I'm wondering about how to achieve the "reflective discussion" part when there are no UK registered nurses where I work.

So, all expat Brits, please let me know how you plan to maintain your NMC registration. Is anyone agreeable to contacting me, with a view to maybe planning an email/Skype discussion that we both can document?

I'm in Chicago btw, so if there are any other UK nurses here, we can meet in Panera instead : )

I'm considering studying a UK nursing degree with the aim of later practising in the US, as I have dual citizenship. I understand that UK nursing degrees can sometimes have deficiencies for US licensure due to early specialisation, but I've also seen that many UK trained nurses have successfully transferred their credits.

For those who have gone through this process, I'd be incredibly grateful for your insight on:

1. Which university did you graduate from, and which nursing course did you study?
   

2. Would you recommend that university? if not, which UK university and programme would you kindly recommend?
   

3. Did the university help with detailed transcripts, clinical hour breakdowns, and suitable placements?
   

4. Which nursing specialty and degree length would you recommend for someone planning to move to the US?
   

5. What placements should I request to strengthen my transcript?
   

6. Do US nursing boards focus more on clinical hours, modules studied, or both?
   

7. Would a US placement help if the university offers international placements?
   

8. Is it possible to arrange additional university approved clinical placements during holiday periods to strengthen transcripts and increase clinical hours for US licensure purposes? Or would privately arranged placements be counted officially?
   

9. Does the university's name, reputation, or ranking matter when credits are reviewed or when seeking employment in the US?
   

10. Which US state did you eventually secure employment in?
    

11. How long did you prepare for the US licensing exam, and how did you find it?
    

12. What other advice would you give someone planning to study nursing in the UK before relocating to the US?

Thank you so much for any guidance you can share, your insight would be incredibly helpful.

I've just been offered a position as a cath lab nurse as a newly qualified nurse, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions. I've received mixed responses from others, but to me, it seems like an incredibly interesting area where I know I'll learn a great deal.

In the US, cath lab nurses are involved in tasks such as titrating drips and closely monitoring cardiac rhythms. Is the role similar in the UK?

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated. 

Thank You

I would like to continue working in some capacity, ideally from home, and I'm seeing the role of Legal Nurse Consultant is expanding in the US, where I am now.

Do law firms hire Nurse Consultants in the UK? If so, how would I get established?

I am currently in the process of getting my nursing license for the UK. I want to do one step at a time, but my plan is to be in Scotland by the end of summer. I am finding it very overwhelming to see all of the agencies and job availabilities- not a bad thing, but how do I pick the right one when I know nothing about them?

I'm looking for anyone that can help direct me towards the best route towards getting a job. I have 2 years experience in Emergency. I have already been in discussion with an agency in the UK but it does not appear that their placements in Scotland are as common as England.

I am also applying to the University of Edinburgh for a masters in nursing- considering school and work part time (which would be ideal). That also raises issues concerning which visa I would be applying for.. so much to do and so little time!

But before that I had to be honest. There was such a limited resource for us as in the States to go to England, most of them came for the opposite. The only "real" experience I could found was here the previous post.

I was already melancholy about leaving my home (for various reasons) and overwhelmed by application, finding a job, getting UK license...etc. at that time. Even though I never met you all, may not meet you all in the future as well, again really want to shout out a big thank you to anyone share their experiences. You guys were like the leading light in the dark. And I was saved and feeling stronger with those tiny sparkles.

Bit background about me:

I started as an international student here in the States, soon before graduate I found out that US government won't give nurses working visas (long story short, you can only get a work visa until the entry level in your field is bachelor's degree. And nursing is not. Soon before I left, our floor had 10+ travel nurses to come, lots of night we have only one staff nurse and he or she is still new, with rest of all the travel nurses. Sometimes there were lots of blocked beds.)

I'm not interested in obtaining a green card by marrying someone. That's when I decided to go to another English-speaking country. And finally, UK.  

I don't have much preparation before I started my application.

Timeline:

Janurary:

I registered my NMC account and uploaded all the requiring materials, waiting my Ohio BON to respond.

Next day NMC said they received reply from BON that I'm ready to take next step. Booked CBT exam the same day.

February:

My plan was to go to Brit in August, it's kind of early so I did nothing that month.

March:

Sent out CVs to agencies, had some research about NHS hospital. Within days I got respond. I got a pre-interview with the agency. They asked about my experience then gave me a petite math quiz. Passed.

Received more pre-interviews with several agencies. Each agency connects to a trust (a group of hospitals within the same system)

They asked my preferences, ICU& London since I'm looking forward to a big city, then gave me some interview slots.

