On a spousal visa, treated as any other UK/EU citizen?

misswoosie · Jul 10, 2010

I understand that you're NICU is level 3 but I do think their will be units elsewhere in the world that are just as high tech with just a sick neonates.

I worked in OR at a regional cardiothoracic and transplantation center in Newcastle as an anaesthetic nurse back in the late 80s.I hated doing the scheduled paeds surgery, and when we were on call and got the neonates from the local Obs unit that was even worse. Mind the anaesthetists weren't the nicest bunch so that didn't help and I was very young. Now I wouldn't put up with the cr-- they used to dish out:rolleyes:

That was before I had kids, so I certainly couldn't do it now.I take my hat off to anyone who does.Those guys are just way too small for my liking.

I don''t have a particular issue with the licensing process in the US. I do think that all nurses should take an examination before being licensed.I don't believe written assessments over the duration of the course is sufficient.

The issue a lot of RNs have (and I don't know how many people on this forum have approved petitions and are waiting for Green Cards. 8 years is a long time to wait

I know many UK RNs have decided to go elsewhere, but for us the US was where we wanted to be.

We were lucky enough to have another option via my husbands work, but still it's worrying knowing that I can't work if anything happened to him. Plus it's not ideal, as you say, to be out of nursing for more than a year or so.

babyNP., APRN · Jul 11, 2010

I didn't mean to say that there aren't other units in the world that are similar in technology to ours, just that it doesn't get more high-tech than what we do. If there are units of higher technology, it's minimal. Sorry if it came across in the wrong way :redbeathe

Sorry for your situation...my husband thinks that in a perfect world, there shouldn't be such a thing as borders and that people should be able to travel freely and settle where they will. I don't think that would work out well in this day and age, if ever...immigrating to the US or the UK is a privilege, not a right, even if we do have spouses in the other countries. When I realized that, I felt very grateful that there is a mechanism to allow us to be together, even if the process is something less to be desired...

I wish you well with your job and transition to having permanent residency in the future :)

misswoosie · Jul 11, 2010

Thankyou!

Good luck with your endeavours to live and work in the UK.:)

UStoUKbritt · Aug 6, 2010

I'm really sorry to hear all of your frustrations. I am currently in the same position. My partner is a UK citizen and lives in London, and we have plans to get married. Since I only have my ASN and my BA in an unrelated subject, I am not qualified to register w/ the NMC. My program only offered 810 clinical hours and I have been a Med/Surg RN for just over 2 years (certainly not as much experience as you!!!) So they said I could take a BSc Nursing program over there (w/ clinicals), however, in order to do so, you need to be a UK citizen b/c it is funded by the NHS. They offer what they call top-up courses for international students, but these do not give you any additional clinical hours. Some Master's programs offer clinicals, but it seems to be in conjunction w/ your workplace...when you are already registered w/ the NMC and currently working "on the floor" you do your "clinical" time. Many ask why my partner doesn't just come to the states. Unfortunately, the US does not recognize same-sex marriage on the federal level, and therefore, she is unable to. I have actually just applied to one of the one year top-up programs and then plan to enter a fast-track Master's program in the UK just so I can be w/ my partner and do my additional schooling at a cheaper cost than in the US. Basically, I won't be working as a Nurse for about 2 years (and am really upset about that), but at least I'll be in school furthering my education. In those two years, who knows, maybe some US laws will change and my partner and I will be welcome here and I can work as a nurse again. I wish you all the best in this uphill battle, and completely understand all of your frustrations...but where there is will, there is a way :)

babyNP., APRN · Aug 7, 2010

That just breaks my heart. I'm so sorry that you guys are in that kind of situation. Maybe the appeal from prop 8 will go all the way to the Surpreme Court and we'll get a federal ruling to encompass all states. Knowing the USCIS, however, the feet will be dragged considerably to catch up to par on immigration. We have been extraordinarily lucky on that part compared to many people, but it's still a frustrating process.

Have you thought about your partner applying for the diversity visa? It doesn't cost anything to apply, although this year UK citizens weren't eligible, I believe. They get a straight permanent residency from that and can apply for US citizenship in five years. Your partner could also try for a work visa (H1B I think it's called) depending on their line of work. Not likely in this economy, but maybe in the future? I think it takes awhile longer to get the green card in that scenario...

Le sigh. I wish you best of luck in your endeavors! I will have to look at that international top-up thing, hadn't heard of it before. Of course, I have to laugh because I would probably be put into adult clinicals, when my reflex now when I see medical shows a heart beat of 60 is to jump and call for a code :lol2: I am not fit for adults. I don't even like peds. Give me babies any day of the week!

UStoUKbritt · Aug 7, 2010

Thanks for your response and suggestions. We've looked into the diversity visa and I don't think the Us will be allowing the UK to be part of that any time soon. The work visa isn't possible for her line of work b/c she is a freelance photographer. Unfortunately, one of us will have to give up our profession/passion to be w/ each other. Luckily I have school to fall back on and at least keep my brain in nursing mode. You can check out the Nursing Studies BSc (top-up) programs, but they are not going to offer any clinical hours. The only program (in/around London) I have come across that offers a BSc w/ clinicals for international students/nurses is Hertfordshire University. They offer a full-time 3 year program, but it sounds like you'd be repeating a lot of it? Given your previous studies you can "APEL" out of probably the first year. That is similar to "CLEP-ing" here in the states. You also have to make sure the program is NMC approved. Good luck if you start researching programs in the UK, I swear it's like a different language! I'm leaving in a few days to visit my partner in London and I'm thinking of not coming back on my return flight! I'll just hang up my

stethoscope, forget about the red tape, enjoy some cream tea, and live happily ever after:rolleyes: Good luck to you, and if you find any interesting programs, let me know...I'll do the same!

babbyfresh · Aug 9, 2010

HI I think i may be a little late for this thread but just to had, the training here in the UK has gotten pretty hard and even the diploma course has gotten so intense. What has happen is that our training though it is three years it is also 50% theory and 50% practice. The worst thing is that while in practice you are still being asked to do assignment, study for exam or both. Every country do have their own rules for practice. We don't have to be license but we do have to be fit to practice and we have to prove it on a 12 0r 13 wks clinical placements. No newly qualified nurse is being put on their on without a 2wks induction to their area and a mentor for 6 mnths. the Thing is though we may be trained to a specific branch the expectation is extremly high. Thats is why you may need hours because for the 3yrs of our training we put in alot of hours in one branch. Hence the reason we have to make up hours if we would like to come to the state experience or not.Things have change and Its the same all round even now we are moving to an all graduate profession by 2013, and all the nurses who were trained in the 90s are so have to do a degree program, they all have eexperience. Times has change and the profession is changing with it. All university In the UK at present is writting a new carriculum, and the hours will increase and clinical placement has already been increase for some student from 8wks first placement to 12wks. Its not easy though it is three years.

babyNP., APRN · Oct 25, 2010

Good news guys!! I have found two different sources citing that the NMC does look at applications individually and that you don't necessary need all the exact number of hours listed on the website, but rather the quality of your degree (obviously does still have to be a BSN).

Quoted from November 2009:

I would apply and see what they say. They go on a case by case basis. They look at all your transcripts and information and they account for lesser clinical hours than what is required in the UK. I had less than what they require, but they approved me knowing I had a suitable degree. After I received my packet and submitted it, it took about 6 months to receive my license but this was due to the NMC needing more and more information and my university not translating the transcripts correctly from credit hours to clock hours. From the time I requested my packet to receiving it was 1 week (I live in Germany). I then did my preliminary paperwork and that was about a month before I received all the paperwork and began submitting my transcripts. "

*note that the poster is a US RN trained, but was in Germany at the time.

Working in the UK NurseTogether

In addition, this link:

Working in the U.K. as an American-trained nurse | Main nursing areas | Nursing Times

points to some more success and someone said that a recruiter told the nurse that the NMC does take things on a case-by-case basis.

Personally, I think that as the recession recedes, the rules will loosen up a bit. It wasn't horribly long ago that they took ADNs (there's a ADN RN over at uk-yankee who came over in the late 90s). For right now, sounds like they tightened everything up to offer more jobs to the poor new grads who are similarly stuck like US new grads in difficulties in getting a job...

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2010

Right, well I did school full-time for 4 years (and took 2 extra classes for kicks). If the UK students did all that clinical time, they'd have to do 20 hours every single week for 3 years...that doesn't sound very realistic.

that's entirely realistic, because that's exactly what we do

156 week programme, 21 weeks of leave , 67 weeks of placements, 68 weeks of Classes ...

babyNP., APRN · Nov 3, 2010

that's entirely realistic, because that's exactly what we do
156 week programme, 21 weeks of leave , 67 weeks of placements, 68 weeks of Classes ...

Well, kudos I suppose :) I think I would get pretty burnt out doing it that way! Also, I always thought that A levels seemed like a ton of pressure to put on 16-18 year olds, from what my husband has told me about them...

In any case, for anyone who might read this thread, you can look up member "helricha" who has sucessfully received registration from the NMC by having his/her BSN, but not the required clinical hours. Looks like they are much more flexible than what their website portrays.

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2010

Well, kudos I suppose :) I think I would get pretty burnt out doing it that way! Also, I always thought that A levels seemed like a ton of pressure to put on 16-18 year olds, from what my husband has told me about them...
.

3 year degrees are the norm in the UK, none healthcare subjects will do a 30 something week academic year though

A levels probably are more intense than some places school leaving exams primarily because Higher education in the UK is Not liberal arts and is focused on a named degree subject from the outset.

babyNP., APRN · Nov 3, 2010

Yeah, the hubby prefers that system with no liberal arts, choosing your "major" right away...but I dunno. I was forced to take a South American history class as part of the track that I was on and while I was less than enthused to take it, I actually really enjoyed it. I also had to take an economics class and it's brought me a greater understanding of the US domestic economy. None of it particularly makes me a better nurse, but I feel more (for lack of a better phrase, lol) "well-rounded."

Which...for an American, can only be a good thing considering our lack of knowledge about the world outside of the US perhaps because Europeans tend to be more open to other cultures and sensitivity, they don't need the liberal arts bit that most Americans get.