Nursing Abroad

[LivOnTheGo]

Hello, I have the goal of living and working in Europe, specifically in Switzerland or Luxembourg. I am currently looking into ABSN programs here in the US but am hoping to use the degree to work in Europe but I have been reading about the trouble many other nurses have had with this degree type and now I'm beginning to consider other options. 

(1) Is it possible to work in Switzerland, Luxembourg or any other European countries with an ABSN? 

(2) If an ABSN is not acceptable for working in Europe, what if I go from an ABSN directly into a 1 year masters program. Would I then be elligible to work a nurse in most european countries? 

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and insights. 

Best, Liv

[DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN]

Go to the world nursing section of this forum and you'll find lots of questions and answers on various European countries. For the European Union member states, once you've got registration in one EU country, that should be valid EU wide, however some countries still sometimes place specific extra requirements on top: usually a language requirement.

Each country has its own specific requirements and your first port of call should be the regulatory body for nurses in the country where you wish to practise, for example, in France the Ordre Infirmier:

https://www.ordre-infirmiers.fr/

In the UK the NMC:

https://www.nmc.org.uk/

In Ireland the NMBI:

https://www.nmbi.ie/Home

etc.

Needless to say, be fully fluent in the national language of the country where you wish to work. "Just getting by" with an elementary knowledge of the local lingo doesn't work in nursing, and most countries expect proficiency, either in the form of a formal language test or as here in France where you register in person and your level of French is  assessed on the spot.

Good luck.

 

[LivOnTheGo]

Thank you, I will also try posting there.