Med/Surg experience in USA

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Hi all, well im a second year student nurse at the moment and OGP have invited me for an open day on the 30th September. I have dreams of becoming a NICU nurse but they told me today that i would need to have 2 years post-qual experience before even starting the 18-24 month immigration process with them!!!....AAAARRRRGH. I want to get to the states asap. They said to me that they would accept me on to their books if i have 6 months post qual med/surg!!...They said it is easier to put me somewhere with med/surg experience, and im looking at some of you ex -uk nurses experience and you seem to have 'med/surg'. What is med/surg nursing like in the USA?. I want to eventually do NICU, as i have a particular goal in mind. Is it hard to branch out of med/surg, once ive done my 18 months. On the med/surg forum, they are like you start med/surg..you die med/surg..i hope this is not true!!! Is Med/surg exciting place to work, and im thinking of getting a rotation post after qualifying to get the med/surg experience but they said USA likes us to be generalists and not specialists. Thanks for all your replies in advice..love monique xxx:nurse:

Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

Thanks silver dragon, i think the worst part of it, the doctor in A&E was laughing at me he was like 'These student nurses dont look after themselves!!' and proceeded to laugh every time i winced i though what a \@&!!".

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Is there such a thing as an RGN anymore I thought you were either a RN adult or RN paed and you were on a different part of the register than the old RGN's?

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Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

I am not sure madwife, but if your correct i guess i would be a RN Adult.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
I am not sure madwife, but if your correct i guess i would be a RN Adult.

Hey they change so much in the NMC they might have brought back the RGN they brought back Matrons:rolleyes:

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Specializes in med/surg.
Hey they change so much in the NMC they might have brought back the RGN they brought back Matrons:rolleyes:

:rotfl: That was a good one!!

I was an RGN & when I renewed my license last year they classed me as RN1. I liked RGN it showed that I had a generalist training & not this new fangled make-sure-they-don't-have-enough-hours-to-get-out-of-the- country-easily thing!!

To the OP, as I already said, please make sure you know where your hours are lacking. If you're adult trained under the new system you will almost definitely not have enough paeds, maternity or psychiatry.

Wish you all the best & hope your back is better soon!

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Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

lol..yeah i prefer the RGN, because it shows that you are general trained...oh well..:rolleyes: . im going to try and sort out with my uni to get the hours made up...thanks for all your replies you have been so helpful to me x

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Is there such a thing as an RGN anymore I thought you were either a RN adult or RN paed and you were on a different part of the register than the old RGN's?

You are right no longer RGN's but RN then whichever you specialised in training

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Hi, am final yr student in uk, cannot get hours required in paeds, midwifery and psychiatry, can anyone tell me how to go about getting these.

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Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

Hi scotland, if you look on my other thread you will see some replies there. As far as i know you dont need hours in psychology, i take it you mean psychiatry. Im in the same boat as you. Aparently there is a course in canada that allows you to do it, but it is very expensive. You can organise with your uni to make up the hours afterwards and OGP have a program now to enable you to make up the hours..hope this helps a bit x

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi, am final yr student in uk, cannot get hours required in paeds, midwifery and psychiatry, can anyone tell me how to go about getting these.

it has to be a recognised uni or school of nursing Can be done as a guest student in the US but you will have to find a school of nursing willing to help and needs to be both theory and practical

this may help https://allnurses.com/forums/f124/adult-nurses-wanting-work-usa-119906.html?highlight=courses

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