uk nurses who have come to the usa

Owain Glyndwr · Jun 10, 2005

I dont think that american doctors and nurses fully understand where we come from, and the working environment of the nhs, its only when we get here that we can understand the differences... but maybe nurses who are waiting to come will be able to pick up some tips and know more than us what to expect.
christine....from wales to scotland to united states virgin islands, and then to the states, in january.

Couldn't agree more Cariad. Would be most useful for us who will be relocating to the US in some months time. On informally visiting my proposed workplace in AZ last September, it was patently obvious that no-one from the Recruiter to the Clinical Managers had a clue about the NHS! I didn't know whether to expect them to know to or not, but you probably would have had a stab at them having some knowledge of other healthcare systems in this educated world we live in :no:

When I mentioned the 'average' nurse patient ratio in the UK to the nurses I met, they asked me to repeat the figures several times and then picked their jaws up from the floor as they could not believe what I had said!

My wife was told by a clinical manager that there was a five year waiting list for nurses to work day shifts in a certain area....folllowed by what seemed to be a standard question to us both - 'do you work nights?'!!! Is it nights all the way for us then?!

Any help/advice/guidance/putting off from anyone who has relocated would be very much appreciated.

Apart from nursing topics such as patient assessment (chest auscultation, heart sounds etc - which, frankly, I know bugger all about and, I guess, will receive a fair bit of support in learning about - another difference in US to UK way of working) I would like to know about handy hints such as getting credit, kids going to school, buying cars and property, cost of running a swimming pool, getting onto American Idol, and what sort of gun I should buy :confused: . I would also like to know how I can stop being confused with other nationalities? One person thought we were from the Ukraine (as I said UK) and several others guessed most incorrectly at Scandinavia. I'm not that Welsh!!

Cheers

OG

cariad · Jun 11, 2005

there are loads of questions in your reply, and no the americans dont know anything about socialised healthcare as they call it, not even the doctors. a few know that its free care but dont really believe that the brits dont pay for anything whilst in the hospital. here the patients are charged for everything. from bedpans to disposable washcloths.

before leaving the uk, you can get a credit report from experian, it only costs a few pounds, although on the whole the majority of places will still take no notice of it. we brought plenty of cash to live on for the first month and to buy anything that we needed. we were able to get a mortgage, they are set up differently here than in the uk, but we had a good mortgage broker who helped us and took notice of our credit report. its difficult to get credit cards and even more difficult to get store cards, our agency has an arrangement with an american bank who gave us a credit card. our new bank gave us one reluctantly, with $500 credit on it, but we use them and pay for them as its the only way to get a credit score.

one of my patients thought that I had said that I was from the ukraine as well, I have a mixed accent of welsh and scottish. they only really recognise london and england.

orientation at the hospital was interesting, as the way of working here is totally different, and a lot of the drugs have different names, as well as some drugs that we use in the uk are just not available here.

when I first came here days were the only option, but then someone left the nightshift and I was asked to do them, so now I do them through choice, start at 1930 and finish at 0800, but never leave the floor on time. 2 week cycles of 3 nights and 4 nights, with plenty of overtime. I think that stateside they do want us to work the nights although my friend is just about to start 8 hour day shifts in california...all mornings. its nice to be paid every 2 weeks, certainly all different from back home.

will keep looking for more info.....I always look at the uk threads first, so I hope that more nurses over here do as well.

christine

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2005

Hi this is a great thread brilliant to get this kind of information. i posted a thread re med/sur recently to find out shift patterns and what you do when you come on duty.

