US NP Seeking Licensure in UK

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Hello All,

Looking for insight into my current situation.

I am a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner in the U.S. with a Master of Science in Nursing, and a little > 1 yr of experience working in Cardiology (as an NP). Prior to this, I worked as a Critical Care nurse (RN, BSN) for 3 years. As of four months ago, I relocated to Lakenheath RAFB with my husband to the U.K., (husband is active duty Air Force).

Unfortunately, there are no open positions on base for Nurse Practitioners. Thus, I have researched and somewhat understand the process of transferring my US nursing license to the UK after reviewing the NMC site: Trained outside the EU/EEA, yet, have a few remaining questions. Are there particular recommended study prep courses for the U.K. nursing boards or Nurse Practitioner boards? If so, which ones (I used Kaplan prep in the U.S. for my BSN, and the Fitzgerald Review/Leik Book/APEA questions for my Family Nurse Practitioner boards)?

Additionally, once I have attained my RN licensure with NMC, I am seeking clarification on how to proceed with transferring my U.S. NP licensure to the U.K.. What are some of the things I would have to do there to get certified to work there as a Nurse Practitioner? Would I need to go back to school at all? Or resit my boards?

Please, any and all insight is appreciated! TIA :)

-Jessica

Specializes in NICU.

There is no such thing as a nurse practitioner license in the UK. Just the RN license. It's a doozy and will take you several months to get with a lot of paperwork and costs a lot of money. For pitiful pay in return (they pay NPs less than I made as a bedside RN with just a few years of experience)...

NPs are not utilized as widely as they are in the US. I don't know the role of a FNP in the UK or if there is one. They do utilize neonatal NPs.

On the bright side, you no longer have to take the IELTS (English as a foreign language) test in order to get the license :)

keep us posted on your journey if you decide to go down that path...

eta: here is a link to the NHS pay scales. Postings I've seen for NNPs are paid at band 8A, which converts to a paltry $57k in USD. I currently make more than twice that in the US.

NHS pay scales 217-18 | Royal College of Nursing

Specializes in Emergency Department.
There is no such thing as a nurse practitioner license in the UK. Just the RN license. It's a doozy and will take you several months to get with a lot of paperwork and costs a lot of money. For pitiful pay in return (they pay NPs less than I made as a bedside RN with just a few years of experience)...

NPs are not utilized as widely as they are in the US. I don't know the role of a FNP in the UK or if there is one. They do utilize neonatal NPs.

On the bright side, you no longer have to take the IELTS (English as a foreign language) test in order to get the license :)

keep us posted on your journey if you decide to go down that path...

eta: here is a link to the NHS pay scales. Postings I've seen for NNPs are paid at band 8A, which converts to a paltry $57k in USD. I currently make more than twice that in the US.

NHS pay scales 217-18 | Royal College of Nursing

We also have ENP's. I was one. Lot's of nurse practitioners in the NHS, we even have Advanced Nurse Practitioners who are on the medical rota as opposed to the nursing rota.

Please do not make direct comparisons between UK and USA salaries. It is pointless. Costs are different.

For information; most band 5 nurses seem to manage quite well on their salaries. If you get a band 8a (you won't as that is a senior management position. You are more likely to get a band 6 or a band 7) you can live very comfortably.

Oh and by the way, nobody cares what nurses get in the US unless they are looking to immigrate. It is a different system.

Specializes in NICU.
We also have ENP's. I was one. Lot's of nurse practitioners in the NHS, we even have Advanced Nurse Practitioners who are on the medical rota as opposed to the nursing rota.

Please do not make direct comparisons between UK and USA salaries. It is pointless. Costs are different.

For information; most band 5 nurses seem to manage quite well on their salaries. If you get a band 8a (you won't as that is a senior management position. You are more likely to get a band 6 or a band 7) you can live very comfortably.

Oh and by the way, nobody cares what nurses get in the US unless they are looking to immigrate. It is a different system.

Salary is relevant because it can be quite a culture shock for anyone that might be moving over there that has no experience with the UK system. The OP may not be immigrating here, but he or she is moving to the UK, albeit likely temporarily.

One's standard of living will be very different. I've looked at cost of living comparisons and when I compare the salary living in a mid size city in northern England versus where I live in a mid size city in the southwest, it definitely is cheaper to live in England, but not twice as less cheap.

