Need advice from UK nurse

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I am currently an LPN with 6 years experience in endoscopy and ambulatory services. I will graduate next year as a registered nurse here in the US. In this area of the US, an LPN functions on the same level as an RN. My family and I have our hearts set on a "working" holiday in the UK after I graduate. I have read and re-read all the nmc and nhs websites but I still am unclear of what experience is neccesary to become registered in the UK. I know that I can't apply as an LPN, but will all my experience be considered in the nmc's decision to register me? And the same question for employers in the UK. Will any hospital employ me as a new graduate taking my experience into consideration?

My husband, son and I are very excited about the possibilty of living in another country, I would hate for us to have our hopes dashed in a year if we found out that it is not possible.

Also, I don't understand the grade/band classifications. Is there a link out there that explains this?

Would appreciate all advice re:registering, living and working in UK.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I am currently an LPN with 6 years experience in endoscopy and ambulatory services. I will graduate next year as a registered nurse here in the US. In this area of the US, an LPN functions on the same level as an RN. My family and I have our hearts set on a "working" holiday in the UK after I graduate. I have read and re-read all the nmc and nhs websites but I still am unclear of what experience is neccesary to become registered in the UK. I know that I can't apply as an LPN, but will all my experience be considered in the nmc's decision to register me? And the same question for employers in the UK. Will any hospital employ me as a new graduate taking my experience into consideration?

My husband, son and I are very excited about the possibilty of living in another country, I would hate for us to have our hopes dashed in a year if we found out that it is not possible.

Also, I don't understand the grade/band classifications. Is there a link out there that explains this?

Would appreciate all advice re:registering, living and working in UK.

The NMC states that you need to have been practicing as RN for 750 hours in the last 5 yrs, I doubt if your experience as LPN would be taken into consideration. Don't let this put you off, gain the experience whilst you are processing your application, You are probably looking at roughly 2 yrs experience. here is the link where I got this info from http://www.nmc-uk.org/nmc/main/publications/ReginUKpages.pdf

grading is being phased out and banding has been brought in try this for an explaination http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/AgendaForChange/fs/en

I would stay clear of London as it can be expensive but there is plenty of other places to live and work. Would recommend you research where you would like to live and enquire at the local hospitals to see whether they will petition you for a visa as you will need that before coming to the UK.

there is a US nurse presently living in Scotland Kaylesh she, I am sure will be better to advise you

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Hiya,

Kaylesh here. I'm the US RN .. I've been living and working in Scotland since July 1999. I love it here.. Not sure how it would work with trying to get your LPN experience counted.. As Anna said.. UK doesn't recognize the LPN degree.

When i first came here.. I had already gotten the approval from the NMC about 6 months to a year prior to coming as i knew i wanted to try living and working here.

I originally got my first job here via a agency that was based in England that no longer is in existence. They helped get me a position in a hospital in Aberdeen. They also helped the hospital with the whole work permit paperwork. ANY us citizen wanting to work here in the UK has to have a work permit BEFORE being allowed to work here. It is the employer that gets the work permit.. So essentially you have to have a job offer and then they get you the work permit.

Bad thing about that is you are tied to that employer unless you can find another employer willing to sponser a new work permt..

Once you are here on a continuous work permit for 4 years you can apply for Indefinate Leave to Remain which basically means you can apply for what ever job where ever in the UK that you want.

If you are married to a UK citizen the rules change.. Not up on those as i came here as a single american female. :-)

I currently have Indefinate Leave and plan on applying for Naturalisation shortly.

I'm happy to try to answer any questions.

Kaylesh

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Specializes in Multiple.

To look and see what jobs are available in the UK, try http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ You won't find every job in the UK but it will give you some idea of what's on offer.

To research an area, I suggest you try starting at http://www.tourist-information-uk.com/tourist-offices-uk.htm which will give you local authority links to many towns in the UK.

If you have any specific questions about the UK - just shout!

Good luck ;)

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For nursing jobs in Scotland there is http://www.returntoscotland.com

well actually its a good job site in general for scottish jobs..

