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.
Gosh 3 years is a lot! I'm currently pursuing with Continental, but will explore a bit more after the holidays. I think I'll be in a better position to search after I complete my CBT. I currently work for HCA and have considered applying with them.
Yes I am on a HemOnc/Bone Marrow Transplant floor and I wanted to stay on a similar floor. Most of the agencies require 2-3yr commitments because they are paying for your Tier 2 Visa.
Luckily HCA is paying for my Visa and they aren't requiring a commitment because they aren't an agency. Drake required 3yr commitment
Hello Madeline, Hope all is well with you. Would you mind providing an update please? How have things been moving along so far with the process, HCA, etc. Thank you! I will be taking my CBT this month and anticipate relocating within the next few months hopefully. I know you said you start with HCA in August - Good Luck with that! ?
Hi, I see that this post hasn’t been accessed in a year. I’m a fairly new nurse who works in a cardiac unit for about a year now. I would love to work in the UK so I can be with my SO but not so sure when and where to start as the information is so overwhelming and I’m reading that the process takes a while. Any updates or tips on what to do?
There is a lot of information via this site for relocating into the UK as a nurse, so try to filter to what applies to your situation. I'll tell you what I know, but unfortunately I don't know about UK visa/immigration as I am a citizen.
Firstly, definitely go through the nmc.org.uk to get accurate information regarding registration, etc. They are the registering body of the UK and issue your licence (registration) to work as a nurse there. Browse through and get to the overseas nurse section to gain more information on how to register with them. Essentially you will need to pass 2 exams before you can register as a nurse. One is a theory test (CBT) which can be taken from your home city/state, the other is a practical clinical test (OSCE) which must be taken in the UK. You can also go on the PEARSON VUE website to see some sample practice questions and guides. There are a lot of You Tube videos on this also.
If you contact an international recruiter like Drake Medox, NEU Professionals, NHS Professionals, etc (there are lots!) they will also guide you on how to register and what to do. You can email them with your CV and they will contact you back to start the process. Essentially, they will recruit you for a position with the NHS after screening, few interviews, etc. They do reimburse apparently, as the testing fees can add up. They do process and assist with all visa/sponsorship also and from what I understand this can take some time. Drake Medox have been efficient, so I would look into them. I can give you my recruiters details if you'd like- just let me know. I know private hospitals in the UK may also do their own hiring - look at HCA UK for that.
My timeline was intentionally delayed, however I would definitely give it 6- 8 months, maybe more for your visa/sponsorship, etc.
Jeunge, I am happy to help. I’m an American nurse who came to the UK in February of 2022. I started searching for info to make the move in December of 2021, so it took me only three months from first interest to boots on the ground in London. If you’re interested in my pathway, feel free to reach out at [email protected].
While it would take me hours to go through my entire experience working here, I can at least sum it up for you. I find work life balance in the UK to be far better than in the states. That said, you will feel the impact in your income. I take home like £2100 after taxes a month on a band 5 salary. As a newly qualified UK nurse you must start at band 5, but many of us already have years of nursing experience and as such, should band up to 6 and higher very quickly. I personally anticipate making a good bit more very soon but regardless, you WILL make less than back home and you’ll feel that in your daily life. The option to have 7 weeks paid leave, plus essentially unlimited sick time in this country makes it all worth it to me as someone who doesn’t value money as much as experiences. You’ll have to make your own decisions based on what matters to you. Personally I also find that Londoners are all resigned to being broke all the time so there’s not the societal pressure that I felt in the states to be making more than anyone else. We all just buy each other a round and admit we’re strapped, and no one cares.
Next, nurses in the UK have less autonomy and unfortunately with that, less respect, than in the states. I love being a psych nurse, so I can brush that off, most of the time, but there are days you feel small, which is not an experience I had back home where my psychiatrists trusted me to make decisions on my own nearly all of the time with very little interference.
If you work in London, you’ll have a massive amount of diversity in your workplace which I love.
Any other specific questions or if you want to know about OSCE, just ask.
Thank you so much Alyssa! ? Really very helpful, thorough and transparent. I'm registered to take my OSCE in early December at Oxford Brookes so any advice will be appreciated - thank you. I'm planning to purchase the Marsden book once I'm in London and intend to take a practice course (any suggestions?).
Sofin, whichever book you buy, if you can get your hands on one that has the scoring criteria for each station, you basically need to memorize them. I used a book provided by IELTS medical but there are many. Memorize the “red flag” errors. I passed first attempt along with the 10 others who took it with me. I was obsessing right after about an error I thought I’d made when I failed to get a second nurse to sign for administration of diazepam, but it turned out it wasn’t required so there was no error. It’s often hard to remember things like that which may or may not be different to US practice. Feel free to email me and I’ll try to dig up my books for you.
Hi Alyssa! I'm a bit late to the party, but I've been lurking this topic and I'd love to know what books/resources you used for the OSCE too. I'm moving over to Cornwall and beginning work as a nurse in November and am trying to get all the resources for the OSCE that I can. Would I be able to email you too?
Thank you for sharing your experiences, it's really helpful.
There is a lot of information via this site for relocating into the UK as a nurse, so try to filter to what applies to your situation. I'll tell you what I know, but unfortunately I don't know about UK visa/immigration as I am a citizen.
Firstly, definitely go through the nmc.org.uk to get accurate information regarding registration, etc. They are the registering body of the UK and issue your licence (registration) to work as a nurse there. Browse through and get to the overseas nurse section to gain more information on how to register with them. Essentially you will need to pass 2 exams before you can register as a nurse. One is a theory test (CBT) which can be taken from your home city/state, the other is a practical clinical test (OSCE) which must be taken in the UK. You can also go on the PEARSON VUE website to see some sample practice questions and guides. There are a lot of You Tube videos on this also.
If you contact an international recruiter like Drake Medox, NEU Professionals, NHS Professionals, etc (there are lots!) they will also guide you on how to register and what to do. You can email them with your CV and they will contact you back to start the process. Essentially, they will recruit you for a position with the NHS after screening, few interviews, etc. They do reimburse apparently, as the testing fees can add up. They do process and assist with all visa/sponsorship also and from what I understand this can take some time. Drake Medox have been efficient, so I would look into them. I can give you my recruiters details if you'd like- just let me know. I know private hospitals in the UK may also do their own hiring - look at HCA UK for that.
My timeline was intentionally delayed, however I would definitely give it 6- 8 months, maybe more for your visa/sponsorship, etc.
Good luck with your research ?
Hi! Thank you so much for the response!
I’ve been looking into some agencies such as continental , MMA , and drake medox but just wasn’t too sure if I should email them so early on especially if I’m not planning to relocate until 2024.. but if you could share your recruiters details I’d really appreciate it!
I’m trying to find a hospital in Benfleet if possible as that’s where my SO is located ^^
LondonFog, BSN
190 Posts
Gosh 3 years is a lot! I'm currently pursuing with Continental, but will explore a bit more after the holidays. I think I'll be in a better position to search after I complete my CBT. I currently work for HCA and have considered applying with them.