Difference between UK and USA RN?

[CCURN]

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Things have changed in nursing in the UK in recent years, a fair number of nurses have extended their roles to cannulate, venupuncture, catherterise both male and female patients and in some areas assess patients prior being seen by medical staff. I am looking at working in the USA and presently awaiting credential OK, how did ou find the change from UK to USA nursing?

[CCURN]

I found the change to US nursing very different at first, but I got use to it pretty soon. The hospital that I first started at gave us a 2 month orientation, and I worked on a telemetry floor for a year and a half, until I moved to the CCU/ICU. I remember when I first had to put a foley cath in a guy. I said that I had never been trained to do it, and my preceptor said, if you can put one in a women, then you can a man. I had a 3 hour training to put in a venflon, and started giving IV meds as soon as I started. We give everything IV. Back in England, you had to take the IV administration course. So things are a little different.

The biggest difference in the manual handling techniques. I havent taken a manual handling course yet, and everyone is boosted on sheets. That is something that the UK is hot on, and I was surprised to see it lacking here.

You will enjoy it immensly, as I have. I am only moving back because I miss my family. If I could take my job with me then I would. I love nursing in the US, and the pay is excellent compared to the UK.

Good Luck

[suehp]

I found the change to US nursing very different at first, but I got use to it pretty soon. The hospital that I first started at gave us a 2 month orientation, and I worked on a telemetry floor for a year and a half, until I moved to the CCU/ICU. I remember when I first had to put a foley cath in a guy. I said that I had never been trained to do it, and my preceptor said, if you can put one in a women, then you can a man. I had a 3 hour training to put in a venflon, and started giving IV meds as soon as I started. We give everything IV. Back in England, you had to take the IV administration course. So things are a little different.

Those words are encouraging to hear - as like Silverdragon I am waiting to hear about my Credentials before I cna go over there!

I have been in a Nursing Home enviroment for 10 yrs and feel quite daunted but prepared for a challenge - the job offer i have had up to now have offered me 2 months orientation too - so that is good.

Sue :)

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

thanks for the reply, I have a placement with a nurse recruiter and she tells me that I will get 2-6 months orientation( depending on how I adapt, but it shouldn't take that long) I have a 15 yr history of nursing and the last 1 yr has been a practice nurse because I have burnt out working on a medical admission ward and the stress is unbelievable, managed 4 yrs in that enviroment but when I meet my fella things had to change, luckly he also wants to live in the states

[Gloria Poole,RN]

admin note: entire post removed due to and off-topic religous rant and scripture quoting etc... this is a nursing bb, not a religion bb. please do not use the bb for these purposes and please stick to the original topic. thanks

[karenG]

oh boy Gloria!

ok abortion is legal here. it is your right not to participate in it- so dont work on a gynae ward! and why is it false to teach that abortion is a right? this is an ethical debate that I dont want to get into here but it might give you some problems here!

euthanasia is illegal here- so you wont see it but organs are harvested for things like kidney transplants etc. I have participated in harvesting of eyes. Ever nursed anyone who has been given the gift of sight?

I would suggest that you are careful about where you work given your strong beliefs. we respect different beliefs and faiths, but sometimes it may be easier not to put yourself in a postion that will result in conflict.

Karen

[Good_Queen_Bess]

Oh boy! I just came to this thread when Gloria's was removed, so I don't know what she said. My curiosity is now starting to wonder. Sounds by what u said Karen and what the mods said, it sounds total bllx anyway.

[karenG]

Originally posted by Good_Queen_Bess

Oh boy! I just came to this thread when Gloria's was removed, so I don't know what she said. My curiosity is now starting to wonder. Sounds by what u said Karen and what the mods said, it sounds total bllx anyway.

absolutely right!! but I was trying to be polite and restrained....as you do!!!

glad it was removed- thanks Brian!

Karen:)

[CCURN]

It was unfortunate that the answer to my question was never really addressed, but I am not sure how and why it became a religious topic.......

[Good_Queen_Bess]

CCRN - Sorry, but I can't really answer your question properly as I have only worked in the UK. IMHO, "BASIC" nursing (in a ward environment) is probably much of a muchness wherever you go essentially. Nursing is nursing, with varying roles with more or less clinical skills and 'tasks'/paper work/responsibility in different places.

A colleague of mine worked in the US and said basically it's very similar, but due to the politics of the NHS versus Private care, it was strange for her treating people on the basis of insurance premiums etc.....but that's another debate, let's not go down THAT road.

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

My only experience with British hospitals was when my mum was a patient, at the end of a long ward. I know little about nursing care, although I understand you specialize in school, train specifically for different areas.

We cover all aspects of nursing, med/surg, peds, psych, critical care, etc. etc. while we are in school. We specialize when we start work, orientation varies by hospital and department. The biggest ward I have seen had four pedi beds, usually we have private and/or semiprivate rooms. If you have been reading these posts for long, you will realize how much difference there is in nurse/patient ratios and hourly pay, in this country.

I'll finish this another day, have to get to bed, up early tomorrow.