UK Nurses working abroad

JodieMay · Apr 18, 2011

You have many years ahead of you before you would be able to work abroad. It depends really on where you want to work as to the length of time required. You cannot just go work abroad after finishing your RN in the UK. There are visa issues and licensing to consider. To work, for example in the US, you are looking at around a 7 year wait for visas at the minute, plus passing NCLEX and possibly ILETS.

So the simple answer is that you would probably have heaps of experience before you would be eligible for a visa anyway!

RGN1 · Apr 18, 2011

I think you need to gain some experience as an RN before you make a move abroad. most countries ask for around 2 years minimum and I personally think that's really not quite enough for you to gain the knowledge you need.

Right now the world economy is not conducive to getting out the UK anyway so I would plan for a few years of experience in the UK while you research where you want to go and what the logistics in getting there are.

It's a good future plan and I don't blame you for wanting out but remember the grass is not always greener and you really need to do a lot of fact finding before you commit to ensure your best chance of not regretting your move.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Apr 18, 2011

Great idea to plan ahead but gaining experience should be used as an advantage. Plus be aware some countries like Canada and the USA require general training and clinical and theory in Paeds, Mental Health, Obstetrics as well as Adult

Which ever country you decide on as mentioned there is the process of meeting RN requirements as well as immigration requirements so not always quick

Varda · Apr 19, 2011

I'm going to the UK from Portugal as a newly qualified nurse, so it is possible. It just depends on where you want to go.

If your idea is to go to a different EU country, there are still some that are in desperate need of nurses - France and Belgium come to mind right away. Of course, you'd need to know French to work in either (unless you know dutch, in whcih case you can work in Belgium too).

Nothing like doing an Erasmus exchange to a foreign country to know how you would like to work there, though. It helps you also to understand how you deal with being away from home - family, friends and all the little things that may be completely different in another country.

Good luck!

misswoosie · Apr 22, 2011

I think you need to gain some experience as an RN before you make a move abroad. most countries ask for around 2 years minimum and I personally think that's really not quite enough for you to gain the knowledge you need.
Right now the world economy is not conducive to getting out the UK anyway so I would plan for a few years of experience in the UK while you research where you want to go and what the logistics in getting there are.
It's a good future plan and I don't blame you for wanting out but remember the grass is not always greener and you really need to do a lot of fact finding before you commit to ensure your best chance of not regretting your move.

Cost of living is a lot lower in many countries though and nurses are paid much better wages.

Stefix- if you think you may eventually want to work in the US then as someone else said, you must have a generalist training including clinical and theory hours in med,surg,paeds,psych,obstetrics,ortho before you will be allowed to sit NCLEX.

Your training will have to be reviewed by CGFNS - process called credential evaluation.

Not sure what the minimum hours of training and theory are for all of the above but talking to student nurses here in the US I think the clinical hours may be minimal. Some ADN programmes only include around 400 clinical hours in total.The theory hours will probably be higher.

Start planning now!

Nursing in the US is a shortage occupation and has been since the 80s, and I believe once the baby boomers retire and the economy recovers a little there will be more hospitals willing to sponsor foreign nurses and US will have to review it's visa availablilty for nurses (like they did in the early 2000s)

With the health reforms and an ageing population they simply won't be able to train/recruit enough good quality nurses.

Just my 2 cents worth.

DavidFR, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

I strongly advise getting some post-reg experience before launching yourself in a new country. Your first post is difficult enough without having to cope with a new system you're not even familiar with. I came to France after 15 years experience and my transition was realtively harmless, but had its difficulties nonetheless even with 15 years behind me. I'm not sure how I'd have coped as a newbie in a foreign country. Where I work currently people were shocked at my level of ability as a UK trained nurse, as they all talk of an old colleague who came from the UK newly qualified and lasted 10 minutes. They associated her poor performance with British training being "bad" as they saw it, but the reality is more likely that the poor girl took the leap too soon.

Working abroad is a great experience - do it, but do get some post-reg behind you first.

misswoosie · Apr 23, 2011

Agree that experience is vital so that you feel confident in your skills.

What many people don,t realise is that the wait for a Green Card if you're a nurse is around 7 years and you need to add this in

To your plan, rather than saying "well now I have my 3 yrs experience so I'll start the process of immigration".

Forewarned is fore armed!

respRN86 · May 3, 2011

i too am looking at the process of working abroad as I now have family ties in america and am keen to try something new, however I have 4 years experience and still dont feel prepared. My last four years have had ups and downs and i have learnt more than I could have imagined when i was doing my degree- I think I personally would have crashed and burned if I had tried to emmigrate straight away. Also there are lots of oppotunities within the NHS if you look for them so maybe get all your immigration information whilist you start your first job and then you will know if its the right choice.

Good luck and let me know how the process goes, also good luck with the end of yuor training! x

Rook · May 25, 2011

Saudi Arabia and/or other rich Middle Eastern countries might take you as a new grad.

Here in the United States we're closed (we still have a shortage but have decided to tackle the problem head-on by not hiring anyone; especially new grads). I think the only way in would be to stop by the embassy and enter the immigrant lottery.

That being said we do have military bases all over the world (a huge one in Germany) that always need civilian health care workers and if Germany doesn't float your boat I'm sure Afganistan is nice this time of the year.

Canada might be an option however you have fly to canada to take the boards.

allnurses Guide · May 25, 2011

Moved to international this thread does not have anything to do with nursing in the UK