bizzymum919

The US does NOT accept dual citizenship. The US is very nationalistic and when you apply for citizenship, they want you to renounce your former country. You can do it verbally, but it is not official until you write the governement of your former country. If you leave the US and take on citizenship of that country, you lose your American citizenship even if you were born and raised in the US. I am a dual citizen of the UK and US, but the US does not recognise the UK citizenship, but the UK recognises the US. I am looking to relocate to Canada also. I hear that British citizens get preferential treatment in regards to immigration since Canada used to be a colony of the UK. Is this still true?

I am starting this thread because I would like feedback on the positives about nursing in Canada. I hear so much about people moving to the US and I would love to hear from those who are staying, living and nursing in Canada. Cheers,

It is distressing to find that so many Canadian nurses are so unhappy with their work conditions. I know of a few Brits who have moved from the UK to Canada because the conditions in the UK were so bad and they find Canada a lot nicer. I cannot see myself staying here in the states especially not Virginia. Since I passed the LPN boards and now working towards my RN, the LPN jobs are few and far between and I am finding that a lot of places are not very flexible. The RN schools have extensive waiting lists and a lot of red tape to get into. I would like to hear some good things about working in Canada as a nurse.

LPN's are getting phased out in many positions and they are mostly "grandfathering" the ones already on the units. If you want to specialize in a certain area it is best to go for your RN. I am going into the bridge program (LPN -RN) so that I will be more marketable. With a RN, or even in some cases a BSN, you can go anywhere and not really worry about qualifications. :balloons:

It is funny how the nurses from the UK are coming to Canada and the US and the US nurses are wanting to come to Canada and the UK. Some people here in the US are willing to forgo the pay and the perks of working here so that they can have the way of life that is offered in the UK and Canada. The US way of life is not that popular with the Americans at the moment and it has been on a steady decline for the past 10 yrs. Many fellow nurses talk about if they could they would pack up and leave the country in a heartbeat. I keep hearing how the provinces outside of BC and Ontario are the way to go for nursing. :balloons:

The Dallas area has some of the best salaries in the country. The cost of living is not too bad and nurses do quite well financially without having to work themselves to death as in other states where the nurses get paid a lot less in a high cost of living area. You will enjoy working there.

I did not know that US nurses are covered under NAFTA, but I know that NAFTA only applies to temporary work. I do know that the "score" to gain entry as a skilled worker is now 67 as opposed to 75 as it was before. I took an survey and I scored a 71. I would have scored more if I had family who lived in Canada, or a job offer, but that will come in time therefore my score will be even better.:chuckle I am looking at more of the middle provinces like Saskachewan, Manitoba and such mainly because of the high cost of living in Ontario and BC. I am hearing that those areas are not limiting US nurses to having only BSN's. I hope that is true.

Canada is a lovely country, but the immigration is such a bother. I thought it would not be hard to emigrate there if one was an RN, but I have heard that there are not enough permanent jobs for immigrants and there are only temp/agency work and Ontario was only taking BSN's. I thought being from the US, or being from the UK would be an advantage to relocating there, but I have heard different. You would think due to the nursing shortage that Canada would be recruiting like mad to the US and UK, but the immigration redtape and opportunities for stability seem to be lacking. Am I wrong?

It makes one wonder what sort of people are taking care of our loved ones. :uhoh21:

With all the talk of Wales and it may just bypass my home country England and go a bit more west of the country. There is a show called Location, Location, Location and they show places outside of the "normal" parts of the UK. I have just finished my LPN school I plan to take those boards in the next few weeks when the paperwork is finished. Then... I am off to finish an RN program in the quickest way possible to get back to the UK quick. My goal to relocate is 2007 before I hit 40. I just hope I will not be too old to start nursing in a new country. Wales seems like such a nice place, though !

SueIP, How is Wales in regards to the nursing shortage ? I have heard of a lot of English residents moving to Wales to get away from the rat-race. A lot of people have moved into the countryside so that they can also live off the land and live the "good life". Wales is so underrated and overshadowed by the other British countries so any information you can share will be great. :) :balloons:

Wow ! Wales and the Isle of Man. I bet that was an experience. Excuse my ignorance, but I was afraid if I went to those parts of the UK, that I would stand out like a sore thumb. :imbar How was the nursing environment in those places in regards to nursing practices and progress and of course, how did the local and professional people perceive and receive you? Also it is good to know that there are PICC nurses in the UK. I would like to get experienced with that since I worked in the Interventional Radiology dept and was quite impressed with the skills involved. Sometimes I feel that the more versed and skilled I become the more people will see past my skin colour. It is just what I have experienced here in the US. With affirmative action people feel that you got job soley because the employer had to hire you because you were black and not based on your skill and qualifications, but when people realize that I am quite qualified and then some, they are not as resentful, but then they may mock you for being "too smart". It is a vicious cycle, but a reality here in the US.

