Odd Plans: ADN or BSN?

[Kaylee_]

I am currently an officer in the military, tied down to my job for the next two years. I will be moving to the UK to be with my fiance (then husband) at the end of those two years until his military commitment is over. I am at odds with whether to pursue the local community college ADN offered here part-time (oddly enough, the scheduling *just might work* with my current job). And for our year tour in England, pursue an online RN-BSN.

OR.... if the powers that be, allow me to "Palace Chase" (switch to the military Reserves for my final year in the US) and pursue an ABSN full-time and then *try* to land a UK nursing job during that "Gap Year."

My biggest concern would be to avoid career suicide of course: both Networking and a Bachelor's degree is important. But even if I were able to complete the ABSN, I might not be hired in the UK.

Advice anyone? Would military nursing accept you if you haven't been hired in a year? (Of course, I would do everything to volunteer, go on Nursing mission trips, etc). I want to make a smart decision and need advice on which road might be better career-wise. THANK YOU!

***disclaimer, fiance is British. So there is no Joint Spouse program available to us. Additionally, because I am an officer, I cannot pursue the Enlisted Commissioning in Nursing option either.

[Xance]

The second option would not be wise imo. If you were to transition to the reserves most of those are in the US somewhere and you would then have to travel internationally every month. the only way the second option would work is if you can guarantee a reserve job somewhere in the UK but I have never heard of such a thing.

The first option would be the better one, but as for you becoming a practicing RN you would have to check with the UK board of nursing to see if your education will even allow you to use your US education to get a UK RN license. If an ADN program is insufficient, you would then have to either make time for a full fledged BSN program, or do something other than nursing when you go to the UK. There are programs where you can use a bachelors in something to get a BSN in just a year, but that would be something you might have to delay until you get back from the UK. I'm facing that same issue (I work overseas on ships), my experience is not recognized by hospitals so it's difficult to get a hospital job.

I suggest a hybrid approach. Get your BSN now and ask if he can delay going to the UK until that is finished. Then get your RN and apply to US hospitals over there in the UK with the military, that would ensure your licensure is recognized. There are VA hospitals over there, as well as Army and Air Force so that might be your best approach. Otherwise I'm not sure what else you can do.