Nursing in the UK

World UK

Published

I am a registered nurse in the US, and I'd like to get some information on how nursing works in the UK...for example:

1. Are nurses called "Registered Nurses" or "Licensed Nurses" or are they referred to as another name? Here in the US, they are referred to as Registered Nurses (RN's).

2. What is the process for becoming a nurse in the UK?

3. How might a nurse in the UK be recruited to work in the US or vise versa.

4. What is the hiring process to be placed in acute care?

Thanks!:roll

Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.

nurses here are registered nurses- there is no other kind! we are simple folk!! to work here you need to register with the nursing and midwifery council (dont know the web address but its been given here before!) There are lots of jobs in various parts of the country. search on royal college of nurse web site for more info.

good luck..............hope you like rain!

Karen

Thank you for the information! BTW, I love rain....right now I'm in the hot desert so anything other is a great break!!

Thx, again. :cool:

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) web address:

http://www.nmc-uk.org/cms/content/home/

For information on overseas applications: http://www.nmc-uk.org/cms/content/Registration/Overseas%20applications.asp

Good luck!

There are two types of nurses:

Registered Nurses, (RN)

Enrolled Nurses,(EN)

Both have to be registered with our regulating body, the NMC. There aren't many E.N. about these days, many have been encouraged to convert to Registered Nurses, but to be honest the Enrolled Nurses I work with do virtually the same job as a Registered Nurse, except they don't take charge of the ward.

For more information on the UK health care system you could visit the National Health Service Web site, http://www.nhs.uk/

Becoming a nurse requires you to undertake a three year nursing programme, validated by a university and allows you to gain your diploma. There is an option to do your degree, if you wish, but the majority of potential nurses opt for the 3 year diploma programme. More information about training programmes can be found at NMAS, (Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service) http://www.nmas.ac.uk/

Once a nurse has completed the training course he/she can then apply to the NMC for registration and to be able to practice. Each registered nurse in the UK has to renew there registration every three years and has to maintain what are called PREP, (Post-registration education and practice) requirements, which are that registered nurses must have undertaken at least five days/35 hours of learning in the previous three years and that registered nurses must also have completed a minimum of 100 days (750 hours) of practice during the five years prior to renewal of registration. (This is also applicable to Enrolled Nurses)

Hope this helps.

Karen

I am a RN trained in the US and just returned from 2 years as a "Staff Nurse" in the UK! I worked for the NHS on a respiratory ward of 29 patients. Working in the NHS was definitely an eye-opener!

Where I worked, 60 miles north of London, the patient ratio was about 1:10 (on a good day). However, UK nurses are not responsible for heart/lung/bowel sounds, majority do not cannulate or catheterize. Nursing in the UK was very basic in compariosn to the US. US nurses are trained better and have more responsibility...ethically, morally, legally!

On the other hand, the patients were very grateful of their care and rarely complained.

As for staffing, it was too common for 1 night shift 'staff nurse" to be the only nurse on the ward of 30 patients...with only 1-2 aides.

Be grateful we don't have socialized medicine!:eek:

I am sorry but I disagree, UK nurses have just as much ethical, moral and legal responsibility, if not more. As you rightly point out it is not uncommon for ratios of 1:10. I actually work with a ratio of 1:12 and have on occasion worked 1:24. Surely this is a huge ethical, moral and legal responsibility? Also if you are working within the NHS then patient care should be centered around a multidisciplinary approach which brings together all the ethical, legal and moral decisions and responsibilities.

Whilst UK nurses are "not responsible for heart/lung/bowel sounds" I think you will find a large number do in fact cannulate, catheterize, carry out venepuncture, etc. I work in a large district general hospital and I would say 90% of nurses carry out those roles.

I also have to say that US nurses aren't trained better just differently to UK nurses, and that being responsible for "heart/lung and bowel sounds" doesn't necessarily make you a better nurse.

Being a nurse is not only about being able to carry out technical aspects, such as B.P. monitoring, for example, but being able to care for people who are unwell and not able in some way to care for themselves. Being a nurse is about showing compassion, understanding, strength and stamina, as well as reassuring and alleviating fears. Many patients I have cared for really couldn't care what their B.P. is, sometimes all they want is for someone to be there to hold there hand, to listen and to explain things.

Specializes in Stroke Rehab, Elderly, Rehab. Ortho.
I am sorry but I disagree, UK nurses have just as much ethical, moral and legal responsibility, if not more. As you rightly point out it is not uncommon for ratios of 1:10. I actually work with a ratio of 1:12 and have on occasion worked 1:24. Surely this is a huge ethical, moral and legal responsibility? Also if you are working within the NHS then patient care should be centered around a multidisciplinary approach which brings together all the ethical, legal and moral decisions and responsibilities.

I agree with Karen here that UK nurses have just as much ethical, moral and legal responsibilty.

