US nurse vs UK

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 13, 2015

Nurses start on Band 5 of this pay scale and for this year starting point would be

21,692 which when converted at the moment would be $

33,004.70

https://www.rcn.org.uk/support/pay_and_conditions/pay-rates-2015-16

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 15, 2015

Hello, I'm inquiring about what nursing is like in the UK. I have read and seen some things that are quite different from the US. That is to be expected but I am just curious if anyone has personal insight. For one I heard that Nurse do not get paid as well, I heard they don't use their stethoscopes as often, I heard the nurse to patient ratio is higher, and I heard things are more laid back in regards to doctor's orders. I really want to try traveling nurse in the UK for a year but in all honesty I do not want to be paid a lot less than in the US. If I went through an agency would that be different?

It is a substantial pay cut moving from the US to UK. If you work for an agency you get paid a slightly higher hourly rate than staff nurses, but you don't get any of the perks such as paid vacation time, education pay, etc. Whether you come over as a travel nurse or staff nurse, you'll probably want to be here for longer than a year to get your money's worth; the process of licensure and visa acquisition takes a year or more and is very expensive these days.

In terms of the rest of the rumors, YMMV. I work in an intensive care unit so our ratio is capped at 1:2, and you better believe we're using stethoscopes all the time. Our MD orders are often verbal, although prescriptions are obviously always written.

spacemonkey15 · Nov 16, 2015

Depending on the agency and whether you work in a specialist area would dictate how much you get paid if you didn't work in the NHS, however, the government are currently trying to cap agency rates because they think it's too high and is costing the taxpayer too much. (They love the free market when it's lining their own pockets though).

As the above poster has said though, the process of getting your registration to work here is from what I've heard a very lengthy process, so I'd research it all fully before trying to make a move at all.

As for stethoscopes, it varies, in critical care we use them often, though your standard ward nurses don't use them as much. Nurse patient ratios can vary massively from ward to ward, but in critical care it's 1:1 or 1:2 depending on patient dependency.

skylark, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

It depends which specialty you intend to work in. UK RNS generally tend to be more "hands-on", with tasks such as washing patients, assisting with bedpans, etc.

As regards stethoscopes, the assessment role does not usually involve auscultation, unless you are a nurse practitioner.

Pay is around 2/3 of US pay, but can be more via an agency.

But on the flip side, vacation is longer!

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

As regards stethoscopes, the assessment role does not usually involve auscultation, unless you are a nurse practitioner.

Er, it certainly does.

skylark, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

Er, it certainly does.

Depends what field you work in, I know many floor nurses who don't even own a stethoscope : )

vandiola · Dec 24, 2015

When I did my ITU placement I don't think I ever saw a nurse use a stethoscope, except the PERTT nurses. I assume it does vary across hospitals, I've worked in some district hospitals where nurses aren't allowed to do any cannulations or ECGs.

allnurses Guide · Dec 26, 2015

When I did my ITU placement I don't think I ever saw a nurse use a stethoscope, except the PERTT nurses. I assume it does vary across hospitals, I've worked in some district hospitals where nurses aren't allowed to do any cannulations or ECGs.

Every ITU I've worked in it was standard practice to assess your patients at the start and during your shift which included auscultation.