US Nurse moving to UK

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Specializes in ICU Nurse.

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well. I am a US citizen graduated from nursing school on 2019 and since then I have been in ICU, I planning to move to UK in this Summer 2021. My NMC application is in process, all papers were submitted except of OSCE Exam. for a month now I have been applying for jobs on NHS jobs website with no answer, also I applied though some agencies and they receive the CV and then the don't keep me updated with my application. 

I would like to ask for a contact for a good agency? 

I also was thinking to book for OSCE course in UK and travel there and get my NMC PIN and apply for jobs while I am there. any advice.

Thank you

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

I've been gone from the UK a long time, but back in my day the Nursing Times was where everybody looked for jobs, back then a paper journal but now on line:

https://www.nursingtimesjobs.com/jobs/staff-nurse

You may want to work a few shifts for a nursing agency to get to see what different hospitals feel like. The BNA is one of the more reputable agencies:

https://www.bna.co.uk/

I had experience of them in London, Manchester and Lancashire (Rochdale, Bolton). They were good but I stress my experience dates back.

Another agency, who also deal in recruitment as well as placing temporary nurses  is Drake Medox. Back then they were more orientated to the private sector.

https://www.drakemedox.co.uk/about-us 

If you've never worked in a British hospital make sure you enquire about induction and orientation when you  take on a permanent position. If you're going to try a bit of agency first you may want to do the first few shifts as a health care assistant (HCA) just to orientate yourself to the organisation of UK hospitals and see how things work.

No info from any of the current UK residents??????

Good luck. 

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Specializes in ICU Nurse.

I appreciate your answer. Thank you 

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
17 hours ago, DavidFR said:

No info from any of the current UK residents??????

Sorry David, I can't help as I have very limited experience of this. There is an agency in Scotland but although I registered with them when they first opened I have never worked for them. I know that agency nurses have been working in my hospital and get paid almost double what the permanent staff do.

I found this site which may help, although the OP may not want to come to Scotland; 

https://www.careers.nhs.scot/careers/find-your-career/international-recruitment/

Just realised that this site is for medical staff but the OP may get some information from it.

 

The nursing agency that seems to get used is Scottish Nursing Guild;

https://scottish-nursing-guild.com/

 

For nursing vacancies in Scotland go here;

https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk/

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Specializes in ICU Nurse.

Thank you 

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Specializes in OR.

hi, I currently went to the rigourous process of being a UK in the are in from the US. I did the CBT, and the OSCE three times! Please take your exam in Ireland it has the highest passing rate. And they are not such sticklers about little things which you learned and nurse in school (injections, CPR etc) 

I took a OSCE class which I found very helpful  but I can't seem to find the website.

I have applied for NHS jobs and got positions on the spot over zoom. but I work in the operating theatre so it may be more in demand. try Continental Nursing-London

and tried directly on the NHS website. I leave July 2021, my Visa and everything has been approved and I'm set to go. 

 

Good luck with your journey

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Specializes in ICU Nurse.

thanks for sharing your experience, I found a position out side London, they send me offer letter and waiting to get my work permit and the visa. 

good luck for your new life

 

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Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry/Covid19.

Hi Ahmed, 

I was wondering if you could provide an update as to how it's been so far? I am planning to move in the Summer 2022.

Thank you kindly :)

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Specializes in OR.

Hi, I have arrived in London as of July 2021 working at the NHS in Paddington, Im working on paperwork induction and start working in the theatre this week. London is amazing best decision I have made in my life!

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Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry/Covid19.

Congratulations!! So pleased for you ? London is absolutely amazing!

Have the NHS helped you with a relocation package of any sort? How long did the CBT, IELTS, etc process take? 

Thank you so much and best of luck 

 

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Specializes in ICU Nurse.
23 hours ago, LondonFog said:

Hi Ahmed, 

I was wondering if you could provide an update as to how it's been so far? I am planning to move in the Summer 2022.

Thank you kindly :)

Hi, if you are going next Summer I advice you to start m now, the process should take 6 months but with COVID it might take longer.

there are a lot of agencies and some time it take them long time to respond, I applied with more than one agency and got more than one interview, the agencies connect you with the hospitals, it’s free of charges.

I was suppose to travel on July, but they postpone to august and now to October.

good luck

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Specializes in Nervous New Grad.

Hi Ahmed! As an American nursing student also wanting to work in the UK, did you have a BSN or ADN/associate's degree when you applied to work there? I'm going for my ADN right now, and I was wondering if that's enough to register with the NMC or if I need a BSN.

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