So that might help as well.

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For nursing jobs in Scotland there is http://www.returntoscotland.com

well actually its a good job site in general for scottish jobs..

So that might help as well.

thanks so much for the great advice.

Why did you decide Scotland as opposed to other areas in the UK?

How is the cost of living vs pay scale?

What kind of shifts do UK nurses work? Does anyone work 12 hour shifts?

Any and all information would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!!

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The NMC states that you need to have been practicing as RN for 750 hours in the last 5 yrs, I doubt if your experience as LPN would be taken into consideration. Don't let this put you off, gain the experience whilst you are processing your application, You are probably looking at roughly 2 yrs experience. here is the link where I got this info from http://www.nmc-uk.org/nmc/main/publications/ReginUKpages.pdf

grading is being phased out and banding has been brought in try this for an explaination http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/AgendaForChange/fs/en

I would stay clear of London as it can be expensive but there is plenty of other places to live and work. Would recommend you research where you would like to live and enquire at the local hospitals to see whether they will petition you for a visa as you will need that before coming to the UK.

there is a US nurse presently living in Scotland Kaylesh she I am sure will be better to advise you

thanks so much for the great advice.

How is the cost of living vs pay scale?

What kind of shifts do UK nurses work? Does anyone work 12 hour shifts?

Any and all information would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
thanks so much for the great advice.

How is the cost of living vs pay scale?

What kind of shifts do UK nurses work? Does anyone work 12 hour shifts?

Any and all information would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!!

cost of living does vary a bit from place to place, Bigger cities I would say have a higher cost of living than living in the country.

Shifts vary from hospital to hospital. We work 3 shifts days, afternoons and nights. Generally nights are done seperately to the other 2 shifts. Hospitals I have worked in was 1 week nights and 1 week off which was very nice :) You may be able to come to some arrangement with the manager of the ward re doing 12 hour shifts. Someone I knew who did this worked 0700 to 2100 x 2 days with 1 hour for lunch and 3rd shift just made up hours needed to make 37.5. Sometimes he would work 3 days and let his hours build up and then one of the weeks he only worked 1 or 2 shifts didn't loose any money as he had already done the hours. working the day and afternoon shifts could be a pain. 1 day work afternoon and generally finish 2100hrs and then be back at work next morning on days generally 0700hrs

Hope this helps

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

hi,

In addition to what Anna has written, Long days are on offer at some work places but are not neccissarily offered as a matter of course the hours are long and are

07.30 - 21.00hrs with 3 X 1/2 hr breaks = 37 1/2 hours a week = full time.

They ted to be hard going but saying that you get more time off

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thanks so much for the great advice.

Why did you decide Scotland as opposed to other areas in the UK?

How is the cost of living vs pay scale?

What kind of shifts do UK nurses work? Does anyone work 12 hour shifts?

Any and all information would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!!!

For me the only choice was Scotland somewhere I didn't care where LOL.. My gran was a Scot she passed away in 1998. But she was born here in Scotland and moved to the US as a child. Never gave up her love of her country or her heritage and passed that love on to most of her kids and grandkids.. I just happened to take it the farthest. lol I've loved the country ever since i can recall and when i came here on a holiday many years ago I decided I had to try working and living here.. So in 1999 i finally made it. LOL

Kay

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hi,

with regards to shift patterns the norm for where i work is 7.45 - 20.15 three days a week then once a month doing four nights which are 19.45 - 08.15

With regards to london being exspensive this is very true, however there are a lot more jobs it is a bit more mulitcultural and living in the countryside type areas can prove exspensive too, cost of houses etc and travel for exmple for me too get to work on a week day with public transport would take me about 1 and a half hours but the drive is 20 mins !! i also wouldnt be able to work weekends or nights!

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I work 12 hour shifts, well, they call them that, but I work either 07:45 till 20:00 or 19:45 till 08:00... we work 160 hours a month, always 5 night shifts, sometimes a nice bonus of an 8 hour shift to even out the hours. I prefer long days, once you are past 8 hours, another few make no difference and maximise days off :)

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