O' Grady Peyton International Agency, are they any good?

[goldenkeyz21]

I'm just starting to look into moving to the states some times next year. I just recently started my research and the entire process seemed a bit overwhelming. I came across O'Grady site and their services as described on their site seemed really helpful so I was so excited to come across them. BUT I started to research a review on them and most posts I read were very negative and scary!!! however these posts were a bit old (2004, 2007) I'm hoping by now they probably would've cleaned their act. Has anybody gone thru them recently? What are your experiances.. please fill me in..

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

H1b is generally only for a specialist nurse/BSN, where there are no US citizens that meet the position requirements. Often these positions require several years recent (current or within the last few years) experience. Given the push to BSN degrees in the US and significant oversupply of nurses in the US, there are few of those positions available. There are also significant costs and bureaucracy for a facility that hires candidates from out of the country. Thus, it is more expensive to hire from out of the US, and many will choose to train a new local BSN grad. You would also need recent experience in that specialty, which if you have only recently returned to nursing after an extended break, you may not have.

Other issues. My understanding is that many UK nurses are educated or licensed in speciality tracks, not as generalists. In the US, all nurses are educated and licensed as generalists. As such, the UK nurses of my distant acquaintance have had to take extra courses, to meet US licensure requirements, and there is no way to license someone without the extra coursework.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Wouldnt my Diploma which was 3 years count and therefor only require 1 year = 3 years of work experience? Or am I reading this H1B visa stuff wrongly? So damn confusing. After I qualified originally I worked for 6 years, break for 10 years, now doing return to practice. Would I need to do another 3 years recent work experience in that case? Sorry for sounding totally dumb here.

H1b requires degree or 12 years work experience ideally in a speciality. Not sure if they will accept that you have had a break for 10 years

[gwenc1212]

Thanks for both inputs, very much appreciated. :)

[PRETTYNURSY]

Moved to the International forum

What visa are they planning on bringing you over to the US with? If immigrant then you are currently looking at 6+ years wait for a visa. H1b is minimum BSN and experienced or exceptional skills.

OPG can not guarantee where you will end up. Many states are now looking at enforcing US SSN with application, some have already started, so instead of looking at OPG I would be looking at finding a state to register with, meet their requirements and pass NCLEX.

Also where are you and how long ago did you qualify?

I have BSN and I just passed NCLEX, 1yr 4months clinical experience, 3yrs 6months research experience. I'm in New York at the moment. Any employment advice for me please?

[Hayville]

I have just finished my contract with O'Grady. I have a Diploma, so I entered via HB3. I was very satisfied with my stay with them! First: It is not true, that it takes a certain amount of years to emigrate. That depends on politics entirely. At the moment you can come over as soon as the immigration process is finished. Which takes about a year. Before you have to take your NCLEX, and it depends on you, how long that takes. But O'Grady gave us the best book to study by, they did mock exams, they had information meetings about the most general things about the test. And they arranged the venue and everything.

Second it is not true that you don't decide, where you go. In the US it is called to be a travel nurse, and just as all the American travel nurses, you get different jobs offered, and you then go through an interview with the employer, where you and the employer then can decide, if you want each other. Third it is not true that you are sent around to different places: You stay in the place, you chose to start with during the contract. They arranged the travel to the US, and paid it, they found a place for me to live, where I still am, and which I am really happy about. But they don't decide, they offer you the places, and you go on the websites, and decide. But they then arrange with the contract. The helped me with the American Embassy in London. I made a mistake, they sorted it out. They assigned a meet and greet person, who comes and gets you every day for a week, helping you get settled, find stuff for your flat etc. When you come to the US as a foreigner no one will give you a credit or a credit card. Which you often need to settle in. O'Grady has put their reputation on one bank, who will give you a creditcard. And it is not a bad one, just an ordinary one. They have a clinical expert , who will guide you and advice you at work, they have another person assigned, who can help you with all other kinds of problems you may encounter as a foreigner, my green card didn't arrive as it should, O Grady helped me by advising me to simply ask for a replacement instead of looking for the missing one. I had the ordinary salary of every one in the ward. O' Grady also helped with my taxes , you haven't got a clue, how to list yourself to start with.On top of that they looked after me, comforted me, when I had an injury, they have regular dinners for all their nurses, whom they visit on a regular basis. I had Christmas presents , which to me seems more personal, than what I have ever been experiencing. And I felt a little insecure, when my contract ran out. BUT again, their service is immaculate: Once in the O'Grady Family always there, which means that I can always call and have advice and support, as I always had. And I even had a bonus. Which I had problems believing , but it was true. When you sign on with an employer over here, you get a bonus, if you stay the time, the contract is for. So I hope, that will answer a lot of questions, people have regarding signing up with a foreign nursing agency.

[msrozba]

Hi, Hayville

Your reply was very informative regarding O'Grady Peyton. I've currently applied for them, as I also applied for others. So my question is, How was your initial experience with them?

They asked me to submit my IELTS or TOEFL for now. What's next in your opinion.

Thanks.

[RickyRescueRN, BSN, RN]

Ive been in the USA (California) since 2003 as a RN. I immigrated from South Africa and to be quite honest , would not have been able to accomplish the whole move with the legalities and documents , without having O'Grady Peyton International by my side the whole way. I had several colleagues who left South Africa before me, also with OGP and none of us had bad or difficult experiences. Currently, I only recommend them to overseas friends who are wanting to make the move to the USA as RNs as OGP really takes care of everything. Living the American Dream for the past 15-16yrs thanks to OGP.

[jenhug15]

A few of my friends were recruited by OGP, what people don't know is that you don't have to stay on the job chosen and you can leave, but OGT threatens you and ask you to pay back more than you earned and they tell you they will send your name to the credit bureau if you don't pay back thousands of dollars in a few days. My daughter is a lawyer and she says it is against the law for them to do what they are doing. 

[Nursica]

For all of you on this thread, how long in the typical O'Grady Peyton contract for a foreign-educated nurse? e.g. is it 1, 2, 3 years etc? How much is the typical buyout fee or fine for breaching their contract? Straight answers, if possible, and please comment on other agencies that you have engaged with or heard of e.g. Avant, AMN, Shearwaters etc. Help rest of us, your colleagues, make informed choices. TIA??