And while I dont listen to heart/lung /bowel sounds or Cannulation - I do catheterise and take blood. I work in the Private sector as a Nursing Home Manager and I work a ratio of 1:25 ALL THE TIME with very little exception - hence MORE ethical/moral/legal responsibilty. My situation is the norm too in the private sector.

I hope to be in the USA sometime next year so maybe I will be able to tell you the other side of the coin next year! ;)

Sue

As stated earlier, I am trained in the US AND have worked a 2 year period in the UK. I am fully capable of reporting on the type off nursing I encountered while in the UK. Perhaps the hospital I worked was the only hospital in the UK which did a poor job demonstrating nursing care. However, I was the person the other nurses came to to be taught how to cannulate and catheterize, I taught them about some key points in infection control, I taught them about auscultation. I'm sorry, but I disagree with your response that UK nurses maintain the same standards as that of the US. There were many occasions when I witnessed verbal abuse and neglect of patient care and compassion. Unless you are trained in the US and experience socialized medicine (not in the private sector), you can't truly make such statements.

I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO NURSE IN THE US AGAIN. I never said the nurses weren't any good at what they were taught, I simply stated that nurses in the UK didn't have the same sense of responsibilities as that of the US.

There are a few differences between Uk and US nurses. I trained in the Uk , moved to the USA and are planning to return to the UK. Although I do have an apprehension about my move and the possible changed in my position, I am excited about the move.

When I graduated I worked on a elderly care unit and was at times responsible for 28 patients. I dont think that I would ever have enough time to do a physical assessment on all those patients. I have learnt alot about lung and heart sounds and what the implications of the change could mean, and that helps with medical management and sometimes prevently the patient coding. We are also more responsible for lab management, and I remember having a patient stroke out in front of me, because non of the house officers checked her INR. Errors like that are made throughtout the world.

I am proud to say that I am a British trained RN as they are excellent nurses, with a different focus. USA RN's are more like junior doctors in a way, especially in the ICU setting, but when you have a smaller patient ratio you can focus more. When you have 28 you can bairly give the meds out. Socialized medical is good but slow, and at least you can medicate the elderly population. Uk and USA nurses are trained differently, however the basics of nursing is the same. I do wish that Uk nursing was the same as USA nursing, but it is not, but it is changing. I will probably work in a ICU.. I enjoyed my time nursing in the UK and hope the transistion wont be too difficult.

Hi

There are good and bad nurses throughout the world, here in the UK and in the US, if there wasn't then we would all live in a perfect world.

It comes down to the old argument of what nursing is.

Us nurses obviously perceive what nursing is in a very different way to UK nurses. This DOES NOT mean that US or UK nurses are any better or worse, just different.

I also have to say I never said anything about standards, I know that in some areas of the UK standards of care are poor, but please don't tar all UK nurses with the same brush, through your experience in one hospital.

As for UK nursing becoming like US nursing, I have mixed feelings, if I wanted to train as a doctor then I would have done my medical training. However, I have a thirst for knowledge and new skills and realise that skills such as cannulation, etc. enhance patient care and allow continuity.

By the way just as an aside, I can actually, cannulate, catheterize, carry out venepuncture and read CT scans and lab results!!!!

Where do you work, maybe I should come and work there. I remember that you had to take a three day course to give IV medications and cannulate. Here they teach you in one morning and you dont have to pay. I know that Uk nursing is changing and the role of the RN is exciting. I am also glad that I am moving back to a society which doesnt think it is normal to perform OHS on 80 yr olds etc. I do like the NHS, I think that people just wait a long time.

I remember that the morale was really low in the hospitals that I worked. Is it any better. Here there is no morale problem. Well unless you are negiotiating the nursing contract and then everyone is on edge, as you think that you might be striking etc. I really dont like it when nurses complain about our contract and pay. I am earning three times my UK nurses salary and the cost of living is cheaper. Triple pay at Christmas and Double on all other holidays. That works out to be around 50 pound an hour at Christmas. It is a strange world we live in.

I also remember that Uk nurses worked really hard, and working really hard with low morale takes something special.

Originally posted by Karen30

Hi

There are good and bad nurses throughout the world, here in the UK and in the US, if there wasn't then we would all live in a perfect world.

It comes down to the old argument of what nursing is.

Us nurses obviously perceive what nursing is in a very different way to UK nurses. This DOES NOT mean that US or UK nurses are any better or worse, just different.

I also have to say I never said anything about standards, I know that in some areas of the UK standards of care are poor, but please don't tar all UK nurses with the same brush, through your experience in one hospital.

As for UK nursing becoming like US nursing, I have mixed feelings, if I wanted to train as a doctor then I would have done my medical training. However, I have a thirst for knowledge and new skills and realise that skills such as cannulation, etc. enhance patient care and allow continuity.

By the way just as an aside, I can actually, cannulate, catheterize, carry out venepuncture and read CT scans and lab results!!!!

+ Add a Comment