MiladySkye

I would reconsider becoming an Independent Provider in Ohio. Governor Kasich's new budget cuts IP nurse's pay by more than 20%, to go into effect on October 1, 2011. I just received a letter from him (or rather his office) today, which basically said he would sign the bill on 6/30/11 and claims that these cuts have been made "in a thoughtful way".

I've been working as an Ohio IP for about 7 years. I've had little difficulty finding cases. I check the MyOhioHCP site regularly when looking for cases and have had Case Managers that I've worked with in the past contact me to see if I am interested in a particular case or visit. I also have had previous supervisors let me know when they need help on a case. Developing relationships with other IP's has been instrumental in getting cases. It might be the area you're located in or perhaps how far you are willing to travel that is making it difficult to find cases.

Whisper, I sympathise with you. Avoiding a situation like yours is exactly why I went for my LPN in the States, so that I was ensured the patient contact and care that I loved (which was the reason I went into nursing in the first place). Unfortunately, it has limited where I can go in the world. If I were to lose that contact with patients and all the hands-on care that I give, I would rather not nurse at all. Besides, it doesn't take a nursing degree to manage beds, does it???? Some organsational manager could manage that without a nursing degree (which is what they often do here in the States).

Thanks for your reply, Mike. (And David!) As for the UK not accepting anything less than a BSN, this is information I got when I called the NMC, also the NHS Careers division, after failing to get a response to my e-mail. They will not allow US nurses to register with them unless they have a BSN Degree. You can't get a work permit until you are resistered. Vicious circle, really. I can honestly say that I have done far more clinical nursing than many of the Registered Nurses here, with experience in C-lines, PICC lines, starting IV's, etc. . . I'm currently taking care of an infant with a trach on a Bipap with Primordial Dwarfism in their home. I also presently work at a Retirement Community with over 1,000 residents as an Emergency Response Nurse (only one nurse on duty each shift) and am not only responsible for the residents, but the employees and visitors as well. I worked with Short Gut Syndrome children (mostly 1-4 year olds) for years, and even worked in the Neonatal ICU at a Women's Hospital. I have very good assessment and organisational skills, am a dependable and dedicated nurse and feel that this requirement of a 4 year degree (it's actually a three year, but we don't have a three year degree here. It's either 2 or 4) is unfair. Perhaps I should be taking up the job of petitioning the government/NMC there to recognise LPN qualifications!!!

I have found out that UK no longer accepts anything less than a BSN. :-( Wish now that I spoke French! There was a lovely place called Saintes that I visited a couple of years ago, located south of Cherbourg. If I spoke the language, that's where I would go! I am getting frustrated with the UK's attitude about requiring nothing less than a BSN when they are so short of nurses. To top that off, they do have the equivalent to an LPN in their nursing heirarchy, but refuse to recognise my 20 years of experience as an LPN as worthy of any recognition. Pretty sad really, when you think about the quality of care needed there as well as the need for good hand-on nursing and people skills, of which I have a great abundance of. Maybe will have to scrap the idea of moving there, though I do love Somerset.

Hello, I'm an LPN working on my ASN after 20 years of nursing. I was looking for info on how to relocate to the UK once I finish my schooling. I would like to move to the Somerset area, where I have been visiting for years. I see that bizzymum919 was relocating to the UK from the US and thought someone might be able to offer some advice. I've worked in pediatrics for many years as well as with the elderly. I've also done hospital staffing, but that was years ago when LPN's weren't so limited on what they could do as far as IV's and C-lines. I would eventually like to go on to get my BSN or MSN but I, like some have expressed here, fear losing contact with the patients, which is what I love about nursing, that human contact and comfort that only hands-on nursing can provide. If anyone has any info to share, please let me know.