I'm not arguing that you won't be able to pay your bills on a nurse's salary. But you can't expect the same lifestyle that one had in the US. The OP is a NP, not a bedside nurse and as NPs we are accustomed to expecting higher salaries for the services we are providing.

I assume by "ENP" you mean "emergency room NP" (i.e. accident and emergency)? That might be a route for this poster to work in the NHS. I don't know if there any particular qualifications for that... the ED is generally considered acute care and FNPs are not generally trained in acute care but out-patient care, although many of them practice in an ED setting in the US anyway.

Specializes in NICU.

and if you don't want to take my word for it- the Royal College of Nurses is campaigning currently because nursing salaries are 14% below where they should be just for cost of living adjustments alone...glad to see this because from what I understand the RCN is very anti-strike which is surprising giving how my DH (born and raised Brit) touts the unions and strikes in the UK...

Close the Gap | Nursing Counts | Royal College of Nursing

Specializes in Emergency Department.
Salary is relevant because it can be quite a culture shock for anyone that might be moving over there that has no experience with the UK system. The OP may not be immigrating here, but he or she is moving to the UK, albeit likely temporarily.

One's standard of living will be very different. I've looked at cost of living comparisons and when I compare the salary living in a mid size city in northern England versus where I live in a mid size city in the southwest, it definitely is cheaper to live in England, but not twice as less cheap.

I'm not arguing that you won't be able to pay your bills on a nurse's salary. But you can't expect the same lifestyle that one had in the US. The OP is a NP, not a bedside nurse and as NPs we are accustomed to expecting higher salaries for the services we are providing.

What you earn in USA is totally irrelevant to what is earned in UK. I earned much more than a nurse from, say Japan, but it is all relative to that country. It doesn't matter if you earned $1M per month in USA, it means nothing here. What matters is the salary you get in the country you are working and living in. If someone is serious about immigrating then that is what you look at along with costs.

Also, conditions are better in the UK. I had 7 weeks paid holiday plus 10 days public holiday every year. When I was off sick I had 6 months with full pay followed by 6 months with half pay. I can not be fired without very good reason and there are laws to ensure that happens.

I assume by "ENP" you mean "emergency room NP" (i.e. accident and emergency)? That might be a route for this poster to work in the NHS. I don't know if there any particular qualifications for that... the ED is generally considered acute care and FNPs are not generally trained in acute care but out-patient care, although many of them practice in an ED setting in the US anyway.

Now you are just being rude and ignorant, "That might be a route for this poster to work in the NHS. I don't know if there any particular qualifications for that..." denigrating my qualifications and role. ENP role was started in USA so I doubt you are unaware of it. I love the way you just casually state that I am unqualified and that ENP is a nice easy entry point for an American nurse.

Just as a point of interest, for your information; The world does not revolve around America. Your nurses are not the best and your health system is also not the best. There are good and bad everywhere.

I stated that there are lots of NP's in the NHS but the OP has to get into the NHS and apply for these posts.

and if you don't want to take my word for it- the Royal College of Nurses is campaigning currently because nursing salaries are 14% below where they should be just for cost of living adjustments alone...glad to see this because from what I understand the RCN is very anti-strike which is surprising giving how my DH (born and raised Brit) touts the unions and strikes in the UK...

Close the Gap | Nursing Counts | Royal College of Nursing

What is the point of this? We are well aware we are underpaid. This is what happens when you have a Conservative government that is trying to dismantle the NHS.

The RCN is anti-strike because we value our patients and would not abandon them - the government knows this and takes full advantage.

1 Votes

Hi . I just read this too late. I worked as RN in the UK and now in the US. my husband is also in USAF. Although there Re more paid leaves in the UK , the salary is way too much lower than in the USA. Pkus the taxes in the UK is like triple than here (tax plus NI). Most notable difference is lack of autonomy in the UK. Nurses there are more overworked .. you have to wash the patient, change nappies without masks for god's sake, and clean the room. plus SERVE TEA. I was like a servant or barista.

I prefer the USA more. Here, nurses are skilled.. and more scientific and hightech. Plus, you can easily have financial stability because of higher salary and lower taxes. UK always brag about "free NHS" but it is not free at all..just look how much percentage of their earnings go to the government. 30%?? Out of £23,000 band 5 nurse salary PER YEAR.

