US NICU RN moving to UK

[jlynnpaulk]

I'm hoping to relocate from the US to the UK this year.

I have a 4 year BSN and have worked in the NICU for almost 6 years. Anyone know if it will be possible to find a job in the NICU or have any advice in regards to NICU nursing in the UK? I am looking to take my IELTS exam in early March and will begin working with Continental Travel Nurse Registry to guide the NMC process.

It seems that in the UK, nurses train specifically in adult or children's health. Will my experience be enough to qualify me for a NICU spot?

Any tips, experiences, advice welcome!! Thanks!

[babyNP., APRN]

Yes, I met a girl from Texas who took the ONP class with me. Continental basically set everything up and she was going to live just a couple of blocks away from the hospital. I think the staffing ratios are a bit heavier (depending on what you're used to) according to a couple of people that I've spoken with. I don't know any specifics, unfortunately.

Having a general adult degree shouldn't really matter in regards to NICU, although I think it does matter if you wanted to do PICU. From what I've read, most people do a post-degree course in neonatology in the UK, so it's not like a peds degree is required.

Here's a link to my experiences in getting the PIN: https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/journey-foreign-nurse-651871.html

I'm not over in the UK right now; this is something that DH and I would want to do after we have kids in the future. It was a bit of a headache, but definitely worth it. I would definitely recommend the Bournemouth ONP; it is a lot of self-study, but a good way to learn about how the NHS works. I particularly love the NHS constitution which states something to the effect that care will not be given according to ability to pay.