Houston has some of the best hospitals on the country due to the private organizations that fund some research areas of medicine. The pay and job market in Houston is also quite good. I understand that nurses from the UK and other countries are coming to the US due to the pay. When a starting LPN can make $35,000/yr with $2-5,000 sign on bonuses to start in some states and a RN can make $45-60,000/yr to start with and $5-10,000 sign on bonuses, how can anyone pass that up. There are so much research and specializations for nurses. Do British RN's insert PICC lines in patients ? I know that some hospitals in Australia have RN's that do so. Nurse practitioners have nearly complete autonomy here in the US, but he/she must pay and arm and a leg for malpractice insurance. Also nurse anethetists also must retain VERY high malpractice insurance. RN's and LPN's do not need as much. A nurse with any sort of specialization/certification such as oncology, neurology, radiology can pretty much write their own pay cheque and the hospitals will gladly pay. Also Britons are going for the warmer climates. TX, CA, FL and HI are getting flooded with Brits. I love the snow ! :balloons:

Not to leave anyone out. I thank everyone for sharing what they see in their hospitals.:kiss It seems that most hospitals are trying to do proactive measures to keep racial tension down to a minimum and also letting people of colour express themselves and not feel shut out of the system. There are thousands of hospitals to choose from in the UK and where some are laggging behind it seems that other are making strides in leaps and bounds in respect to diversity and providing a friendly work environment for everyone. I am looking for both a friendly work environment AND home environment. In my opinion, I feel I am more likely to find them in the UK rather than in the US. I have met so many friendly Northerners (esp Yorkshire and Birmingham areas) and I even have not ruled out Scotland, or N. Ireland as a possibility of places. I know there is shortage of nurses there also. :) :balloons:

Houston TX has some of the best food places, but the racism is even unbearable for other Texans. My family lives in the Dallas area, but Houston for such a large city is terrible. I know for fact that the nursing conditions and pay is wonderful down there, but the ignorance is rampant. A town, just outside of Houston, off I-10 called Vider, TX is completely ran by racists to the point that the Federal gov't will not provide any aid to that city. The government tried to integrate the city and asked blacks to move in and they would provide the homes and bonuses and jobs and such, but the white residents of this all white city chased the black children home from school in their trucks throwing sticks and rocks and the adults were given death threats and their homes were shot at with shot guns and pistols. The black people with the government's help were relocated within a year. I find that the US is going full circle with the racism. People are getting evenmore less tolerant of others and people are trying to move further away from any sort of person of colour that is different that themselves (white and black and hispanic). You will find many people will live very far away from the hospitals. They will work in an intergrated environment, but not live in one. I think the same reason that is driving you out of the UK and to the US is the same thing that is driving me out of the US and to the UK. :wink2:

Congrats on passing the NCLEX in NY!! There is reciprocity here in the US and you can move anywhere in the states your heart chooses. NY City is quite like London, but Upstate is the place to be to raise children because of slower pace of life. Living in the Southern part of the US where racism is obvious and also hidden when someone is "trying" to portray themselves as educated has taken its toll on my nerves. :angryfire I do not think any place is more divided than the US. You stated that you moved to the UK in 1999. Where did you live before? I appreciate your honesty and openess of what I could expect so that I will not be shocked if and when I got the cold shoulder from someone. But as my mum states that one must document everything and if I tell the Dr, or nurse and they shrugg me off, then I will document that they were told and what time they were told and the rest is on them. Also I thought Birmingham would be nice since there is a larger West-Indian community and lot of festivals and awareness celebrations ??? Again congrats on the NY NCLEX!!

Just a quick addendum to the last post. I just spoke to my mum who was a nurse in the UK in the 50's, 60's and 70's where race relations were not at their best and she stated that she NEVER had a doctor, or nurse not speak with her about her patients. My mum stated that a person is judged individually and how one presents themselves. She lived in Brighton, London, Sussex and Birmingham to name a few places and she stated that she never really had any problem with racism. There was a lot of nationalism ie Australian nurses vs British nurses and US nurses vs British nurses in regards to how they did their patient care and work ethics, but doctors were respectful. AND in the 50's for a black woman to go to a nursing school with whites is MAJOR in race relations because in the US at that time, it was not only not done, but against the law to intergrate in many states. My mum assured me to have a visit and see for myself. So, off to Yorkshire I shall visit. :balloons:

