your own level" of work and working part time for anybody, especially for the working mom. Here we're talking starting from the lowest and settling just for any nursing job, and the only reason for that as implied by Cariad, is that I am a working mom?! I just simply do not see the connection?! The fact that an experienced nurse from another country should start at the lowest level is degrading enough, you think? It might be the case here in the UK, but it doesn't make it right, doesn't it?

"Also considering nursing is predominantly female we actually are not family orientated and the shift times are awful"

Sorry, but the above statement doesn't really make sense to me? Everybody has a family life and we're not talking about jobs being "family orientated". I guess, perheps I should have not mentioned that I have a little baby...Darn

As far as your thoughts of USA nursing, I think you're wrong. It is a very difficult market on which you have to survive using a lot more effort than here. Just the fact that we have a lot more autonomy than UK nurse makes it darn more responsible...I do not even want to start talking about maternity leaves and other "benefits" for the working moms ...simply because there are none

When I emigrated to the US I had over 17 years nursing experience plus management I also had a small child. I found that my experience counted for nothing and I have had to work to prove myself-which I have I am pleased to say.

But when I first started work I found that the only connection between me and the other RN's was the name Nurse. I had to relearn how to be a nurse in the USA, because things are done so differently. It doesnt take long but there is still a huge difference where I work for example.

In the uk we do the breathing treatments as part of the drug round, here we have respitory therapists who deal with all that-great free's up the time of the RN.

In the Uk we do not phone doctors for verbal orders they come to the floor and write their own lol.

In the UK we do far more IM injections than here where I can count on one hand the amount of Im injections I have done. But I have give IV medications by the thousands.

These are just a few examples where things are different there are so many I loose track.

You will have to learn new names for equipment and drugs.

So I understand your frustration with starting in Bnad 5 but if you sell yourself well you may end up higher in the band. You have to remember 2 years out of nursing is a long time in your own country, changes happen so quickly.

Also remember when you get your pay you do not have health insurance taken out so that may save you a few pounds. You will still pay taxes.

Having a child wont hinder you, it never did me, Plus in interview a prospective employer will not ask if you have a family as it is not allowed to be asked unless you bring it into the interview.

Good luck

I have to add that Cariad wasn't trying to dissillusion you, some Uk nurses are happy not to have extra responsibility when they have a small child, they are happy being lower in the band. What you have to remember that in the UK the higher you are the greater the responsibility-here in the US you can get paid more for your experience but you dont have to work any harder for it. You do your work and go home-however in the UK that is not always the case, you are expected to do more.

[SrnaRN]

When I emigrated to the US I had over 17 years nursing experience plus management I also had a small child. I found that my experience counted for nothing and I have had to work to prove myself-which I have I am pleased to say.

But when I first started work I found that the only connection between me and the other RN's was the name Nurse. I had to relearn how to be a nurse in the USA, because things are done so differently. It doesnt take long but there is still a huge difference where I work for example.

In the uk we do the breathing treatments as part of the drug round, here we have respitory therapists who deal with all that-great free's up the time of the RN.

Breathing treatments?! And yet again , some RN's do not insert Foley Caths...Strange.

Sorry to hear for your experience 17 years ago. I can assure you that it is not like that any more. It is ok to prove ones own quality work, but to start from the bottom just because one is from another country is another issue. Mind you, I myself am not talking about managerial position that I'd be aiming for here in the UK. I just simply want to start at the level that I was after I took time off and to be paid accordingly (of course I am not talking US pay rates:p

in the Uk we do not phone doctors for verbal orders they come to the floor and write their own lol.

In the UK we do far more IM injections than here where I can count on one hand the amount of Im injections I have done. But I have give IV medications by the thousands.

These are just a few examples where things are different there are so many I loose track.

You will have to learn new names for equipment and drugs.

So I understand your frustration with starting in Bnad 5 but if you sell yourself well you may end up higher in the band. You have to remember 2 years out of nursing is a long time in your own country, changes happen so quickly.

I am aware of the obstacle you've mentioned. I will try my best. New names of equipment and drugs won't be a problem for me at all. I understand that for the UK nurses when they come to the USA, it is a big problem, 'cause we deal with a high tech nursing.

As far as IM injections, I presume that things here changed as well after all those years

remember when you get your pay you do not have health insurance taken out so that may save you a few pounds. You will still pay taxes.

I see what you say, but med.insurance deduction was really minimal, or at least in my case it was and I did not see it as a reduction in my salary.

a child wont hinder you, it never did me, Plus in interview a prospective employer will not ask if you have a family as it is not allowed to be asked unless you bring it into the interview.

Good luck

I have to add that Cariad wasn't trying to dissillusion you, some Uk nurses are happy not to have extra responsibility when they have a small child, they are happy being lower in the band. What you have to remember that in the UK the higher you are the greater the responsibility-here in the US you can get paid more for your experience but you dont have to work any harder for it. You do your work and go home-however in the UK that is not always the case, you are expected to do more.

I must say, that I can't agree there with you. Everywhere in the world, not to say in the USA the higher the position-the higher the expectations and responsibilities. At least it was wherever I worked.

