Is moving out the country a solution to job finding difficulties?

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Just wondering if moving to another country would make it easier to find employment. Any country, even less desirable ones.

Yes, I'm curious about Saudi Arabia....I think one of the reasons it may be undesirable is because you have to abide by strict rules.

If you have 2 years of experience, you could try Australia. I have nurse friends there now who are Canadian born and educated.

My SIL worked in Saudi as a Lab Tech. Worked her contract, travelled as often as she could, returned home and said never again.

You live in a compound made up of other overseas workers. They partied hard (and yes drinking was involved). It's like the Saudi's turned a blind eye to it as long as it remains behind the compound walls. Having said that if you watch the BBC or read any of the UK papers, the Gulf States are difficult places.

Look at Dubai. Looks modern, come visit us as tourists, work here, etc. Just expect to live in fear. People have been arrested and imprisoned on the word of Dubai citizens. For what? Holding hands in public, kissing an unmarried friend on the cheek, oh and my most recent favourite? The UK Dr. who was arrested because a citizen took his car registration plate and reported him, claiming the visitor flipped him a salute while driving. The outsider is always in the wrong with the citizen in the right.

I've had friends work in Oman in other fields. Spouses could only visit for limited times during the year (unless the employer applies for joint visas). Lived in a compound made up of other overseas workers. When my friend went into Muscat to shop, she wound up wearing their version of a burka because being blonde and blue eyed she stood out in the crowd and was made to feel very uncomfortable and this is a woman who dresses very conservatively.,

If you want to work in the Gulf, do your research extremely well.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Thanks for the info Fiona :) What you described is pretty much what I thought. Not worth it IMO, especially given that I am very independent, and opinionated. I'm not willing to jeopardize my freedom.

During my last year at school, I took a course in which we debated various cultural practices. Well, in SA, 2 Canadian nurses were locked in a hot car for 5 hrs and interrogated by police for something stupid. Contrary to what you may think, your rights over in the Middle East are virtually nil, because they have no respect for women.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Wow, that's incredible. I am right next door to the UK and all I see are advertisements from recruiting agencies seeking new nursing graduates to come and work there.

Explore all your options, keep an open mind, and lead yourself. If I let hearsay influence my path and determine my limitations, I'd be sitting on my parent's couch watching the Maury right now and trying to figure out how I could be his next guest :-).

that's simple. Go have a baby and have 5 different options for who the daddy might be. :p

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
I am a paramedic about to start nursing school in Florida...it seems to me that in FL there is no shortage for nursing jobs. I see job openings at all the main hospitals all the time. I have worked at a few hospitals as an ED Tech and have moved around FL quite a bit. I have had no problem getting jobs in the ED's no matter where I go!

But frequently those big chain hospitals keep a running list of openings posted. They don't hire. This is an HR practice that is frequently done. I live in South Florida, and the job market is pretty tight right now, especially for new grads. It's not impossible, but it does take some effort. There are now 8 nursing schools in PB County turning out new grads every year. 10 years ago, there used to be 2 schools. DO the math. The market is flooded so the competition is stiff. THe fact that you are a paramedic is a plus, but it may take some time and networking on your part...don't assume that Florida has a shortage of nurses...it does not! and I know several new grads that graduated last December 2010 who have still not found a job....!

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I know most of what you said is true. I did see the same thing where they had job postings still up for a long time after they had already filled the position at the big local hospital here in Melbourne. But I just kept on applying, applying, and applying some more and I finally got hired. Granted, they did just open up a new hospital and I got hired on there. I know a small group of girls who were in nursing school together and graduated in 2009 and every single one of them got hired right out of the gate in SW FL. But then again, I don't doubt things may have gotten more rough since then. But if you get out there, find resources on how to make an outstanding job app and how to stand out in an interview, the jobs are there! I'm sure the nurse market is getting flooded though...but back to the main subject of this thread, why not try travel nursing if you're willing to move to another country? From what I have seen there is always agencies looking for fresh blood to travel, new grad or not!! And you don't have to leave the US!

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Anyone that hires a new grad to travel has rocks in the head....that is extremely dangerous to the new grad and the pts.

Currently, good and reputable agencies do not place new grads in assignments unless they are very long term assignments. While an agency may take an app., chances are that no good or reputable assignment facility will hire you.

Hospitals do not want "new blood" for travelers. As they are expensive, they want nurses that can hit the floor running and new grads cannot do that. And there are large numbers of experienced travelers that are underemployed willing to provide that. The usual case of inexperienced nurses traveling is for a facility that has conditions/pay rates so bad that no experienced nurse wants to work there.

As an aside, the Boca/WPB area of FL is avoided by many experienced travelers like the plague. As a native FL, that has worked there, there is not enough money in the world to ever do so again. And I have worked in 8 states - that area was the worst experience of my career.

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I'm sure you're right about the travel nurse thing. I don't know a whole lot about it, but it seemed to me that those agencies are always desperately accepting new recruits. What was so bad about WPB? The girls I was talking about got hired in the Sarasota region.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

All reputable travel agencies require a minimum of at least 1 year experience and really would like 2 years or more. I did travel nursing back in 2000--I went from Fl to Indianapolis--at that time there were many jobs available nationwide and I had my pick of positions for my speciality (PICU) but I also had 10 years of experience. All of the agencies I dealt with required experience. Now that the market is so tight, I am sure they can pick and choose, and they will choose an experience nurse over a new grad.

As far as the answer to the what's wrong with WPB question?..well, I know that many of the hospitals treat travelers and agency nurses pretty lousy...and they don't treat the full time staff much better...I have worked in 4 major hospitals in Palm Beach County over the last 18 years, low pay, (compared to the nation) poor benefits, lousy staffing ratios-always working short..and the area is flooded with nurses (like I mentioned before-there are 8 nursing schools in the county) so there is no real loyalty to the staff...anyway..Sarasota is on the other coast and may be a better option..whenever I write about FL and the nusing situation, I usually mention--Southeast Florida.

diva

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

What is wrong with WPB?

If you review threads, that one is discussed frequently.

Poor pay, ridiculous ratios, difficult MDs, and some of that nastiest, most entitled pts

that I have seen in the 18+ years - sentiments that get echoed by many travelers. I feel bad saying that as I was a native Floridians ( from the middle of the state) but there are few native Floridians in that area.

The emphasis is on customer service, even when it interferes with proper healthcare. My unit containing mostly immunocompromised pts had 3 outside sinks for 33 beds. I quickly found that no pt gets put on isolation precautions despite repeatedly finding them being treated for MRSA, cdiff, VRE, etc. No notation even for required handwashing for cdiff. The UD said she was sure that the hand gel works for that. And one family threatened to scream HIPAA violation when their loved one had a very discrete iso sign put Up- they felt that was stigmatizing.

I could go on and on. But there is plenty of data out there.

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Better Dubai than Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi...

I have a friend who works for a Shiek, she is an RN and she "takes care" (babysits) the sheik's kids...and when they go to different countries the nurses go with them...their shift is weird, they stay in their employer's house for two days then have day off for two days..sometimes she comes home with a lot of food from the Palace too...she's very lucky with her job, but the downside is...her family is thousands of miles away and she only gets to see her kids when she gets her long vacation...

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
what is wrong with wpb?

if you review threads, that one is discussed frequently.

poor pay, ridiculous ratios, difficult mds, and some of that nastiest, most entitled pts (true!!)

that i have seen in the 18+ years - sentiments that get echoed by many travelers. i feel bad saying that as i was a native floridians ( from the middle of the state) but there are few native floridians in that area.

(you hit the nail on the head !!)

the emphasis is on customer service, even when it interferes with proper healthcare. my unit containing mostly immunocompromised pts had 3 outside sinks for 33 beds. i quickly found that no pt gets put on isolation precautions despite repeatedly finding them being treated for mrsa, cdiff, vre, etc. no notation even for required handwashing for cdiff. the ud said she was sure that the hand gel works for that. and one family threatened to scream hipaa violation when their loved one had a very discrete iso sign put up- they felt that was stigmatizing.

i could go on and on. but there is plenty of data out there.

gee, carolladybelle...

i am sure you must have worked at one or more of the hospitals i have worked in the past...i haven't worked in any of the hospitals since 2004, but there are some doozies out there..(all in palm beach county)

i feel the same way--when did you last work here?

i'd like to say it got better, but it did not!

d

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Give it a try!

Someone suggested Saudi Arabia, try Abu Dhabi instead. The Cleveland Clinic Hospital of Cleveland, Ohio is opening up a new hospital there in 2012. That this a long time to wait though, but also try Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. You may need to take an English test for NZ and the UK, even though you may be a native English speaker. Why limit yourself? Search for UK nursing recruiting agencies and let them do the most of the legwork for you.

You can also consider international development and relief work with international organizations, e.g. UN, Care, Doctors Without Borders, etc. I am an American nurse who has worked in Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Europe and Africa. Feel free to PM me if you need any further assistance.

Hello resilient nurse!:up:

I know I am responding to your old post, but I felt like you might have great words to share regarding working for international organizations, especially UN. So please help me out with some tips if you are still involved in these organizations. One of my dreams include working for UN and I am aware that I still have a long way to go considering that I just graduated from ADN program.

Obviously, UN internship requires much higher degree for one's expertise, so I have looked for a UN volunteer position. Do you have any information to share regarding it? Do you have any recommendation for taking the first step in international nursing?

FYI, I am in US with a student visa. I have a work permit till Next Jan of 2015. If anything goes right and smooth, I will be an ADN RN with a 1 year experience in either med surge or home health (actively seeking a position in acute care as well) by the time I would apply for those international organizations.

I was very impressed with your experiences in different countries and wanted to see how you started all these wonderful journey and how you handled in many aspects including finances, education, and eligibility.

I would appreciate any tips!

Thank you very much!:nurse:

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