RNN in Canada and UK

babyNP., APRN · Jan 8, 2015

Well, as an Italian citizen, you can live in the UK without a visa and it shouldn't be too difficult getting a NMC license (you don't need to take the IELTS or anything). It might be more difficult in Canada, I don't know what the current conditions are over there.

You wouldn't train to be a registered nurse in those countries, you'd be training to be a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. In Canada they are eligible to take the NCC board exam (same as the US board exam) and in the UK there is no national board exam or a separate licensure to become a nurse practitioner (although that may be changing in the coming years).

keep in touch and let us know how things go!

p.s. how does it work in Italy with your units then? Are there only neonatologists and no other "advanced practice staff" that can put in orders, intubate, change care plans, etc?

Bob.RN · Jan 12, 2015

thank for your reply. As italian citizien it might be easier to find an employ in Uk, I only have to pay for the registration!

Instead, in Canada, there are more certifications and exams to do (NCC board exam, IELTS,..) !!

In these both countries there's the chance to take a master's degree in Advance Neonatal Nurse, so i would like to know which one is the best!

In Italy, nurses take a degree in nursing science (three years studies - 2200 hours practice and 2200 hours theory) and if you are able to pass the qualifying examination you are allow to work as a registered nurse. Moreover, there are some master's degree, but they aren't required to work (only to be a head nurse). You can work in every unit, you don't need any specializiation, indeed there isn't any master in advance neonatal nurse!

nurses as i cannot intubate or perform a PICC placement, it's not in our competence. We found individualized care plan on nanda diagnosis. For this reason i wonder to take up a specific career in an other country like yours, i believe that it could be more professional!

babyNP., APRN · Jan 12, 2015

I don't know which country would be best (as I haven't lived or practiced in either), but I will tell you that Canadian nurse practitioners have been around longer than UK nurse practitioners and are more standardized in their approach; i.e. they have more standardized education with licensure exams and are separately licensed from registered nurses.

However, both are not as established roles as in the USA, but then again, it would probably be much more difficult for you to immigrate here (although there might be visas for NPs in the USA; I know there's a backlog for RNs, but not sure about NPs).

I guess my question to you is: where do you want to live? I would base most of my decision based off of that and then seriously look into how you can become registered as a nurse in either country and look into how you can get accepted into a master's degree program. It may be that Canada isn't a viable option for you, but then again, maybe it is. I don't know the situation with EU nurses getting registered with Canada and obtaining a visa to live there, so I would look into that. There is a Canadian forum if you click on "nurses" at the top of this page and then "world nurses." Might get a better response there.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Jan 13, 2015

thank for your reply. As italian citizien it might be easier to find an employ in Uk, I only have to pay for the registration!
Instead, in Canada, there are more certifications and exams to do (NCC board exam, IELTS,..) !!
In these both countries there's the chance to take a master's degree in Advance Neonatal Nurse, so i would like to know which one is the best!
In Italy, nurses take a degree in nursing science (three years studies - 2200 hours practice and 2200 hours theory) and if you are able to pass the qualifying examination you are allow to work as a registered nurse. Moreover, there are some master's degree, but they aren't required to work (only to be a head nurse). You can work in every unit, you don't need any specializiation, indeed there isn't any master in advance neonatal nurse!
nurses as i cannot intubate or perform a PICC placement, it's not in our competence. We found individualized care plan on nanda diagnosis. For this reason i wonder to take up a specific career in an other country like yours, i believe that it could be more professional!

Registered nurses in the US don't need a master's degree either. RNs either receive an Associate or Bachelor's degree in Science/Nursing (2-4 years) and can work in any unit including the NICU. If you want to enter an Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program you can become certified and licensed to diagnose and treat infants at or close to the same level as a physician.