Thinking of moving to UK

madwife2002, BSN, RN · May 23, 2007

This is not what you said yoiu converted your current wage in to usa $ and tried to say you were earning more now or in the UK than an USA Nurse which is wrong as I have explained. When did you work in the US as a nurse may be the wages have gone up- But I can state a an UK nurse who worked for over 20yrs in the uk that I an now working in the USA and I am earning wice as much so is my husband we have loads more free money here in the uk my Husaband was band 8 and I was top of band 6.
As for medical insurance we have got good insurance that covers the whole family which costs us less than NI.
This is my true experience living and working in the usa!

I have to comment here Belinda but you are an exception to the rule, not many households will have 2 nurses working in them. My husband and I DO NOT earn as much as were earn't in the UK and if nurses were so well paid here as everybody is imagining how come everybody works overtime to make ends meet. I pay 21% tax out of wages plus 4% pension, and I pay for health insurances.

I do not think that nurses are paid a fortune here in the USA I am not financially better off here than I was when I lived back in the UK. I have lived here now for over 18 months and I can assure everybody that my lifestyle is good but then I had a good life style back in the UK. I MISS the holidays/vacation time that I had at home. We have a lovely house here but we didnt exatly live in a slum in the UK, we had a lovely home.

I love living here I love the people and I love where I live. But if you are expecting to come here and be rich=think again.

Tanvi Tusti · May 24, 2007

Don't know where you got your facts from
"From what I can gather you've only visited twice and "fell in love with the place". We (my family and I) have visited NC 8 times in the last 3 years and now own a home there-which we have visited twice since we bought it last year.In the past I have visited 6 other states in the US over the past 25 years. Perhaps you have a less than balanced view of both the US and the North of England- having spent time living in California with a high cost of living, and earning a maxi salary in the UK . Unfortunately in nursing in the UK it is the managers who are rewarded with the higher pay. Those nurses that have worked hard to get excellent clinical skills and knowledge don't fair so well infortunately. It shows little compassion for your fellow nurses to boast about a salary that is way above what the average nurse is earning because there are a very limited number of jobs at this level,usually in management.
I am far better qualified to offer an opinion about the North east of England having lived here for most of my life.
Sounds like you're having difficulty settling anywhere if half your in a storage unit in the US or maybe that's just me jumping to conclusions

Personally I find what you have said very insulting. How do you think I got to the position I am in now? I worked very hard to get there and have "excellent clinical skills and knowledge" (your words, not mine). I once was an "average nurse" as you put it. I worked my way up just like anyone else in the UK has the option to do. And I am not in managment, Im very much at clinical level and work hard to try to improve working conditions for nurses, especially those at ward level.

I happen to be married to an American, hence the storage unit in the US. Im sure if your spouse was anything other than English, you would understand that making a descision about where you want to settle is not an easy one.

As for where I got my facts from, I got them from you :

https://allnurses.com/forums/f165/british-nurse-coming-nc-140871.html

I guess the only one here who understands what I'm trying to say is Madwife, so I think I had just better be quiet from now on.

RGN1 · May 24, 2007

We don't have modern matrons in Wales and again I must stress that I can only speak from my own experience. I work in a senior role on a surgical unit I cover all of the general surgical wards in one hospital. Even though my role is management I have refused to give up the clinical bits of nursing and to be honest it was a condition of me taking the job because it could quite easily have been an office based clipboard wielding job. Part of my role is to sort of staffing shortages on the wards which I try to do by looking at all the wards to see what I can find. Usually nothing and in cases when there is no bank nurse available I can and will supplement the establishments by working on the wards. I also spend alot of time trying to liaise between EU and the wards to prevent long waits in EU pushing the staff to enforce trolleys on wards policy, this could be seen as bed management but if to do this I need to do a nursing admission (or medical clerking as I am a nurse practitioner) take bloods, push trolleys to xray to speed treatment then I will and do.
I hope what I do in a small way helps to improve conditions for both staff and patients

You are doing what I would expect and I'm glad to see that there are some like you around. However, I can assure you that those I came into contact with didn't lift a finger on the wards - even when we were really unsafe. In fact one tried to get me to take a patient from A&E who was really unwell - CVP etc when we already had one such patient on the ward with myself - who had only been back in nursing 5 months - as the only qualified member of staff on that part of the ward. I had an adaptation nurse & an HCA for 15 acute medical patients! She wanted to make it up to capacity with another really unwell patient. I told her no, unless she found me a senior nurse. I can't believe she even asked!! I'd already bleeped her first thing when the other staff nurse had called in sick to say I was dangerously under-staffed & her response...... to try & get a really sick patient added to my troubles!!! So you can see why I have the views I do!!

As for wage differences in the UK/ US I think everyone is individual & we'll all get to make up our own minds when the time comes. personally I will be better off because I will be earning more - that's a black & white fact and I'll have no mortgage. My DH has his own business which is already taking off in the USA so things look okay from my point of view. However, I'm also willing to accept I'll have to see once I'm there!! I'll let you all know - you can guarantee it!! :lol2:

Tanvi Tusti · May 24, 2007

This is not what you said yoiu converted your current wage in to usa $ and tried to say you were earning more now or in the UK than an USA Nurse which is wrong as I have explained. When did you work in the US as a nurse may be the wages have gone up- But I can state a an UK nurse who worked for over 20yrs in the uk that I an now working in the USA and I am earning wice as much so is my husband we have loads more free money here in the uk my Husaband was band 8 and I was top of band 6.
As for medical insurance we have got good insurance that covers the whole family which costs us less than NI.
This is my true experience living and working in the usa!

OK fine, you have your opinion, I have mine and yes it might be your "true" experience of living in the usa, you are one of the lucky ones.

My husband, who is American through and through, born there, parentage from way back, never set foot out of the USA before he met me, honest down to the bone, yet he still holds that life in the UK is way better than the life he was living in the US. There, he was working two jobs to make ends meet, wasn't lucky enough to be in job that offered a 401(k), so had the prospect of little, if any pension when and if he ever retired and couldn't even afford medical insurance, thats the "true" experience of many people there, hope you are aware of that.

allnurses Guide · May 24, 2007

You are doing what I would expect and I'm glad to see that there are some like you around. However, I can assure you that those I came into contact with didn't lift a finger on the wards - even when we were really unsafe. In fact one tried to get me to take a patient from A&E who was really unwell - CVP etc when we already had one such patient on the ward with myself - who had only been back in nursing 5 months - as the only qualified member of staff on that part of the ward. I had an adaptation nurse & an HCA for 15 acute medical patients! She wanted to make it up to capacity with another really unwell patient. I told her no, unless she found me a senior nurse. I can't believe she even asked!! I'd already bleeped her first thing when the other staff nurse had called in sick to say I was dangerously under-staffed & her response...... to try & get a really sick patient added to my troubles!!! So you can see why I have the views I do!!

I do understand where you are coming from my sister was a surgical ward sister in Leics. area and she had a similar experience. I only took on my post on the condition that I kept clinical I have no interest in paperwork and office work but I do have to justify my exsitance and prove that by being clinical I can make improvments. The situation you describe is one that I fight furiously to prevent on my wards, and rather than take my staff away from the patients this is somthing that I would expect to resolve without sending sick patients into already understaffed area, even if it meant specialling the patient myself.

It's not all rosey and there are times when i have to make decisions that are not liked on the wards, but I hope that because I am prepared to work alongside them when it hits the fan the girls and boys on the wards understand that I only make these decisions when I have no other choice. If the amount of clinical time I am allowed changes - which it could the NHS is unpredictable then i would have to reconsider what I do. I could not and would not be prepared to ask ward staff to increase thier workload when i am not prepared to get my hands dirty myself to help.

english_nurse · May 24, 2007

We don't have modern matrons in Wales and again I must stress that I can only speak from my own experience. I work in a senior role on a surgical unit I cover all of the general surgical wards in one hospital. Even though my role is managment I have refused to give up the clinical bits of nursing and to be honest it was a condition of me taking the job because it could quite easily have been an office based clipboard weilding job. Part of my role is to sort of staffing shortages on the wards which I try to do by looking at all the wards to see what I can find. Usually nothing and in cases when there is no bank nurse available I can and will suppliment the establishments by working on the wards. I also spend alot of time trying to liase between EU and the wards to prevent long waits in EU pushing the staff to enforce trolleys on wards policy, this could be seen as bed managment but if to do this I need to do a nursing admission (or medical clerking as I am a nurse practitioner) take bloods, push trolleys to xray to speed treatment then I will and do.
I hope what I do in a small way helps to improve conditions for both staff and patients

'pushing the staff to enforce trolleys on ward policy'

can you explain this in more detail????????

what i mean is is your role part of the reason i had 2 patients in the corridor, blocking the fire exit, on my ward last night?

:)

dont take this as nastyness, its not im just wondering if thats what you meant thats all

misswoosie · May 24, 2007

Personally I find what you have said very insulting. How do you think I got to the position I am in now? I worked very hard to get there and have "excellent clinical skills and knowledge" (your words, not mine). I once was an "average nurse" as you put it. I worked my way up just like anyone else in the UK has the option to do. And I am not in managment, Im very much at clinical level and work hard to try to improve working conditions for nurses, especially those at ward level.
I happen to be married to an American, hence the storage unit in the US. Im sure if your spouse was anything other than English, you would understand that making a descision about where you want to settle is not an easy one.
As for where I got my facts from, I got them from you :
https://allnurses.com/forums/f165/british-nurse-coming-nc-140871.html
I guess the only one here who understands what I'm trying to say is Madwife, so I think I had just better be quiet from now on.

and I didn't find what you said insulting and completely innacurate????