Same week had two interviews on Microsoft team. Got offer letters the next. One of them are my togo with two months of accommodation, three years contract and fees and tickets fees covered. One thing I had to mention is despite years of experience you have, you'll start with a fresh band 5. Okay fine. I accepted the offer right away. 

April:

Offer letter didn't update new nhs band 5 pay, so I had some argue with that, finally they realized with mistakes. Keep an eye on your pay.

Passed my CBT. It was one of the easiest nursing exams I have, prepared a bit but never the same as NCLEX. Though they just changed their guideline two years ago and there're few sample questions. I bought a book on amazon which helps a tiny bit. Then I had a 1000 questions bank. You should be fine with that, most of them are common sense. When I came out at that time the staff member told me I passed both. I was so shocked since the results came out so quick. Very straight forward.

Sent out bunch of materials:

NMC Status Screenshot

Police Certificate (home country)

Police Certificate (any other country you have lived/worked in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years) – Use FBI one since they'll ask you to have FBI one later.

Marriage Certificate (If you have!)

Nursing Degree Certificate

Professional Registration Certificate & Professional Registration License ID

Proof of Address

Vaccination Certificates / Covid Certificate – lots of blood tests but bearable

References for 3 years' worth of employment – kind of hard for me to ask my manager since I pretty new, decided to wait until May.

May:

I made my mind and decided to talk to manager if they would provide my working visa here, but they said no. I told her about the plan. She said she's happy to write any references. I was sad but nothing I can do. Move on girl.

My agency didn't reply to me a lot this month which also makes me worried. She was out of office, them when she did come back, she said she'll look at my materials but never did.

June:

It was June when she finally opened her inbox and said everything is cool, but you'll need an education reference as well because I was only a fresh nurse. The references had to cover three years of nursing experience which makes me very mad since it was summertime and my college closed last week. No one replied to my emails and my favorite professor retired. Finally I grabbed my undergraduate study in desperate and they said talk to the dean office. If you're also struggling with that try to search education reference on your edu web. My dean office got me back relatedly quick, for a week.

My agency told me that the girl I worked with recently left (which kind of making sense) and thank God! The new team is very efficient and helpful.

After I sent everything, they called my references to verify (a friend of mine, my manager and my school). Kinda surprised that they did call. My manager said "it's her new journey" after she said a lot of good things for me and the agency said "sorry to steal her from you.” Man, I cried hard. 

Everything finally cleared in the end of June. My deployment date is at the beginning of September. 

July:

I was waiting for my COS until they said they won't send that until one and half month before because COS is only valid for a short period (which I forgot). They promised me to give me back in the mid of July which of course, not arrived on time. Bunch of back and forth. Finally got my COS July.31.

August:

As per contract and COS, you'll work as a band four nurse, pass your OSCE then be a band 5 nurse. I resigned at that time, got so many warm hugs from my fellows. Went to VFS, they gave me a priority line and got my work visa. From February to August, finally. It was such a relieve for me. They booked my ticket the next day I sent my visa. I was worried again (yeah) bc four months after the offer letter I never talked to a hospital again, not a single email. I had all my communication through my agency. It seemed a bit fishy, or my future employer trust my agency a lot. Either way I had no choice now!

September:

Hi London!

My agency picked me up at the airport then I arrived at my accommodation. They were very nice and helpful. Got an oyster card then I went to explore the city right away. London appears new to me, but familiar. When I went to a walk around the national gallery, with Shake Shack and M&M around, I was like: where I am, back home? OSCE team came to us the next day. We'll have two months of training not clinical wise then took the OSCE in October. And my official OSCE training starts on Monday. It's been a long long journey and I was kinda surprised that I'm here. I've been through a lot. Every blinks make me think about my past. I don't know where I'm gonna face but I have to go.

Keep y'all posted! Meanwhile feel free to ask me anything!

Now, with this move, I'm not sure where to start, as most of the articles I've read are from experienced nurses moving and getting jobs with the NHS or private hospitals. Any advice or knowledge from anyone on how I might become a nurse in the UK with no professional nursing experience but a license (and 13 years of other professional work)? Any resources or personal experience would be appreciated!

I just got word last night that my US license and diploma were approved and now I can move on to the testing portion! My plan is to study for those of course but I am wondering about the "police clearance" section in the "application and preparation" section. I can't find a clear cut answer on what exactly I need to do here... and is it okay that I am not in the UK yet for my testing, I can fly in for it? 

Thank you so much!

Regulator Verification Status - Requested

Is NMC just going to send an email to my BON (I'm in Ohio)?? And I call Ohio BON to let them know "hey UK NMC is going to send some verifications to you guys"? I did call already but the operator in my state definitely had no idea what's that about and even asked me to call a nursing office when she even didn't know the phone number. 

