NMC delay and ONP Course at Bournemouth

newshark · May 29, 2013

Sorry for the delayed response! I used to receive email notifications when someone responded to my posts, but I guess I have to update my settings or something...

As for my experience so far...

Was going to do the ONP at Bournemouth Uni, but the dates offered there conflicted with my personal schedule, so I emailed my main point of contact at Continental Travel nurse (who I was originally going to work with once registered) and she told me about PULSE (another nursing/healthcare agency) who were offering the ONP at beginning of May. Somehow, I had never heard of PULSE. During all my conversations on these message boards, never did I see someone mention PULSE--so here I am mentioning it as another resource for all overseas nurses!!

So PULSE has the instructors from Bournemouth Uni (BU) come to their London office and teach the ONP --**by the way, I am only required to do the 20 days protected learning, but apparently, every overseas applicant will be required to do the 20 days learning AND 3 months supervised practice--no matter what! **-- this is the information I got from one of the BU ONP instructors.

If you are not already registered with PULSE, the ONP costs £600--bleh!! BUT, the reason I decided to sign on with them and not Continental is because PULSE will reimburse 100% of the ONP after 1,000 hours of work (6 months) with their agency. Continental only reimburses £250 or so.

I got extremely lucky with timing for the ONP, because Continental had told me about PULSE 2 days before they were doing their next ONP, so I called PULSE immediately and was placed in the course (thank goodness!).

My advice for those waiting for their decision letters would be to find out the dates of the ONP where they want to attend and to continuously contact the uni/agency on the space available for those dates.

Lahueristic--To answer your question about receiving my decision letter from the NMC....yikes. My situation was a (semi) nightmare, and if I could go back and do it again, I would do it completely differently. But if I wasn't able to stay here for as long as I am (husband is European, so as long as we stay married, I can stay in the UK) I don't think I would even bother with the NMC.

So, I received my 2nd pack from the NMC last year (2012) around May, but I took my time completing the packet, and sort of sent documents in at random and not all together. I was thinking the NMC would start reviewing each document as they received it, but they wait until all your documents have been received before putting you into the "decision queue".

I sent everything to them by September, and (thinking I did everything correctly), I moved over to the UK right after sending my dox to the NMC (my husband was already living here, so I wanted to hurry and be with him). I was anticipating that by Christmas I would have received my decision letter and then come January I would get started in the ONP. **this was my plan, but obviously not how it worked out**

I called a week or so after sending everything in Sept and they told me everything was received, and I was in the decision queue and to wait 4 weeks for my decision letter.

Decided to call a couple of weeks later to find that I was out of the decision queue because my references were considered invalid seeing as they weren't filled out by registered nurses. I worked for a private home care agency, and had the mother of the client fill the form (but she's not a RN) and at the hospital I worked, only Human resources has an Official stamp--which is what the NMC wants for the reference to be valid. SO I had to re-do these references, sent them back to the NMC and by mid October-ish I was back in the decision queue for the 2nd time.

Then I think it was January when I was contacted again by the NMC asking for information on the college courses I took in high school. They were under the assumption that I had received an associate's degree, or something of the sort prior to my attendance at Uni. At first, I waited to submit an explanation to them about these courses because I thought I could get around it by explaining they were asking for the wrong information. I tried explaining that I only took a few college credits while I was in HS (we had a dual-enrollment programme) but that these credits did not validate to any kind of certificate or degree.

But I shouldn't have waited so long to just submit to them, word for word, details about the courses I took with a few documents from the community college I took them at, etc. I literally created a "contents page" for the documents I sent back to the NMC and highlighted all the details of the courses and such, so there wouldn't be any more questions about them (I was pretty frustrated with the NMC by this point).

Then, I was back in the decision queue for the 3rd time, but about 2 weeks later found out the NMC were being audited on their application process for overseas nurses---WHAT. THE. ****?!?!?! --never thought my application was going to be processed!

So it took them until the end of March? April? Before they were done with the audit (hence why all overseas nurses will have to do supervised practice from here on out).

And when I received my decision letter, they said that I was put into the decision queue in January, and I received my decision letter in APR. Had that been the FIRST time I was in the decision queue, I would have been SO pleased to have only waited 3 months for my letter, but obviously, that was not the case. Partly my fault, but I was shocked when they were so confused with my college credits. My advice to anyone who took courses at more than one university/college: submit everything the first time and break it down like you are explaining it to a dummy. The simpler, the better, and it will save you time in the end.

So that's my recount of my application history with the NMC.

Obviously not the end of my frustrations with them. My "sign off" date for the ONP is tomorrow (YIPEE) and then after that, they say another 4-8 weeks before you receive your PIN.

But of course, before you receive the PIN, you have to send the NMC MORE money ..£109 is what I was told.

I would NOT recommend moving over before you get your decision letter. Unless circumstances are unusual....I don't regretting moving over so soon (as I said, I wanted to be with my husband), but what I do regret is not getting a job as a health care assistant or something in the meantime (the reason I didn't was because I didn't anticipate this process to be forever). And when you get a job in healthcare, it can take a little bit of time and effort before you can start working.

Anyway, best of luck to everyone.