Can we not use our UK credit cards whilst we establish ourselves in US. I will be keeping a bank account here and my credit card going? OGP told me I would need $8000 to get through the first few months. I have also been informed that car insurance costs a fortune for us, and I was wondering if it would be better to rent a car for six months????

cariad · Jun 12, 2005

we have kept uk bank accounts and credit cards, which we can use, but they charge an exchange rate also, they dont give you us credit history which is what you want. we brought enough money to buy a 1999 car for cash which is ideal for the island, the insurance is a bit higher but not extortionate. you will have to pay deposits on apartments as well as the first months rent, and sometimes deposits for electricity etc. I dont know if it would work but while in the uk you could maybe apply for an airline creit card in the uk and then they might transfer it to the usa, someone like american airlines would be a good place to start. we flew with them and joined the airmiles programme, and if you can get a card as well they may be willing to let you change it into a dollar one. dont forget that we dont have a tv licence to pay for or an mot, petrol here is $2 a GALLON! no car tax, just a $23 fee each year for licencing it. OGP give you access to the bank of america who will give you a credit card and loans, and also help you get a mortgage if you want one.

will post later about the surgical floor that I work on, and what is expected of us, no doubt other stateside hospitals will be different.

going to bed now after my night shift.

christine

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 12, 2005

Hi this is a great thread brilliant to get this kind of information. i posted a thread re med/sur recently to find out shift patterns and what you do when you come on duty.
Can we not use our UK credit cards whilst we establish ourselves in US. I will be keeping a bank account here and my credit card going? OGP told me I would need $8000 to get through the first few months. I have also been informed that car insurance costs a fortune for us, and I was wondering if it would be better to rent a car for six months????

Hi Kay

I wondered about this so on another website was recommended to get american express and transfer account once I get to the US. The credit history will not follow but atleast can get a US credit card which will start the ball rolling :) Also will be getting a copy of UK credit to take with us as it can be used in reference for a morgage ( got this from a morgage broker in the US)

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2005

Hi Kay
I wondered about this so on another website was recommended to get american express and transfer account once I get to the US. The credit history will not follow but atleast can get a US credit card which will start the ball rolling :) Also will be getting a copy of UK credit to take with us as it can be used in reference for a morgage ( got this from a morgage broker in the US)

Brilliant idea thanks

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 12, 2005

Brilliant idea thanks

I do get them now and again............... more again than now :rotfl:

suehp · Jun 12, 2005

Hi,

We got a UK credit report from experian and equifax - you can get these on line and cost a couple of quid.

We have got an amex card which we can transfer over and I hear MBNA are a good card to have too!! We already have a US bank account which we have had for 3 yrs so we are ok there. We also intend to keep our UK bank account going and UK credit cards too as my Hubby gets a pension which is being paid into UK bank account.

ANyone going to Florida and need to get a mortgage - either before you emigrate or after - PM me for details as I know a UK couple who have a mortgage business who have recently helped us with a mortgage - got us a fantastic rate and did a fab job in very very difficult circumstances.

We have got a house in Davenport which we have owned for 3 yrs now and recently got one in Vero Beach where my job is...so anything I can help there with let me know...as regards to working out there - well I am still here waiting patiently for NVC to send my stuff to the Embassy!!! :uhoh3: :rotfl:

Owain Glyndwr · Jun 12, 2005

Thanks to all for the ideas re AMEX card. Will definitely try these out.

We will be selling up before we emigrate and will hopefully have a fair amount of equity to invest in US real estate sometime after we get to the US. Without sounding as if I'm too tight fisted to go to a financial advisor, has anyone experience, or know a (wo)man who has, of how to transfer a large(ish) amount of cash to the US at the most beneficial rates? I've thought that the simplest way would be to maintain a highish interest account here and transfer our funds to the US when decide to buy - however, as everyone knows, the exchange rate is most favourable at the moment and hopefully will be in the next 6 months or so allowing us to maximise our funds if we transfered before we emigrated. I guess we would need to be living in the US to have a bank account. Is offshore a better bet?

Obviously, I wouldn't wish to be seen as wanting to evade the US Tax system :uhoh3: but is there anyway to avoid shelling out vast amounts of money?

Any advice would be brill.

Cheers

OG

letina · Jun 12, 2005

I guess we would need to be living in the US to have a bank account.
OG

Owain,

You don't need to be living in the US to have a bank account. I've had a bank account there for 2 years and I'm still here in the UK.

Tina :)

Kaylesh · Jun 12, 2005

Owain,
You don't need to be living in the US to have a bank account. I've had a bank account there for 2 years and I'm still here in the UK.
Tina :)

Aye Tina .. I've been here in Scotland for almost 7 years and i've kept my US account the whole time..

Kaylesh