I'll call back again tomorrow. But still, I was very frustrated about that. Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!

I have an interview for a band 6 on a gynae ward  and have been asked to create a presentation with what I believe the key differences are between a Band 5 and a Band 6 and how I would measure success in these areas.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

I have tried this week.

I found their website, and they wanted me to verify who I am, through one of two agencies. No problem, the process is similar to renewing a passport, and the Post Office site they link to is helpful.

But after literally spending two days putting this application together, with all the document scanning and work history, they have refused me access to it.

The reason?

In order to apply for your Superannuation you have to have "ten years checkable UK credit history".

I still have 3 UK bank accounts and a mortgage.

That's not enough.

So what about people who literally have not had any credit history in the last 10 years? People who have paid off their mortgage, only use a debit card and don't own a car? That would be me, even if I was in the UK, I would still not have that 10  year history.

Does anyone have experience of dealing with this situation?

I cannot contact the Superann except through the verification agency, who will not register me without the credit history.

Help me out here people!!

I am a Offshore Nurse. UK trained RGN. I am based on a pipelaying vessel. I have no other clinical colleagues onboard. My revalidation is due in a few weeks. I need assistance getting my reflective discussion signed off. I contacted the NMC today and they've advised I seek a peer via a forum. Which I'm not 100% sure sounds solid. But I just require someone to email my reflective pieces too and someone with NMC registration sign the form. Simple, but it is proving mighty hard to get organised! If anyone is able to lend assistance I'd be so grateful. 

Long story short, my 91 year old mum has not seen a GP since she moved house 6 years ago. I took her to the local surgery to register, and without even seeing her, they just started mailing her repeat prescriptions to her.

She cannot get an appointment, firstly because she cannot understand the robot that answers the phone and direct calls, and secondly because I cannot call it from overseas as it only takes calls based on local number recognition that matches the number to a known patient.

I'm sure there are NHS requirements for primary care, like an annual visit, regular A1Cs, etc, but they are failing at every step.

I will be making a complaint, but I would like links to the relevant policies that I can quote at them!

TIA

Looking for insight into my current situation.

I am a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner in the U.S. with a Master of Science in Nursing, and a little > 1 yr of experience working in Cardiology (as an NP). Prior to this, I worked as a Critical Care nurse (RN, BSN) for 3 years. As of four months ago, I relocated to Lakenheath RAFB with my husband to the U.K., (husband is active duty Air Force).

Unfortunately, there are no open positions on base for Nurse Practitioners. Thus, I have researched and somewhat understand the process of transferring my US nursing license to the UK after reviewing the NMC site: Trained outside the EU/EEA, yet, have a few remaining questions. Are there particular recommended study prep courses for the U.K. nursing boards or Nurse Practitioner boards? If so, which ones (I used Kaplan prep in the U.S. for my BSN, and the Fitzgerald Review/Leik Book/APEA questions for my Family Nurse Practitioner boards)?

Additionally, once I have attained my RN licensure with NMC, I am seeking clarification on how to proceed with transferring my U.S. NP licensure to the U.K.. What are some of the things I would have to do there to get certified to work there as a Nurse Practitioner? Would I need to go back to school at all? Or resit my boards?

Please, any and all insight is appreciated! TIA :)

-Jessica

I'm seeking assistance because I find myself feeling stuck in my current job role as a Band 6 scrub nurse. The work has become repetitive and unfulfilling, and I'm eager to transition into a different field of nursing, specifically as a chemotherapy nurse. The challenge I face is that I've dedicated almost 10 years to perioperative nursing, and I'm uncertain about how to make a successful transition into chemotherapy nursing.

I'd greatly appreciate any advice or guidance on how to pursue a career in chemotherapy nursing. Thank you!

I am a seasoned CA nurse and worked in a hospital setting since 2010.

I relocated to the UK and passed my CBT and OSCE, went through the entire process and now they are requesting either the school credit hours to be translated into practice hours or a letter from the university I attended stating that a minimum of 50% of schooling was in clinical practice. I am on a visitor's visa and my time here is running out.

I have attempted contacting the university and am receiving no help.

Is this necessary? I am very confused and distraught and why wasn't this brought up beforehand.

Any advise/help would be greatly appreciated.

As an Australian Nurse, can I ask if any you have recently decided to apply for a work visa in either Ireland or the UK, and if so which easier, less expensive and quicker. I'm led to believe that the UK is easier and also in Ireland you are required to complete an English test even if you are a native speaker, is this true? Is this the case in the UK too by the way, any help r examples would be really appreciated in helping us decide where to go, thank you.