Will keep checking back regularly to see if there's any more comments, and will be definitely be back to notify everyone once I've received my PIN.

blueice08 · May 30, 2013

Thanks for your input newshark! I am very happy for you that youre about to receive your PIN!

As for me, im still looking for placement. I have called Pulse before you have mentioned here, and apparently they dont offer placements for the ONP no more. I am running out of choice because i dont really want to move out of london. Havent contacted all the major NHS trusts here in London yet so im not losing hope. Hopefully i can stumble with someone willing to offer me with placement.

Yeah, i keep on coming back on this forum for inputs like yours. Will update for any progress..

You are very helpful newshark! Godbless!

sarena33 · May 30, 2013

Newshark,

I have a question about the 3 months of supervised practice that you say you're not required to do, but all other overseas nurses are. Continental informed me that I won't have to do the supervised practice either because I had already sent all of the info for the second pack before the changes were made. Is this the case for you too, or is it because you're staying in London right now? Did they tell you why the changes don't apply to you? I'm just nervous that I'm going to get my decision letter and then they're going to tell me that I do have to go through the supervised practice. :/

newshark · Jun 4, 2013

blueice: is Bournemouth too far for you to travel for the ONP? I believe it's only about 1.5 hours from London to get there by train and I'm under the assumption that they offer several dates for the ONP.

Sarena: I'm not 100% sure on this....I do remember the instructor mentioning that whomever has already submitted their documents to the NMC PRIOR to their auditing will only have to do the 20 days study, as it's always been. But for anyone just starting the process, they will be required to follow the new rules of the NMC (which includes the 3 months supervised practice).

So from that, it sounds like what Continental told you is true, and let's hope you are not required to do the 3 months.

I'm not certain of the exact reason for their decision for all nurses to do supervised practice, I'm just glad it doesn't apply to me.

blueice08 · Jun 6, 2013

hi newshark, i have recently made contact with Bournemouth U, but apparently they cant provide placement for the ONP as of the moment. I am really getting desperate.. I want to start this ONP soon!

newshark · Jun 12, 2013

I completely understand your frustration!! I really hope something comes up soon for you, blueice.

Is BU saying they don't have enough registrants to create a course for the ONP? That was the initial problem I was having.

As for my status, I have received the final letter from the NMC. I'm not sure what it's called exactly, but it informs me of the £133 I have to pay them and it includes a personal declaration form which needs to be filled out and signed by registrant (me).

I was able to pay the fee over the phone, seeing as their online system wasn't accepting my card, and I will be sending the form tomorrow, first class overnight.

Once they receive everything, it states that my name will be entered on the NMC register. Then, a Statement of Entry will be sent to me and the statement will indicate which part of the NMC's register my name will be entered on. A payment receipt will also be sent "under separate cover confirming my expiry date".

So as for dates, I sent my ONP completion form on 30 May, this most recent letter is dated 06 June 13; I received it on 11 June 13, and according to the NMC, it should take up to 14 working days for my payment to be processed.

Will check back once everything is sorted! (can't believe this headache is almost over!)

newshark · Jun 24, 2013

Just received my PIN today! The end has come! Good luck to anyone else going through this process. The NMC sure knows how to test your PATIENCE.

furble · Jun 29, 2013

Hi newshark! Just want to know, what date you are put on decision queue?

Primrose2013 · Jul 9, 2013

Hie all have been following thread for some time.Am waiting for my second pack and its taking ages to come.Did you manage to find a place for supervised practice Blueice?

usrntouk · Jul 18, 2013

Hi all!! I'm a US nurse with 1.3 yrs oncology experience. I'm currently in the UK (Oxfordshire) with my husband on a spousal visa. Received my NMC assessment letter last saturday. I only need to complete the 20 day part of the ONP. I registered with Bournemouth university and start their September course (only 2 contact days instead if 3 due to low student census for that month).

I've also been in contact with continental travel nurse but I'm not sure I want to use them yet because their closest job is in Oxford ( a 10-15 minutes drive) from me but I don't drive ( have only been here a few months)...I'll keep y'all updated on my decision and also on how the ONP goes, along with when I get my pin\ start work (so nervous).

For thosee requiring supervised practice ( thank God I do not) try conifers training, bedford uni or do a job search at indeed or simplyhired etc for "ONP nurse" or " supervised practise nurse" ( you May find something placement wise). Good luck!

sarena33 · Jul 19, 2013

I ahve a question. When you receive your decision letter from the NMC does it have a PIN number on it? I received a letter from the NMC and it states "I am writing to give my assessment of your application for registration as a nurse with the NMC. Then it goes on to say that all of the nurses who apply have to complete the ONP. It does not give a PIN number. ALso, attached is a "Declaration of Good Health and Good Character in support of an application for admission to a Part of the NMC's Professional Register." I assume that this means I can go ahead and take the ONP? Do I get my PIN number after that? If anyone can answer my questions let me know!

babyNP., APRN · Jul 19, 2013

So you have to pass the ONP class in order to get a PIN because once you have the PIN, you are "registered" with the NMC and can start working (as long as you have permission to work in the UK). Make sure to take the ONP in the timeframe described otherwise you have to start all over again! I think it was like one year you could take it...