[cariad]

i was not meaning to demean you, but was trying to point out that in the uk, the higher the banding the more stressful the job is, something that i do not find in the us. where i work is on a med/surg floor with 5 other nurses who are all varied in experience and time that they have been a nurse, they go from a new grad up, and the only difference in pay is the amount of time that you have been a nurse, not whether you have experienced more areas of nursing or if you have worked in bigger busier hospitals where you have gained more variety of experience. the next job up from me is the charge nurse and where i work, its a very laid back job, with no patient load, paperwork to do but not as much as the floor nurses. i have done it myself.

in no way is it demeaning to be in the bottom band, for a lot of nurses in the uk theres no more jobs in the higher bands because of the shortage, and lots of these nurses do a good job, and are happy doing it.

as for the reference to your baby, i have had children who have suffered everything from chickenpox to hospitalisations. when you are a higher band then your job is harder to cover with other nurses. your baby is young and you will experience the choice one day of having to go to work while the baby is ill or stay at home when you are supposed to be working. that was the comparison between nurses who have children and nurses who dont, that i was making, children should never be an issue while working, which is great while you have good child care and healthy children, but it is an issue when they become ill enough that your priority changes to your child and not your work.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Breathing treatments?! And yet again , some RN's do not insert Foley Caths...Strange.

Sorry to hear for your experience 17 years ago. I can assure you that it is not like that any more. It is ok to prove ones own quality work, but to start from the bottom just because one is from another country is another issue. Mind you, I myself am not talking about managerial position that I'd be aiming for here in the UK. I just simply want to start at the level that I was after I took time off and to be paid accordingly (of course I am not talking US pay rates:p

I

am aware of the obstacle you've mentioned. I will try my best. New names of equipment and drugs won't be a problem for me at all. I understand that for the UK nurses when they come to the USA, it is a big problem, 'cause we deal with a high tech nursing.

As far as IM injections, I presume that things here changed as well after all those years

I presume you are joking? I think you may be in for a big shock if you think nurses in the UK are not used to high tech nursing

I must say, that I can't agree there with you. Everywhere in the world, not to say in the USA the higher the position-the higher the expectations and responsibilities. At least it was wherever I worked.

First of all let me clarify I have been living and working in the USA for 2 years. Not 17 years agao.

When I came to your country I had 17 years acute care experience plus I have an honors degree in Midwifery. Plus I have done half of my masters degree and have critical care nursing course under my belt.

I have been given NO consideration for my past medical/nursing/midwiferyI experience what so ever.

I have had to work to prove myself. Oh yeah and I was willing to adapt to the culture in nursing in this country and not think I was superior which I was

I held a management position in the UK and if I was interviewing you I would be concerned firstly because you had trained in another country and could not see there may be problems and secondly because you had had two years gap in service.

For the record I have yet to be proven that US nurses are superior to any other nurses or more high tech.

I think you may need to visit an acute teaching hospital and once there visit the CCU and the ICU

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

All nurses start in band 5 it has several levels if you go into band 6 at lot of nurses are junior management ie Permenant charge nurses. Band 7 are managers and so on.

So band 5 while offensive to you is the level you will be fitted into, and I know some nurses in the UK who have 7+ years of experience in band 5.

[cariad]

by the way i did not imply as a working mother you should settle for the lowest banded job or a part time one. i worked in the private sector when my kids were small, as it was easier to work my schedule around the needs of the children, schooltime, i wanted to be at their sports days and xmas concerts and parent's evenings, but then so did some of the other nurses.

i always say each to their own, and whatever job that you find hopefully you will be happy with. there are positions in high dependancy units which look for more experienced nurses regardless of which country they come from, but you will probably find that these jobs are advertised internally first. and they are not always in a higher band.

[SrnaRN]

i was not meaning to demean you, but was trying to point out that in the uk, the higher the banding the more stressful the job is, something that i do not find in the us. where i work is on a med/surg floor with 5 other nurses who are all varied in experience and time that they have been a nurse, they go from a new grad up, and the only difference in pay is the amount of time that you have been a nurse, not whether you have experienced more areas of nursing or if you have worked in bigger busier hospitals where you have gained more variety of experience. the next job up from me is the charge nurse and where i work, its a very laid back job, with no patient load, paperwork to do but not as much as the floor nurses. i have done it myself.

in no way is it demeaning to be in the bottom band, for a lot of nurses in the uk theres no more jobs in the higher bands because of the shortage, and lots of these nurses do a good job, and are happy doing it.

as for the reference to your baby, i have had children who have suffered everything from chickenpox to hospitalisations. when you are a higher band then your job is harder to cover with other nurses. your baby is young and you will experience the choice one day of having to go to work while the baby is ill or stay at home when you are supposed to be working. that was the comparison between nurses who have children and nurses who dont, that i was making, children should never be an issue while working, which is great while you have good child care and healthy children, but it is an issue when they become ill enough that your priority changes to your child and not your work.

oh, no, not at all, i did think that you wanted to demean me. whatsoever, i was just pointing out my opinion and experience.

as far as this statement"

" the higher the banding the more stressful the job is, something that i do not find in the us."

i've already said my opinion on it. it may be really strange if your observation re work load is the way it is. perhaps, you should speak to your manager and gain some more information about her/his workload before you make a statement like the one above.

again i am not going to talk about the pay system in the usa, 'cause i come from there and am very well aware of how it works, but instead will point out this:

"in no way is it demeaning to be in the bottom band, for a lot of nurses in the uk theres no more jobs in the higher bands because of the shortage, and lots of these nurses do a good job, and are happy doing it."

i do not know why are you saying the above, 'cause i was never saying anything of the sort let alone that it is "demeaning" (the word that you've used?!) to work in the bottom band. whatsoever! and please do not suggest any preconceived opinions regarding my own statements, instead really read to what i am really on about. thanks :-)

and at the end , all i can say, i wish that i have not mention my baby, 'cause it certainly doesn't have anything to do with my job and the way i will organize my own job/baby care workload. again thanks for your concern. there is a possibility i've misunderstood you. i'll be glad if i have.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

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