Thank you so much Baby G. That is exactly what I have been told. My cousin did say the other day that they were horrid to the black carribean nurses and many have left for places such as the US and Canada because the environment became so unbearable. :angryfire She also mentioned that also contributed to the nursing shortage in the UK and now they are trying to make some changes in regards to racial sensitivity, but from what you are saying it is not happening where you are. I really hoped that I would be able to go to the UK and have people accept me as just a nurse; not a black one, or a carribean one, but just a Registered nurse and be taken seriously because here in the US everyone DOES communicate with eachother and the doctors even as just being a nurse's assistant at this time, they really value my opinion and observations of a patient because I am so hands on with them. I would really lose my temper if any doctor turned his back on me when I was speaking to him. It is NOT done here in the US. The nurses here would not stand for it ! Even though in the US there is social racism and such, in the healthcare field it is few and far between. There is a bit of attitude towards certain people esp Fillipino and middle eastern, but the overall treatment is more respectful than what you have stated and experienced. My family really misses me and wants me to relocate back home and I miss them too. But if I am going to have to FIGHT and SCREAM to get respect for what I have worked SOOOO hard for, then I might as well not bother. NO ONE especially a hard working nurse should have to FIGHT for respect that she truly deserves no matter what race or colour she is. Thanks for your perspective. :balloons:

It is nice to know that UK is not living up the the rumour that my cousin told me. I would like to relocate with a peace of mind. London will have more racial tension due to the influx of different cultures and that it is so crowded, but it is a progressive area and more apt to change. Most people of colour tend not to venture up north too much due to the cold weather. Now I know that Birmingham has a large Carribean community, but that area is also getting expensive to live since the government is building up the city. Everyone is speaking about how the Philipino nurses were welcomed in their area, but are they just as friendly to Black Britons? :balloons:

So I suppose that in the UK as I had experienced when I lived there long ago that people are judged by the content of their character rather than the content of melanin. Here in VA, nurses do not have very much agro in the work place because a nurse is a nurse. Either you are a good one, or a lazy one and there is such a shortage and the pay is dismal that they accept any and everyone. Since I plan to relocate after I finish my RN diploma by 2007, I was hoping that the UK is as tolerant and accepting of people of different races and cultures as I had remembered. I plan to move up North to the Yorkshire area (outside the city area) due to the cost of living. I hope they are friendly up there. :) :balloons:

I have been told by a rumour that there are racial tensions between the black and white nurses and that the black nurses were forced to leave some hospitals due to the hostile conditions. Is there any truth to this and how are the racial relations in your area in regards to the hospital/healthcare working environment?

Very true. There is no time limit if you want to relocate, work and live, but if you want educational benefits, there is a minimum 3 yr residency requirement. There was a time where people would live abroad and send their children to the UK for education and the government sees expats as not contributing to the economy with their taxes therefore some perks are not granted. However you can use the NHS system anytime as long as you are a UK citizen. I am in the same boat. That is why I am finishing up all my studies here in the US before relocating back to the UK. :balloons:

Very true. There is no time limit if you want to relocate, work and live, but if you want educational benefits, there is a minimum 3 yr residency requirement. There was a time where people would live abroad and send their children to the UK for education and the government sees expats as not contributing to the economy with their taxes therefore some perks are not granted. However you can use the NHS system anytime as long as you are a UK citizen. I am in the same boat. That is why I am finishing up all my studies here in the US before relocating back to the UK. :balloons:

The conditions are bad all over really. I hear Canadian nurses complain of their conditions and I know nurses who have moves all over the US chasing the hope for a "better" hospital. The conditions in Virginia are horrid and the pay is dismal. There is no reason why a RN has to work 2 jobs one at a hospital for health benefits and at an agency for the higher pay just to make ends meet to support his/her family. A person from Pennsylvania as a CNA (nurse's assistant) makes more than some RN's here in Virginia. The daily cost of living is dismal here also. My little tiny house cost about $180,000 and I have to pay taxes on my car and home, food and clothing and there is no public transportation and petrol of $2.00/gallon and the mentality of the people is so provincial and stagnant. As one has said, it is not all about the money. The bad pay along with the location compounds the low morale. In NY city they pay quite well, but look what one has to contend with. Also, one has to take in consideration that in some states the nurses have a union which can lobby to the government about the conditions and pay for the nurses and nurses can go on strike without losing their jobs in these states, but due to the shortage, the government does not dare aggravate the nurse's union and tends to come to a reasonable agreement. I plan to go the UK and visit some hospitals and shadow a nurse on her daily routine. I think that would give me a better idea of what I am really in for. :balloons: