msbowkett

Also can i ask how you are going to convert, in the UK or US?? and if so which college? Michelle

Thankyou so much, this has really been hanging of my head and of course it has caused problems for my relationship. it is nice to know that it is possible to convert and be able to use my diploma, even if i have to do more hours. Unfortuntely my school doesn't allow us to do any extra training. so i think i will try and do it in the states. what visa do you guys think is most appropriate? a student one or to go over as a fiance or already married??? thanks guys michelle

Hi All I know that this has been discussed over and over again. I'm a 2nd year mental health nursing student, in the uk and my partner lives in america. When i qualify i will eventually move to usa. However i don't want to waste my training and i love this and want it to be my career. I have looked through all the old post and trying to work out best way to convert. I know that it's all to do with hours in areas i need to make up. However no one is actually saying how or where to make these up. The universities over here, don't let you do these extra areas. Anyone have any ideas of how or where we can make these hours??? Michelle

Hi all I'm a student nurse in my second year on an acute ward placement. we have a 34 year old lady who is in for respite and is depressed. She constantly cries and says she doesn't want to be here. she has only made 1 actual attempt a few years ago and has no set plan. she came up to me and started to cry and said the staff nurses on the shift were being mean to her. one of them told her to go away, that she wasn't her nurse, acused her of setting fires (the patient want to burn her self) and didn't want to talk to her. the nurse then closed the door on her. i spoke to another staff nurse as i felt this was a bit harsh to the patient. this staff nurse said that they were doing tough love on her as she needed to know the implications of arson. This staff nurse told me how she went in the patients room and the patient started rolling on the floor crying, the nurse told her to stop the nonscience and get up, to which the patient did straight away. they also told her she had to take her meds or she would have to go as she is on respite. the patient tolds me she didn't want to go home as she would be a burden for her mum. I felt really bad for this patient and the staff nurse i spoke to said she tries to play staff against each other and needs constant attention. Are the staff correct in handling this patient this way? am i feeling bad for the patient due to my emotional weakness as a student? What would you do and How do you guys help suicidal patients???? Michelle

hi, I'm a student mental health nurse in my 2nd year. Once you have done your training you can then go and work in any area you like within mental health. so you could get a job with young people and then just swap later on to become a CPN. You can do any area whether you have a diploma or degree, I've been told on numourous occassions that there's little difference in getting jobs on either qualification, it only makes a difference when you are going for the higher jobs. I would say to you on considering which qualification to do would depend on money. You get a higher bursary on diploma which, as long as you qualify, you don't pay back. On the degree you get half the bursary but can get a loan as well (which you do have to pay back), although you do end up with less than a diploma with both of these. If you wanted to get a higher qualfication you could always get a masters later on from a diploma and do it on the in-service route. Hope this helps a little. Each area is very different from one anothe. Good luck what ever you choose, it's a great profession, with the ability to swap areas so you don't get bored. Michelle

I'm a student mental health nurse out in the Uk, whilst in my first year i was living in hospital accommodation which was also shared with the general hospital. That's where i meet my boyfriend, who is a medical student. We started going out in November 2004 and he had to go home to USA in august 2005. However we are still together but it's hard doing a long distance relationship, especially on a student's budget!!, but it is working , we've been together just over a year now. He also came out and suprised me for the weekend of my birthday and i'm off out to visit him at christmas for 2 weeks. Now we just have to think about the long term, as in the uk with mental health you don't do general nursing so i'm not eligable to work over there, unless i do general training and it's still a long path to go down, but i don't think he wants to move to england once he qualifies in june 2006.