joolsc

I am a uk qualified nurse (qualified for 15 years). I have just relocated from Norfolk and have applied to join the NHS professionals as there doesn't seem to be many jobs at the moment. They have offered me an interview but I have been told I will also have to do a 2 hour competancy exam including drug calculations. Does anyone know anything about the exam??? Is it multiple choice. 2 hours seems a long time seen as they haven't given me any clue as to what they might test me on. Any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks, Jools.

I'm currently an RN in the UK and have mainly done surgical nursing since qualifying in 1993. We are seriously considering a move to Australia but I can't seem to find any info on the nurse patient ratio for a general surgical ward. Am I just dreaming thinking that it might be better working in Australia than in the UK?? I enjoy nursing a lot but at the moment i'm feeling very disheartened. There is never more than 2 trained staff on a ward of 30 patients and equipment/supplies are either faulty or not available....simple things like dressing packs and catheter bags!!! Any advice about generally nursing in Australia would be gratefully received. Thank you in advance, Julie x

Hiya, No i've not started or signed the contract yet. My start date is due to be 1st May. Jools.

Hiya, thanks for your reply. The job is band 5 in the good old NHS! On the contract I received it states that I would not get any increments for 12 months. The starting pay they have offered is less than an old bottom D grade:angryfire The head of nursing asked me to apply for the job before I knew there was one due to my experience! If they want the benefit of my experience they must know you don't get anything for nothing. At the end of the day they need me more than I need them so we'll see what happens. Jools.

Hi, I just want a bit of advice before I go and speak with my managers. I have just got my contract for my new job as staff nurse on the Surgical Assessment Unit and was horrified to see my starting pay £17049. I have been qualified for 13 years but have had to move around a lot (my husband was in the RAF). To give you an idea of my experience, I worked in an RAF hospital for 2 years in a casualty/outpatient department,worked in a private hospital for 6 months, worked on a general surgical ward for four years (at the same hospital i'm at now),then worked as a community staff nurse for 2 years, worked as a school nurse for 2 years then the last 3 months I have been working on the bank at the hospital where this new job is. I have got the ENB 998 - teaching and assessing qualification and have been told i'll need this as I will be expected to teach students. The unit is only small and have been told that I will be working on my own on lates and nights. When I left the hospital 5 1/2 years ago I was a top D, surely I dont have to go right down to the lowest pay They said they wanted me in the unit due to my experience!!! Am I completely wrong expecting at least the equivalent to a top D (what I was on when I last worked there), or are they taking the pee? Any comments would be appreciated, thanks in advance, Jools x

Thanks Suzanne:)

Hello, I am at the beginning of what I am expecting to be a long journey.I am a UK trained RN and I have a job offer in Tucson. I am starting to study for the NCLEX..i'm not expecting to be taking the exam for quite a while yet, approx 4 months. I have read all your comments about Kaplan and Saunders and am confused as ever:uhoh3: . The agency I am going with have offered me the Kaplan distance learning course for half the usual price, but I have also seen a Saunders 16 week course available on Amazon. Has anyone used either of these or do I just need to use the comp review books. I have already got a Kaplan book and several cd-roms (mosby, saunders,lippincott,kaplan). I am prepared to splash out the cash if it is needed but obviously don't want to just throw it away if a book for a quarter of the price will do. Any thoughts or advice will be gratefully received. Thanks,:) Jools x

Hi Lou, Regarding the kids, we are lucky, because my husband is in the RAF they are used to moving around and we have never had any extended family close by. We have said it will only be for a couple of years like when we went to Germany (we just got back after three years). We have tried to get the kids involved as much as possible, showed them info from the internet etc. My daughter complained because she wouldn't be able to make snow angels :icon_roll and my son wasn't sure because there was a program on tv the other day about the ufo sitings in arizona:smackingf . I think we will be ok!! Where are you working at the moment? I've not managed to find anything out about Sun Health, maybe no news is good news??? Feel free to contact me, Jools xx

Hi Suzanne, The offer with the TMC is working in general surgery they have offered me $23.40 an hour plus $8000 relocation. I don't know where I would be working with Sun Health yet, presumably general surgery as that is where I have the most experience.They are coming to London the first week in December so I guess I would find out more then. They have offered $26/27 an hour plus $4000 relocation. The trouble is my signed contract with the TMC is due back to them this week:eek:. Decisions decisions:uhoh3:. Its great to have the choice though!! Jools x

I've got experience in the community but I would be looking to do general surgery. Jools x

Hi all, I am a registered nurse in the UK. I have 2 children, a girl of 7 and a boy of 5, my husband is a photographer but is going to train to be a plumber/plasterer from January. I was just about to go out and post my signed contract for the Tucson Medical Center when I received a phone call from Sun Health in Phoenix!!! They have said they are very interested in me and would be offering me 3 - 4$ an hour more than the TMC. I'm in a dilemma now and don't know what to do:uhoh3:. The TMC are offering more relocation money so I suppose it all balances out in the end?? Has anyone got any experience of Sun Health? It all sounded good on the phone but it would wouldn't it! Is the cost of living a lot higher in Phoenix? Are the schools just as good as in Tucson? I presume there may be more job opportunities for my husband as it is a big city? Any advise would be gratefully received. Many thanks in advance Jools.