You read things that aren't there to be read. I never passed any comment about how you got to where you are now in your career or whether you had excellent skills and knowledge.

The posting you quote was from 2005 (2 years ago).

I have never said that I have a husband -just a family

If I had a husband who was from a foreign country I don't believe decisions about where to settle would be any easier or more difficult.Everyone has significant others to consider when making life changing decisions.

I should have said the average nursing wage, not average nurses wage. It is the wage which I meant to infer as average- not the nurse.

You incorrectly suggest that there are enough higher band posts to go round for all those who want them and deserve them when this is not the case at all.

allnurses Guide · May 24, 2007

'pushing the staff to enforce trolleys on ward policy'
can you explain this in more detail????????
what i mean is is your role part of the reason i had 2 patients in the corridor, blocking the fire exit, on my ward last night?
:)
dont take this as nastyness, its not im just wondering if thats what you meant thats all

I didn't phrase that bit very well, so no thats not what I meant at all, part of my role is to try to prevent this by dealing with the problems that lead to this. I try to speed up treatments, and getting senior medical reviews, that sort of stuff.

Belinda-wales, RN · May 24, 2007

OK fine, you have your opinion, I have mine and yes it might be your "true" experience of living in the usa, you are one of the lucky ones.
My husband, who is American through and through, born there, parentage from way back, never set foot out of the USA before he met me, honest down to the bone, yet he still holds that life in the UK is way better than the life he was living in the US. There, he was working two jobs to make ends meet, wasn't lucky enough to be in job that offered a 401(k), so had the prospect of little, if any pension when and if he ever retired and couldn't even afford medical insurance, thats the "true" experience of many people there, hope you are aware of that.

T Tusti- I think you need to re-read my posts what I was simply explaining was that when you earn the $ there is no- need to convert it to the pound as the cost of living is about the same.

I may as you say be one of the lucky ones it certainly did not feel like that when I lived in the uK on a two nurse family wage!

I do how ever take Kay point that it has been easy to find work as we are both nurse but bearing in mind that I sort out my own licence etc when I was the uk so I I would be able to get work when I got here as my husband was the one who came on contract with a company- By the way he is now working two jobs I also brought three little boys with me I have had to settle them I find good child care etc to enable me to work- and be a lucky one. I also now that some friends I have met out here have had an herrendous time that keeps everything real for me lets me know thats life can change quickly over here!

As for, your comment about am I awear of the social econmic soicety that I am living in and problems with american health care- well hell know- I know nothing about it as I never look further than the nose on my face - that has what has made me such a great nurse for over 20yrs my ability not to conect with the community I serve! LOL !!!!! :lol2:

english_nurse · May 25, 2007

I didn't phrase that bit very well, so no thats not what I meant at all, part of my role is to try to prevent this by dealing with the problems that lead to this. I try to speed up treatments, and getting senior medical reviews, that sort of stuff.

ah, i see now

:)

english_nurse · May 25, 2007

T Tusti- I think you need to re-read my posts what I was simply explaining was that when you earn the $ there is no- need to convert it to the pound as the cost of living is about the same.
I may as you say be one of the lucky ones it certainly did not feel like that when I lived in the uK on a two nurse family wage!
I do how ever take Kay point that it has been easy to find work as we are both nurse but bearing in mind that I sort out my own licence etc when I was the uk so I I would be able to get work when I got here as my husband was the one who came on contract with a company- By the way he is now working two jobs I also brought three little boys with me I have had to settle them I find good child care etc to enable me to work- and be a lucky one. I also now that some friends I have met out here have had an herrendous time that keeps everything real for me lets me know thats life can change quickly over here!
As for, your comment about am I awear of the social econmic soicety that I am living in and problems with american health care- well hell know- I know nothing about it as I never look further than the nose on my face - that has what has made me such a great nurse for over 20yrs my ability not to conect with the community I serve! LOL !!!!!

luck didnt get you to the usa, you had the guts to take the chance and do it.

to say you are lucky is incorrect, you made the choice, years ago, to train to be nurses, and get a profession instead of delivering pizza/working in sainsburys, thats not luck, its being cleverand using what you have got to its best advantage!!!!!

you both being nurses in the uk puts you in a fortunate positon now that you are in the usa as jobs for you are plentiful, however that could be the same worldwide really, if you have skills in a job thats in demand getting well paid work is easier

If you go to the USA as the partner of a nurse and have no skills, then you will find it tough i expect....

madwife2002, BSN, RN · May 25, 2007

Bring a nurse is an advantage where ever you live, well except the UK at the moment. A friend of mine was a buyer for some major fashion stores in the UK, she has lived here having a great time for 2 years now has to return to work. 6 months she has been looking for a job and is having no luck. I know spouses of UK nurses over here actually retraining as RN's, because it is quicker to train here than the UK.