LPN in the UK

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 20, 2003

I don't think there is an equivalent here in the UK the NMC or formerly UKCC web site might be able to give you more info

http://www.nmc-uk.org

Karen30 · Nov 21, 2003

Unfortunately, the NMC says that anyone with the LPN qualification is not eligible to register as a nurse with them.

"The NMC is only enabled by law to accept applications from holders of first level qualifications. We will not be able to accept your application if you hold any of the following or equivalent qualifications:

enrolled nurse

enrolled midwife

licensed practical nurse (LPN)

vocational nurse

community nurse

state certified nurse

staff nurse (South Africa)

mother craft nurse

nursery nurse

If you do possess any of these qualifications then you are not currently eligible to apply for registration in the UK. However if you wish to pursue a career in nursing or midwifery in the UK and wish to retrain then you should contact NHS Careers .

Please note that registration with the NMC does not exempt you from meeting United Kingdom immigration requirements. "

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

Hope this helps

Karen

jules06 · Feb 17, 2004

Hi there, I am an English woman living here in the US, bu thinking about going home sometime next year. I have an LPN license here, but was wondering what that equals in the UK? If anyone can help me I would be very grateful.
Thanks Deborah

HI Unfortunatly yout LPN lisence does not account for much over here, but it may get you ino a university to do your nurse training or something. I was wondering, I really want to work in Florida, I am an RMN doing my RGN conversion training at the moment but I do not apparently have any Paediatric or maternity care placements.Anyway to cut a long story short I have thought about going over and trying to get work as an LPN, then maybe get sponsorship over there to finish the parts I havent done in my training. DO you think I could get immigration and would they accept a UK nurse coming over as an LPN? What I mean is I know Us want RNs urgently but could I get work over there.I am getting frustrated with the difficulty of working in the states, its not like going to Australia where I could work tommorow if I wanted to.It would be great if you could let me know thaks jles

ceridwyn · Feb 20, 2004

HI Unfortunatly yout LPN lisence does not account for much over here, but it may get you ino a university to do your nurse training or something. I was wondering, I really want to work in Florida, I am an RMN doing my RGN conversion training at the moment but I do not apparently have any Paediatric or maternity care placements.Anyway to cut a long story short I have thought about going over and trying to get work as an LPN, then maybe get sponsorship over there to finish the parts I havent done in my training. DO you think I could get immigration and would they accept a UK nurse coming over as an LPN? What I mean is I know Us want RNs urgently but could I get work over there.I am getting frustrated with the difficulty of working in the states, its not like going to Australia where I could work tommorow if I wanted to.It would be great if you could let me know thaks jles

Those damn colonials, could teach them a thing or two. :rolleyes: Seeya 'tomorrow' :coollook:

suzanne4, RN · Feb 20, 2004

According to US laws, you would not be eligible to sit for the LPN boards, the same way an LPN could not sit for boards over on your side. Only first level nurses are eligible, and that includes for a work visa, which right now means green card. There are no further H1B visas being issued the rest of 2004, and probably will not be available for nurses in 2005.

BethannSiv · Mar 2, 2004

I was an LPN when I moved here...

First, how long have you been in the US? If you have been outside the UK / Eurozone for more than three years, you might not be eligible for nurse education bursary here. (There is a residency requirement for the bursary now).

You would need to take a Diploma course (3 years), but you may be able to APEL (Accreditation for prior experiential learning) some things. You would need comprehensive transcripts and to prepare a portfolio. Not as ominous as it sounds!

If nothing else, you have a good scope of practice, because your training was general (pediatrics, maternal and child health, mental health,etc) and here nurses are trained in "branches", adult nursing, child health, mental health, and learning disability. And midwifery, which is separate from nursing. When you finish your RN, you would have a very stable foundation and move up perhaps a bit more quickly than others.

If you wanted to apply, you could go thru UCAS (www.ucas.ac.uk) for more information.

If you are a British Citizen, you would not have any restrictions on your employment as a student, however non-EU/ non-Brits have a 20 hour/ week working restriction if they are on a student visa.

Good luck

Bethann

BethannSiv · Mar 2, 2004

You would need to go through the evil Committee for Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools people... before you could simply go over there as an LPN, and believe it or not, an LPN has a diverse education and is not simply a nurse not good enough to be an RN... and its not a stepping stone qualification to an RN necessarily. Your knowledge from the UK of US medications, treatments and even terminology would put you at a real disadvantage in being an LPN.

Nursing in the US is much more medical model... and based in a different model of nursing as well. Gone: roper logan and tierney...Enter: nurse diagnosis and Gordon;s funcational health patterns.

Of course, getting an LPN is a one year course, maybe you could consider getting into an LPN course and getting CLEP credit for some of what you have already done? Then at least you could get a stduent visa

Hope this doesnt sound too argumentative or derogatory- it certainly isnt meant to! I just remember being told over and over that LPN meant "Lets Play Nurse" and RN meant "Real Nurse"... and knowing how true that **wasn't**.

Bethann