Specializes in Emergency Department.
Hi . I just read this too late. I worked as RN in the UK and now in the US. my husband is also in USAF. Although there Re more paid leaves in the UK , the salary is way too much lower than in the USA. Pkus the taxes in the UK is like triple than here (tax plus NI). Most notable difference is lack of autonomy in the UK. Nurses there are more overworked .. you have to wash the patient, change nappies without masks for god's sake, and clean the room. plus SERVE TEA. I was like a servant or barista.

I prefer the USA more. Here, nurses are skilled.. and more scientific and hightech. Plus, you can easily have financial stability because of higher salary and lower taxes. UK always brag about "free NHS" but it is not free at all..just look how much percentage of their earnings go to the government. 30%?? Out of £23,000 band 5 nurse salary PER YEAR.

Oh dear, poor you! Having to actually look after a patient. You know... that stuff they taught you in nursing school. It is called basic care.

What possible reason would you need a mask to cleanse a patient? Serving tea is part of ensuring your patients are hydrated and nourished - also it gives you a chance to assess their mental state.

As for salary and deductions; I have said it before, it is irrelevant what you earn in another country. If you could not have financial stability as a staff nurse in the UK it says more about you. I know plenty of staff nurses who have, surprise surprise, actually bought houses, go on holidays, have cars, some have even managed to have money in the bank.

This was a discussion about Nurse Practitioners so saying US nurses are more skilled than UK nurses is quite ignorant - see my reply to babyNP above.

1 Votes

I think you just mentioned the big difference between a registered nurse in the US and in the UK. Nursing in the UK is the like Licensed Practical Nurse in the USA. I know basic care is taught in nursing school but wiping patients's asses without mask??? SERIOUSLY?? you do not find anything wrong with that?

I think it is just a matter of cultural difference. Nurses in the US are divided into RN, LPN, CNA, PCT. In the UK, YOU DO ALL THAT! Even kitchen stuffs...

I think you just mentioned the big difference between a registered nurse in the US and in the UK. Nursing in the UK is the like Licensed Practical Nurse in the USA. I know basic care is taught in nursing school but wiping patients's asses without mask??? SERIOUSLY?? you do not find anything wrong with that?

I think it is just a matter of cultural difference. Nurses in the US are divided into RN, LPN, CNA, PCT. In the UK, YOU DO ALL THAT! Even kitchen stuffs...

Outside of specific infection control precautions requiring a mask, why would anyone wear a mask to provide peri care? And, yes, there are different levels of education and certification/licensure in the US, but the RN is ultimately responsible for, and involved in, all nursing care, including baths and cleaning bottoms. RNs are changing and cleaning people every day in the hospital in which I work, and all over the US.

2 Votes
Specializes in Critical care.

And here's me thinking the "too posh to wash" nurse was just a meme made up to belittle modern university trained nurses.

3 Votes
Specializes in Emergency Department.
I think you just mentioned the big difference between a registered nurse in the US and in the UK. Nursing in the UK is the like Licensed Practical Nurse in the USA. I know basic care is taught in nursing school but wiping patients's asses without mask??? SERIOUSLY?? you do not find anything wrong with that?

I think it is just a matter of cultural difference. Nurses in the US are divided into RN, LPN, CNA, PCT. In the UK, YOU DO ALL THAT! Even kitchen stuffs...

I did not mention any differences! You did.

I was an Enrolled nurse - THAT was like an LPN.

What possible reason would you need to wear a mask when, in your words; "wiping patients ass?" Actually you said patients's - appalling grammar.

For information, when I started nursing I was told, "if you need gloves to clean a patient you will never be a nurse." So I find nothing wrong with cleaning a patient without a mask, unless as stated they require infection control precautions.

In UK nurses are divided into NP, RN, HCA. It is called a team. Even as an ENP if I found a soiled patient I was expected to clean them - that was part of my job description - I could ask for help but my colleagues would be mightily P'd off (rightly) if I tried to get them to do it. I also made tea for patients and relatives.

And here's me thinking the "too posh to wash" nurse was just a meme made up to belittle modern university trained nurses.

I agree, but we seem to have a living, breathing example.

2 Votes
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